Letters to the Editor: Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025

If you are Black, and you feel like anti-DEI legislation attempts to silence you, or if you are in the LGBTQ+ community and feel like it attempts to force you back in the closet – that’s because it does. Ignore the hollow justifications, outlawing DEI education is simply an attempt by the white, straight majority to set the terms for how we think about race and the LGBTQ+ community in this country.

Let’s all be completely honest – the U.S. is becoming more diverse by the minute, but anti-DEI laws are written by overwhelmingly white, straight lawmakers to silence ideas that make them uncomfortable. In a state where Black babies are more likely to be born into poverty (and statistically less likely to even survive childbirth), outlawing the kinds of discussions that are the first step in changing these inequalities maintains the status quo. Opportunities are unequally distributed along racial lines in this state, and everyone knows it. Outlawing education about why that is the case keeps it that way.

Let your state legislators know that Senate Bill 1 / House Bill 6 are racially problematic pieces of legislation that have no business being considered in a state with such beautiful, powerful diversity.

- Jared Cutler, Beavercreek

As a product - in part - of Piqua City Schools (albeit many Moons ago) I beg to differ with Mr. Hittle’s Feb. 4 analysis of Ohio’s School Voucher Program. As a former vocational educator, I can ‘vouch’ for the fact that a student’s education is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Piqua City Schools do an excellent job of educating academically-, athletically-, musically-inclined (however, they have no orchestra for strings) gregarious students. Others - vis a vis the recent state scores - maybe not so good. My point? K-12 education is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Several years ago when the Piqua School Board brought in a DEI specialist from Dayton to address alleged issues of racial insensitivity in Piqua City Schools, I called and spoke with the assistant superintendent to express my concerns. I offered to meet with any of the ‘Racially offended’ students to discuss their concerns. He politely declined my offer. Anyway, private academies have their place. Parental/Taxpayer ‘Choice’ also most definitely has its place. Mr. Hittle needs to recognize that reality. An educational system that worked in 1950 does not necessarily accomplish the needs of a 21st century America student.

- Richard Crump, Piqua

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