Here is a message you can send to your Representative to stop H.B. 73

Dear Representative:

I oppose H.B. 73, and I urge you to oppose it, too. H.B. 73 would eliminate the end of course exams for American Government and American History. Ohio’s current curriculum requirement of teaching American Government and American History in grades 8-12 is a success story.

That success is due to the passage of S.B. 165, known as the Founding of America Documents Curriculum, in the 129th General Assembly in 2012. It requires the teaching of our Founding Documents, namely The U.S. Constitution with an emphasis on The Bill of Rights, The Northwest Ordinance, The Declaration of Independence, The Ohio Constitution, and the Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers in grades 8-12, with a half credit hour for American Government and a half credit hour for American History, with an end of course exam for each.  This curriculum instructs our students about their rights and privileges in this representative form of government. Ohio high school students in recent years have scored higher proficiency test rates in American History and American Government than their counterparts in other states. This is due to the current curriculum, and the end of course exam requirement in both American Government and American History is the guarantee that the curriculum will be taught. At a time when our nation’s institutions are under assault and are being torn down, it makes no sense that the 134th General Assembly would even be considering reducing class instruction of our American History and American Government.  Therefore, I urge you to oppose H.B. 73 that would diminish Constitutional Studies in the Ohio classroom.