Whether serving in traffic court, criminal court, or family court, judges are called to bring impartiality, integrity, and compassion to the judicial system.
It’s important to remember that judges are also members of our community. They aren’t some abstract authority figure — they live among us and play a key role in setting the tone for the communities we share. Judges may be our first line of defense for the rule of law, but they are also members of our communities who can set an important tone for our communities. Their legal decisions can reverberate throughout a community. Ensuring we elect judges who are fair, impartial and accountable goes a long way to make sure our standards of governance are high.
This year voting for judicial candidates is the role we can play to help ensure our courts are fair and our judicial system strong.
- Jacqueline Housel, President of the League of Women Voters of the Greater Dayton Area
HB 485 should be vigorously opposed. It is a propaganda device pushed by the Live Action group which requires public schools to show a “Miracle of Life” video to kids, and forbids the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce from providing a video or curriculum that counters the Live Action position. This bill regarding the “Miracle of Life” video (again, which would legalize a no opposition video) is to be used in public schools which our tax money supports. HB 485 should be denounced and defeated by all who seriously care about public education and about protecting our democratic system.
- Gloria Doan, Centerville
Ohio HB 486 would allow public school teachers to provide instruction on the positive impacts of Christianity in American history. These positive impacts express opinions on religious outcomes that clash with fact based secular public school instruction. Public school learning focuses on science, mathematics, and literature.
Public school students learn world religions. The where, when, why, how, who, and views of each different religions is studied. Students compare and contrast the religions, summarize cultural effects, and draw conclusions. Religious instruction is never included nor is teacher directed impact. The goal is student awareness and understanding of the major religions.
Academic studies of religions permit students to create their own opinions about the impact of each religion on its people, culture, and the world. A religious academic study engages students regardless of their personal beliefs to think rationally and critically about the different religions.
Given religion is personal and public schools are secular, HB 486 crosses the line of neutrality. Emphasizing only positive impacts of one religion excluding other religions and possible negative impacts is indoctrination not education.
- Andrea Bauer, Beavercreek Twp.
Mr. Scott’s letter published Oct. 10 calls for Ohio to support an Article V Convention of States in order to “restore fiscal discipline and federal accountability.” He demands we adopt a balanced federal budget, impose term limits on Congress and “federal” (sic) agencies and “rein in unchecked federal power.” I don’t think he realizes what his demands would create.
Requiring a balanced federal budget would have two results: a massive increase in federal taxes of all kinds and a destructive reduction in federal programs for defense, social security and healthcare, among many others. The government should bring in more than it spends but mandating a balanced budget will handcuff it from conducting its many jobs.
Term limits mean would result in frequent turnover so most Members of Congress would not understand the workings of that institution and, as has been demonstrated in states with limits, would give power not to the people but to lobbyists, who would always be present to “guide” the members.
How is federal power “unchecked?” If Congressional Republicans would legislate responsibly and not grandstand by introducing ridiculous bills to prevent being primaried out of office, they might actually do something useful. As it now stands, Congress is at an impasse due to Republican intransigence.
We all want better government. But an Article V Convention of States is not the way to do it. If Mr. Scott thinks Government is a mess now, I believe he’d be stunned at the disaster the Convention would cause.
- Thomas Moon, West Carrollton
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
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