Ohio House Passes Bill Allowing Students to Give Technically Wrong Answers if They're Based on Their Religious Beliefs

It's a common Republican talking point that students—especially those in universities—are coddled by their professors, prioritizing students' feelings and strongly-held beliefs over a well-rounded education.

Yet, in a stunning rejection of scientific facts, the Ohio House of Representatives passed H.B. 164, or the Student Religious Liberties Act, on Wednesday. The bill allows public school students to give inaccurate answers to scientific questions, as long as their inaccuracies are religiously based.

Every Republican in the Ohio House voted for the bill.

https://www.scribd.com/document/435052274/House-Bill-164#from_embed

The bill states:

"No [public academic institution] shall prohibit a student from engaging in religious expression in the completion of homework, artwork, or other written or oral assignments. Assignment grades and scores shall be calculated using ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance, including any legitimate pedagogical concerns, and shall not penalize or reward a student based on the religious content of a student's work."

The bill's sponsor, State Rep. Timothy Gunter, assures that students would still have to reflect what they are taught, but critics say the policy is too broad to be implemented equally, with no guarantee that accuracy would outweigh doctrine.

With a Republican state senate and a Republican governor, it's likely the bill will be passed into law.