In Ohio, a new bill has been proposed under the Transparency in the Pledge of Allegiance Act (TIPA) that would require school districts to publicly disclose their Pledge of Allegiance policies.
The bill was introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives on August 19, 2024.
The bill was introduced by Republican Rep. Gayle Pavliga of Atwater and Republican Rep. Tracy Richardson of Marysville.
Under TIPA, Ohio requires schools to have a policy on whether or not to recite the pledge.
In an email, Pavliga told Fox News Digital why he's enthusiastic about the bill.
“I'm a very patriotic person and I feel the Pledge of Allegiance should be recited in schools, but I don't want to mandate any particular policy.”
“So, I felt the best way to address this situation was to make the policies publicly available for residents of each school district to view,” she said.
Rep. Richardson told Fox News Digital in an email on Tuesday that the pledge “brings us together” and that the bill is aimed at keeping parents informed.
“As someone who deeply respects the unity symbolized by the Pledge of Allegiance and has dedicated his life to serving his country in the military, I understand the importance of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance,” Richardson said.
“The flag is a rallying point in battle, and this pledge reflects our collective support for what it means to be an American,” she also said.
Forty-six states require the recitation of the pledge in schools, according to Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan 501 organization based in Washington, D.C., that promotes First Amendment freedoms.
According to the group, 34 states have exemptions or requirements that note that schools cannot force students to take the pledge.
Pabilga said parents pay taxes to the school district and have a right to know whether the Pledge of Allegiance will be recited at their particular school.
“I firmly believe that the residents of each community should decide how they want to run their local government, which is why Assembly Bill 657 does not force school districts to follow a particular policy, but rather is a way for parents in each school district to know what policies their school district has already decided to implement,” Pabilga said.
Richardson echoed similar sentiments, saying the bill is about transparency.
“Ohioans expect openness from their elected officials and government agencies, including our schools,” she said.
In 1943, the Supreme Court ruled in West Virginia v. Barnette that public school students could not be forced to salute the American flag or recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
The pledge dates back to September 1892 and was written to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival.
According to the Constitution Center, the pledge was written by Rev. Francis Bellamy.
Pabilga is confident the Ohio General Assembly will be able to pass the bill before the 135th Legislative Session ends in December.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Ohio Board of Education for additional comment.
