2014 April

04.23.14

Ohio Board of Education Refuses to Protect LGBT Educators

Danielle Doza

On April 16, 2014, The Ohio Board of Education (BOE) voted to exclude sexual orientation from its nondiscrimination policy, sending a clear message to LGBT educators; you are not welcome or valued in Ohio classrooms.

Right now in Ohio, teachers can be fired simply for being perceived as gay, lesbian, or transgender.

04.21.14

A Day at Lucasville

Nick Worner

On April 3, 2014, the ACLU of Ohio toured the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility (SOCF), a high security prison located in southern Ohio better known by the moniker “Lucasville.”

Below are some reflections on our visit to SOCF, from three of the staff members who visited the facility.

04.18.14

Automatic License Plate Readers: A Recipe for Trouble

Nick Worner and Melissa Bilancini

Privacy isn’t about hiding your information. Privacy is about controlling your information. That’s why automatic license plate readers (ALPR’s) are so troubling.

There’s nothing new about police officers checking individual license plates sporadically throughout the day. But a machine that scans every single plate that passes by 24/7 is something totally different.

04.15.14

One Step Closer to Ohio Marriage Equality

Danielle Doza

This week, Federal Judge Timothy Black ruled that Ohio must recognize the marriages of same-sex couples who are legally married in other states.

The decision does not require Ohio to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.  It only requires Ohio to recognize marriages performed in other states.

04.12.14

Media Roundup » 04/04/14 through 04/11/14

Nick Worner

* ACLU of Ohio Mentioned

• Chief Justice O’Connor slams door on debtors’ prisons – Youngstown Vindicator, 4/6*
• City to review board’s closed-door policy – Dayton Daily News, 4/6*
• Supreme Court won’t hear case on gay wedding snub – USA Today, 4/7
• Lax rules harm accountability – Columbus Dispatch, 4/7
• Legislators threaten to slash Cuyahoga County funding over FitzGerald absentee ballot mailings – Cleveland.com, 4/7
• Do Students Still Have Free Speech in School?

04.10.14

Media Roundup » 03/21/14 through 04/04/14

Nick Worner

* ACLU of Ohio Mentioned

• Parents threaten to sink Elyria Schools renewal – Elyria Chronicle Telegram, 3/22*
• Bus ride to Mount Airy simulates voter trek – Cincinatti Enquirer, 3/22
• Ohio’s false-statement law is unconstitutional – Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/23*
• Prayer continues to raise eyebrows in the Falls – Akron Beacon Journal, 3/2
• ACLU wants supreme court to review shackling of juveniles – Journal News, 3/23*
• Dayton leaders want voting changes repealed – Dayton Daily News, 3/23
• Council might vote Monday on proposed meth lab law – Chillicothe Gazette, 3/24*
• Complainers list holds risks – Columbus Dispatch, 3/24
• Too many suspensions, too few science courses plague minority schools – Cleveland Plain Dealer, 3/25
• Savings for proposed online voting registration may not reach expectations from Husted, legislators – Cleveland.com, 3/25
• Pharmacists urged not to assist US executions – AP, 3/25
• New Ohio lawsuit targets traffic cameras in Dayton – WLWT, 3/25
• Danger and desperation – Toledo Blade, 3/25
• Fight about meth lab law not over yet – Chillicothe Gazette, 3/26*
• Short takes: Fraudulent voter sent bad message – Columbus Dispatch, 3/26
• Abortion clinic gets Michigan deal – Toledo Blade, 3/27
• Should Ohio enable prisoners to donate organs?: editorial board roundtable – Cleveland Plain Dealer, 3/27
• Bill: Parents can track kids online – Newark Advocate, 3/28
• Blade photo equipment confiscated by military police in Lima returned – Toledo Blade, 3/28
• Case expands on youth jail seclusion – Columbus Dispatch, 3/29
• ‘I’m sitting here at gunpoint for no reason’ – Norwalk Reflector, 3/30*
• Voter Guide launched by League of Women Voters and Northeast Ohio Media Group – Cleveland.com, 3/31
• Oversight of Ohio charter schools often not by boards – Akron Beacon Journal, 3/31
• The bitter tears of the American Christian Supermajority – Al Jazeera America, 3/30
• House Bill would allow Ohio drivers to warn one another of police by flashing headlights – Cleveland.com, 3/31*
• Sheriff stands by deputies in raid dispute – Norwalk Reflector, 3/31
• Ohio legislative panel set to vote on controversial ‘enhanced’ driver’s licenses – Cleveland.com, 4/1
• Ed FitzGerald’s ‘voting rights’ legislation clears Cuyahoga council committee; Republicans dissent – Cleveland.com, 4/1
• Cuyahoga County leads the state for early absentee ballot requests as primary voting begins – Cleveland.com, 4/1
• Ohio still adding to Death Row population – Columbus Dispatch, 4/2
• “He Had Fresh Head Injuries”: What Ohio Has Been Doing to Mentally Ill Boys – Mother Jones, 4/3
• Youth advocates seek state rule on restraint – Columbus Dispatch, 4/4*
• Judge to strike down part of Ohio gay marriage law – AP, 4/4
• The Blade files lawsuit over incident at Lima tank plant – Toledo Blade, 4/4
• Critics of gay marriage ban: ‘One step closer’ – Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/4*
• Native Americans, others protest Cleveland Indians ‘Chief Wahoo’ logo prior to home opener – AP, 4/4

04.05.14

Ohio’s children are being tortured. A look at the extreme isolation of mentally-ill kids.

Danielle Doza

Ohio is failing its children. From shackling of non-violent juveniles, to secluding school children with disabilities, to isolating children with mental illnesses, the rights and health of children are being ignored.

Children held in solitary confinement suffer extreme harm.  It leads to developmental delays and increases in mental illness.  

04.01.14

Voting Made Easy in Ohio . . . April Fool’s!

Danielle Doza

Today is the first day of early voting in Ohio; it also marks the last hoorah for “Golden Week,” the brief window of opportunity where someone can register and vote at the same time that has been so very important to low-income voters.