Ohio

Ohio bill seeks to punish educators 'pandering obscenity'

Published

2 years ago

May 25, 2024

Ohio bill seeks to punish educators 'pandering obscenity'

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A push at the Ohio Statehouse could limit the types of material both teachers and librarians present to students in schools.

A new proposal would make it a felony if educators and librarians pander “obscene” material. State Rep. Adam Mathews, R-District 56, wants Ohio to place limits on the type of material that teachers and librarians can make available to younger students.

What You Need To Know

House Bill 556 aims to prevent obscene materials from being pandered to younger students

The bill was recently introduced at the Ohio Statehouse and still needs to go through the committee process

This proposal is getting some pushback from educators and librarians

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine commented on the proposal, and he believes these types of decisions should rest with parents

“This is really for our K-12 educational environments, so that parents, teachers and students have that type of relationship where you know that your kid’s getting a great education, where they go to school,” Mathews said.

House bill 556 would make it a felony for teachers or librarians to pander obscenity. A first offense could be punished with up to one year in prison, and those convicted could also face a fine. Mathews said the bill’s intent is to protect children and help parents build trusting relationships with their schools. While the bill does not specifically define obscenity, Mathews said it would align with the definition found in Ohio’s Revised Code.

The code lists several characteristics that make something obscene. It includes things that depict sexual activity, when the only purpose of the content is sexual in nature. Mathews said librarians and teachers would not violate the law if they were using the material for certain reasons.

“We have a very measured approach of making sure that our health teachers, biology teachers, physicians or sociologists are allowed to teach as they’re needed to as well as putting clear exceptions for bona fide reasons,” Mathews said.

“I think it’s a swipe at the First Amendment,” said Scott DiMauro, the President of the Ohio Education Association. “It will open up educators to new levels of potential criminal liability and do so in a way that I think also could be seen as unconstitutional.”

Columbus City Schools Librarian Courtney Johnson said sometimes she provides materials to students who identify as LGBTQIA. She believes the term “obscenity” is too broad. She said as a librarian she cares deeply about the students and wants to help them learn. She also wants to help them become very open-minded. She mentioned that, as a librarian, they already use the Miller Test to ensure no material they give students is considered obscene.

“We have students who need to see themselves in those books,” Johnson said. “So, I worry that teachers and librarians would really start self-censoring in an effort to avoid a felony because it’s clearly undefined.”

“It’s a bill that’s looking for a problem that doesn’t exist,” said Melissa Cropper, the president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers. “And, it’s really frustrating to us that the legislature (needs) someone to introduce a bill about pandering obscenities to children, which again, is a problem that doesn’t exist, when there are so many other problems that do need to be addressed in education.”

Mathews is the only sponsor of the proposal at this point. It is still unclear whether it could get enough to support to pass through the Ohio House and Senate. At this time, it still needs to head through committee and hear proponent and opponent testimony.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine commented on the proposal, and he believes these types of decisions should rest with parents.

“The burden of proof is on someone to show us why you need legislation in this area,” DeWine said.

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Ohio

LIST: 6 Columbus-area hotels rank among Ohio’s best, including No. 1

Published

60 minutes ago

February 19, 2026

Press Room

LIST: 6 Columbus-area hotels rank among Ohio’s best, including No. 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Columbus properties dominate a new list out highlighting the best hotels in Ohio.

A Columbus hotel took the top spot in the rankings from US News & World Report, and a total of six area properties were included in the top 15, more than Cleveland (four) and Cincinnati (three).

Take a look at the list below:

Le Meridien Columbus, The Joseph
Inn Walden (Aurora, near Cleveland)
The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland
The Lytle Park Hotel, Autograph Collection (Cincinnati)
The Hancock Hotel (Findlay)
The Summit Hotel (Cincinnati)
Hotel LeVeque, Autograph Collection (Columbus)
The Junto (Columbus)
Hotel Versailles (Versailles)
Hilton Columbus Downtown
Intercontinental Hotels Cleveland by IHG
Hilton Columbus at Easton
Hilton Columbus/Polaris
Metropolitan at The 9 Autograph Collection (Cleveland)
21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati

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ExperienceColumbus.com has a list of several new hotels being built or planned around the city.

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Ohio

Suspect in Moore County double homicide arrested in Ohio returns to NC

Published

13 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Press Room

Suspect in Moore County double homicide arrested in Ohio returns to NC

The man accused of killing two
people on Valentine’s Day returned to Moore County on Wednesday after fleeing to Ohio to face charges.

Caleb Fosnaugh, 25, was arrested
after he was accused of shooting and killing 21-year-old Kateryna Tovmash and
28-year-old Matthew Wade at a home in Vass on Saturday. Deputies said he left the area before law enforcement arrived at the home on Saturday.

Deputies said Fosnaugh waived
extradition in the double homicide investigation. He now faces several charges, including felony breaking and entering and two counts of murder.

Fosnaugh is being held in the
Moore County Detention Center without bond. He is expected to appear in court
on Thursday, Feb. 19.

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Ohio

Central Ohio hockey fans tie the knot at Blue Jackets game

Published

1 day ago

February 18, 2026

Press Room

Central Ohio hockey fans tie the knot at Blue Jackets game

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Valentine’s Day was all about love for one Central Ohio couple, but their celebration also came with ice, skates and a cannon blast.

Catie Shuman and Keith Damanti didn’t just attend a Columbus Blue Jackets game — they got married at one, exchanging vows at Nationwide Arena.

Shuman said the couple first connected over hockey.

“We met through a dating app and one of the things I think that connected us was we both put hockey in our profiles,” she said. “And on our first date, I think we spent most of the time talking about hockey.”

Their shared interest quickly became a regular part of their relationship.

Central Ohio hockey fans tie the knot at Blue Jackets game

“It became a regular date night,” Shuman said, adding that she was a season ticket holder when they met.

Even the proposal stayed on theme.

“When he proposed, he actually had a hockey puck that he carved out the center of it and said, ‘Will you marry me?’ and put the ring in that. so there was even hockey in that,” Shuman said. “I had to. I had to.”

When it came time to plan their wedding, Shuman said she pitched an idea tied to the Blue Jackets’ signature cannon.

“Keith got home from work that day and I was like, ‘How would you like to get married in front of the cannon?’” she said.

Damanti said he was skeptical at first.

“I didn’t believe her,” he said. “I thought this was some trick. In my mind, I’m seeing dollar signs, and it actually wasn’t that bad. So I mean, yeah. let’s do it.”

Damanti said his only disappointment came after the ceremony.

“My only regret is they didn’t fire the cannon off after we said I do,” he said.

After the vows, the couple brought family and friends to the game that night, complete with custom jerseys. Shuman said the jerseys were personalized for the occasion.

“It said Keith and Katie on the back, and all of them had the No. 22 ‘cause that was the year we got married,” she said. “Everybody signed the front of the jersey, and that was our guest book.”

Damanti said the story has gotten a big reaction from others.

“Everyone I’ve told this story to is like, ‘Wow, that’s amazing,’” he said.

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