COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two Republican appointees to the Ohio State Board of Education resigned Friday, weeks after they opposed its decision to rescind an anti-racism resolution.
Board President Laura Kohler, of New Albany, told reporters that GOP Gov. Mike DeWine requested her resignation and that if she hadn’t stepped down, Republicans in the state Senate who didn’t support the resolution would’ve had enough votes to remove her.
The resolution was passed by the board last summer after George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. It condemned racism and included an acknowledgment that “the path to equity begins with a deep understanding of the history of inequalities and inhumanity.”
It talked about training board members and Department of Education employees to identify their own biases, and recommended that districts reexamine areas such as curriculum and discipline strategies.
But neither Kohler nor board member Eric Poklar, of Worthington, mentioned the anti-racism resolution in their resignation letters.
The governor's office thanked both for their service. A spokesperson said it wasn't commenting further.
Earlier in the week, senators had voted to confirm three other appointed board members who had voted in favor of rescinding the anti-racism resolution.
Later Friday, it announced two new board appointees.
