House Majority Whip John Adams (R-Sidney) recently introduced legislation that will incorporate the study of historically significant government documents into the educational curriculum of Ohio students.

Specifically, House Bill 211 will require that the social studies curriculum for elementary and secondary students in grades 4-12 includes the study of the following:

-Declaration of Independence
-Northwest Ordinance
-Constitution of the United States (with emphasis on the Bill of Rights)
-Ohio Constitution

“We can’t expect our children to understand and defend the rights and freedoms the Founding Fathers intended for us—and that many people have died for—if they don’t have an understanding of how these documents led to the system of government we have today,” Adams said. “By giving these young people an understanding of our heritage, we are better preparing them to be active and productive citizens down the road.”

The study of these documents has recently been diminished in the standards and curricula developed by the Ohio Department of Education during the previous administration. If passed, the State Board of Education would be required to revise the standards and curricula to include the additional content.