EDITOR’S NOTE: State Sen. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario) represents the 22nd district covering Richland and Medina counties.
The Founders understood that the path to a thriving republic relies on an educated America.
Without education, this “Republic if you can keep it,” would have crumbled in its infancy.
This new nation did not initially look to the government to provide education but found it in the churches dotted across the land. From educating children in rural villages to the busy streets of a thriving port city, America’s first families found education through the religious institutions around them.
The Founders were not against religion in government or in education, they were against a government religion.
Elements of that history continue to this day. Among the most popular options available for parents today are Catholic parochial schools which provide an excellent choice for education across the state.
Having a child attend a school that provides both academic excellence as well as moral virtue allows the next generation an opportunity to mature into well-rounded citizens.
Receiving an education in a safe, disciplined and welcoming classroom environment matters.
In a world that is constantly changing, receiving instruction that includes the bedrock teachings of the Western world gives students a foundation to stand on as they face the issues that will arise in their day and age.
Our state follows our nation’s education tradition as well. Ohio made a strong commitment to school choice, so that moms and dads can determine what educational environment best suits their children. This has been a hallmark of the Buckeye State in recent years.
I was proud to support the expansion of EdChoice Scholarships for Ohio students in Ohio’s previous biennial budget. The Ohio General Assembly’s expansion of school choice allowed more than 88,000 students during the 2023–’24 school year to receive a private education that they would have been unable to have otherwise.
This school year alone, almost 340,000 students in Ohio are receiving an education at a private school. Make no mistake, the expansion was driven by the distinct demand from parents and families across the state.
Options for a Christian based education are available in almost every community in our state. Even if a parochial school is not nearby, local school districts are required to adopt released time policies so students — with parental approval — can receive religious instruction off school property.
I voted in support of this legislation which overwhelmingly passed the General Assembly this past year.
A Christian education can provide instruction that upholds the tenants upon which our nation was founded while instilling in America’s students a strong moral compass that will guide them in their adult life.
A common sense of virtue is needed for our young people to face life’s future challenges. As Pope Leo XIV recently stated, when these schools stay committed to their calling, they “are places of inclusion, integral formation, and human development,” and in “combining faith and culture … build a better society.”