On November 25, 2025, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 445, officially titled the “Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act,” into law. The legislation permits Ohio public schools to offer elective courses on the historical and cultural influence of the Bible and the Ten Commandments, with an emphasis on their role in American law, history, and the founding of the nation.
This bill explicitly states that such courses must be taught in a “non-sectarian, non-religious manner” whilst prohibiting proselytization or the promotion any specific religious viewpoint.
Following the bill’s passage and naming in honor of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, older video clips of Kirk advocating for Bible-based instruction in public schools have circulated widely on social media and news outlets.
In a 2023 appearance on his podcast and related speaking events, Kirk made the following statements regarding the role of the Bible in education and character formation:
- “I encourage anybody to show me a better book, a better teacher, than the Bible to create good citizens.”
- “It’s tempting to say, ‘hey, the teacher should just say neutral.’ But we all know the number one thing a teacher does is not instruct. It’s to control the behavior, control kids. And by controlling behavior, you’re actually imparting morals on the kids.”
- “At some point, there has to be rules for life. We think the best rules for life were given to Moses on Sinai. We think that was the best way for human beings to live.”
These remarks were originally recorded during discussions about school curriculum and moral education and have been re-shared in full or in clips on platforms including YouTube, Rumble, and X (formerly Twitter) in the days since the Ohio bill became law.
The Ohio legislation mirrors similar measures passed in other states, such as Louisiana and Texas, that allow or require display or teaching of the Ten Commandments or biblical texts in a historical or cultural context. Supporters of the Ohio law argue it provides students with foundational knowledge of texts that influenced Western civilization and American jurisprudence.
