It requires a lot of energy and bias to misconstrue the directive of Article VI, section 2 of the Ohio Constitution.
Several Delegates to the 1850/1851 Constitutional Convention expressed consternation regarding the legislature’s neglect of the common school. Thus, they composed language that was intended to force the state to secure, by taxation, a high-quality system of education throughout the state, and excluded tax funding for “religious or other sect, or sects”. Article VI, section 2 is straight forward and coherent:
“The General Assembly shall make such provisions, by taxation, or otherwise, as, with the income arising from the school trust fund, will secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the State; but, no religious or other sect, or sects, shall ever have any exclusive right to, or control of, any part of the school funds of this State.”
The first clause is a mandate for the legislature to secure (protect against threats and attacks) a thorough and efficient system of common schools. It means what it says—secure a high-quality and efficient system. A mediocre, imperfect system does not meet the constitutional standard. Neither does multiple systems meet the standard.
The second clause forbids religious or other sect, or sects to control any part of the school funds of the state. School funds are designated for the common school system. Period.
To construe that Article VI, section 2 of the Ohio Constitution allows the funding of schools other than the one public common school system is absurd; and unconstitutional.
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