Updated: 4:40 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021
The Ohio Senate is expected to vote Friday to remove Laura Kohler and Eric Poklar from the Ohio Board of Education.
Earlier this month, Kohler, who serves as president of the board, and Poklar both voted against repealing an anti-racism resolution the board had previously passed after George Floyd was killed by a Minnesota Police officer in 2020.
Sources tell Ideastream Public Media, the Republican-controlled Senate is moving to remove the two appointed members from the board in retaliation over those votes.
According to Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper, Kohler plans to resign because she does not have the votes to be confirmed by the senate and does not want to "create a distraction."
In an interview with Ideastream Public Media, Cropper was critical of Senate President Matt Huffman.
"It is an abuse of power," she said. "I think it is another example of how our senate and our senate president continues to override the voices of the general public."
Kohler's term was supposed to end in 2024. Poklar declined to be interviewed.
The board voted to replace the state equity resolution with one condemning any classroom teachings that "seek to divide."
Huffman did not reply to Ideastream Public Media's request for comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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