Testimony in Support of Ohio HB415 - The CROWN Act.

Testimony submitted to the Ohio House Education Committee by the Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp.

Strong Support for House Bill 415 – The CROWN Act

Chair Fowler Arthur, Vice Chair Odioso, Ranking Member Brennan, and Members of the House Education Committee:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony in strong support of House Bill 415, the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act. This legislation represents a crucial step toward dismantling discrimination that has long targeted Black girls and women in our schools, and I ask that you move this bill forward for a vote in the House and beyond.

As the Pastor of Blue Ocean Faith Columbus, a progressive Christian congregation rooted in social justice, and as Executive Director of LOVEboldly, an organization committed to creating spaces where LGBTQIA+ people can flourish in their faith, I have witnessed firsthand the harm that results when any person is made to feel that who they are, as they created by God, is somehow unacceptable or unprofessional. Hair discrimination is not a trivial matter of dress codes or aesthetics. It is a form of racial discrimination that sends a devastating message to BIPOC students, particularly Black women girls: that their natural beauty must be altered, hidden, or conformed to Eurocentric standards to be deemed acceptable in educational spaces.

The sacred texts I hold dear remind us that every person is created in the divine image, fearfully and wonderfully made. When we discriminate against students because of their natural hair texture or protective hairstyles (braids, locks, twists, and others) we deny the inherent dignity and worth that the God has bestowed upon them. We send a message that contradicts the very foundation of our faith: that all are beloved, that all belong, that all are worthy exactly as they are.

The CROWN Act addresses a real and documented problem. Across our nation, Black students have been suspended, sent home, or barred from participating in school activities because of their natural hair. These policies and practices don’t just violate civil rights, they inflict psychological harm, create barriers to education, and perpetuate systemic racism. When a child is told that their hair is a distraction or violation of policy, we are teaching them that their Blackness is something to be managed, controlled, or erased rather than celebrated.

As people of faith and as Ohioans committed to justice, we are called to do better. The prophet Micah reminds us to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly” (Micah 6:8). This bill is an opportunity to do justice for students who have been marginalized and discriminated against simply for existing in their authentic identities. It is an opportunity to create truly inclusive learning environments where every child can focus on their education rather than whether their appearance will be deemed acceptable by administrators enforcing discriminatory policies.

The CROWN Act is also common-sense policy. It clarifies that race-based discrimination includes discrimination based on traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and styles. It provides clear legal protections and recourse for students who experience such discrimination. And it sends a powerful message that Ohio values all of its students and will not tolerate policies that treat Black children as problems to be solved rather than as precious individuals to be nurtured and supported.

Twenty-four (24) states have already enacted CROWN Act legislation, recognizing that this is both a civil rights imperative and a moral necessity. Ohio has the opportunity to join them, to declare that in our schools, discrimination based on natural hair will not be tolerated, and that every student deserves to learn in an environment free from bias and prejudice.

I urge you to advance HB 415 out of committee and support its passage in the House. Our Black students deserve schools that celebrate their full humanity. Our communities deserve policies rooted in equity and justice. And our state deserves to be on the right side of history on this issue.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I am grateful for your service to the people of Ohio, and I hope you will demonstrate that service by championing this important legislation.

With gratitude and hope for justice,

Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp

Pastor, Blue Ocean Faith Columbus

Executive Director, LOVEboldly