American Family Association Action (AFA Action), is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to advancing biblical, family values in society and government by educating and influencing public policy. AFA Action is also the Governmental Affairs Affiliate of American Family Association (AFA).
TUPELO, Miss. — Today, Rep. Kevin Ritter (R-Marietta) and Rep. Johnathan Newman (R-Troy) testified on the THRIVE Act (HB 269), which helps kids get the skills they need to prosper, get a good job and have a good life. The bill enables Ohio public schools to develop academic classes for students to learn the character skills and good habits necessary for success.
The THRIVE Act requires instruction in “character traits and fundamental values deeply rooted in the history and tradition of the United States.” These include: “honesty, reliability, punctuality, and loyalty”; “care for family, including parents, siblings, and future spouses and children”; and “gratitude, charity, and courage.”
“As a parent and an educator, I want to equip all children in Ohio to be happy and to succeed in life,” said Rep. Ritter. “Our public schools are crucial partners in this mission. A well-rounded education is more than reading, writing and arithmetic. It includes teaching kids that good life choices will enable them to thrive and be happy,” said Rep. Ritter. “Our bill also teaches what I call Grandma’s Recipe for Success. If you graduate high school, get a job, get married and have kids, in that order, you’re going to have a pretty good life. Of course, we may not always follow what grandma says, but we all know it’s good advice kids need to hear.”
“Rep. Ritter is leading the way in helping kids and parents in Ohio build a foundation for happiness and success,” said Dr. Jameson Taylor, director of AFA Action’s Center for Government Renewal. “The THRIVE Act will help transform Ohio public schools and help grow Ohio’s economy. Thanks to Rep. Ritter and Rep. Newman, kids in Ohio schools will be provided the chance to become the best version of themselves.”
Research supports Rep. Ritter’s and Rep. Newman’s approach to helping Ohio public school students succeed. A 2017 meta-analysis of 52 separate studies found that “character education is associated with higher levels of educational outcomes [and] higher levels of expressions of love, integrity, compassion, and self-discipline.” In 2018, the federal Department of Health and Human Services also worked with Mathematica to survey the existing literature on the success sequence. That survey verified that families following the success sequence have lower poverty rates and are more likely to be in the middle class.
“An enormous body of research supports the value of character education and following grandma’s recipe for success,” concluded Ritter. “We can make our public schools stronger by giving kids access to these important life lessons. I want to thank Rep. Jonathan Newman for jointly sponsoring the THRIVE Act with me, and I look forward to working with Education Chair Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) and my House colleagues to pass this important legislation.”
AFA Action is proud to support HB 269 to help launch a brighter future for Ohio’s public school children.
AFA Action is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to advancing biblical family values in society and government by shaping public policy through education and advocacy. The mission of AFA Action is to inform and mobilize individuals to strengthen the biblical foundations of America by persuading individuals with the truth of the Gospel, challenging the lost to repent, promoting societal values that are consistent with Scripture, restraining evil and exposing the works of darkness, motivating people to take a stand on cultural and moral issues, and encouraging Christians to bear witness to the world the love of Jesus Christ. Find AFA Action Alerts here.
For more information on the American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or X.
For more information on AFA Action, visit www.afaaction.net or follow AFA Action on Facebook or X.
To interview an AFA or AFA Action spokesperson, contact [email protected] or Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, Dawn Foglein, ext. 100, or Daniel Moyer, ext. 104.
AFA Action is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to advancing biblical, family values in society and government by educating and influencing public policy. AFA Action is also the Governmental Affairs Affiliate of American Family Association.