(Ohio) – A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of 40 Ohio daycare centers related to the student limits in place amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law is representing the centers against the former Ohio Department of Health Director, Dr. Amy Acton, and current director, Lance Himes. Representatives for the daycares argue the Ohio Constitution protects Ohioans from unelected government administrators trying to override statutes passed by elected personnel despite the reasoning for attempts.
Governor Mike DeWine and Dr. Acton together ordered daycare centers to close back on March 26th as part of a series of shutdowns officials explained were designed to stop the spread of COVID-19. Facilities were given access to temporary pandemic childcare licenses that prioritized children of essential workers.
May 1st centers were given permission to reopen per the following requirements.
- One child care staff member per four infants with no more than six children in the room.
- One child care staff member per six toddlers with no more than six children in the room.
- One child care staff member per nine preschool children with no more than nine children in the room.
- One child care staff member per nine school-age children with no more than nine children in the room.
“These regulations are particularly pernicious because they limit child care options for parents needing to return to work, dramatically raise the cost of these options, and threaten to bankrupt Ohio daycares,” explained Maurice Thompson, executive director of the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law.
The case is pending in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
