COLUMBUS, Ohio — Legislation has been introduced at the Statehouse, which could ban mandated diversity, equity and inclusion training at colleges and universities.
Senate Bill 83 could also block employee strikes on campus grounds. It was presented to the Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee, and opponent testimony this week lasted nearly seven hours.
What You Need To Know
- Senate Bill 83 is being discussed in committee hearings.
- Senate Bill 83 could ban mandated diversity, equity and inclusion training and Ohio universities and colleges.
- Senate Bill 83 could also block employee strikes on campus grounds.
“Ohio’s economic future requires we graduate students who have been taught how to think not what to think,” State Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) told lawmakers in committee.
Cirino sponsors Senate Bill 83, and told lawmakers this legislation could help create a smarter next generation of graduates.
“They need to be trained on how to analyze problems, evaluate policies by looking at all sides of issues,” Cirino said.
However, many people and community organizations are against the bill. Stephen Mockabee, the Chair of Government Relations of the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors, has several concerns.
“There’s a section in the bill that talks about prohibiting segregation of students or employees based on race or sex. Now, that sounds good. No one’s in favor of segregation, but it’s worded so broadly that it would actually prevent universities from having any single-sex groups or institutions,” Mockabee said.
Scott DiMauro is the Executive Director of the Ohio Education Association, which represents nearly 1,400 higher education members at colleges and universities statewide.
He is concerned that the ban on mandated diversity, equity and inclusion training programs could roll back decades of progress.
On behalf of educators, DiMauro says he feels the ban on strikes will limit their voice.
“One thing that it does that’s of particular interest to us is that it would deprive college faculty and staff from the longstanding right to strike under our collective bargaining law,” DiMauro said.
Senate Bill 83 will continue to be discussed in committee hearings.
