Despite intense debate and public outrage, Ohio’s Senate Bill 1 has officially been signed as of late March. Protests ensued statewide against the bill with students of all ages expressing their concerns for what this will mean for the future of their education. With the recent signing of the bill, many are wondering what is next, and what exactly does SB1 do for the Ohio education system?
Senate Bill 1, also known as Enact Advance Ohio Education Act, was signed into law by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine March 28. The bill was introduced by Ohio Senator Jerry Cirino and was aimed at reforming the current Ohio higher education system.
“One of the goals of this bill is to make sure that we do everything that we can so a student feels free to express their point of view, whether that be in a classroom or whether that be someplace else on campus,” DeWine said before signing the bill.
Supporters of the bill argue that it will prevent liberal indoctrination of public universities/colleges in Ohio. On the opposing side, many students and faculty across the state believe that the bill fails Ohioans seeking further education with it’s limitations and regulations.
So what are the limitations and regulations? The bill requires that universities have no position on any “controversial beliefs,” eliminates certain programs and majors, bans full-time faculty strikes and also prohibits recruiting, training and scholarships via a DEI ban. The lengthy bill also implements online syllabus requirements, civics lesson requirements and a required five-year summary of all costs from public universities/community colleges.
Ohio is one of many states impacted by laws that target the current education system. States like Florida, Texas and Utah have already enacted similar laws to Ohio’s SB1. Due to the rapidly changing times, it is important for resources to be available regardless of political opinions.
Many public universities have resources to reach out to and express concerns or worries with the upcoming changes. Some resources on Kent’s campus include: Women’s Center | Kent State University and Division of People, Culture and Belonging | Kent State University.