Ohio’s controversial Senate Bill 83 could pave the way to historical revisionism and misinformation in the higher education system, but thankfully, it seems like the bill might be dead.
In an attempt to wage war against “wokeness” and diversity, the Ohio Legislature claims to be protecting colleges, students, and freedom of speech, but it could also disregard important facts. Senate Bill 83 touts “intellectual diversity” but can hurt discourse around events such as the Holocaust, chattel slavery, and other darker periods of world history and American history because of the bill’s censorship around the content and manner of delivery of these topics.
Further, Senate Bill 83 also actively prohibits diversity training programs in universities. The biggest irony of this bill which claims to protect “freedom of speech” is that it prevents faculty and staff from public universities from striking. Senate Bill 83 hides under the premise of protecting higher education, but only if it conforms to what the Ohio Legislature deems to be “acceptable.”
Aside from being at the center of controversy, SB 83 could also inflate the costs of higher education amidst divestment in education. This is due to the additional bureaucratic requirements that the bill demands from its educators and students, such as having to justify the need for a diversity program through paperwork, among other administrative costs.
However, the Ohio Federation of Teachers among other groups has been fighting against SB 83. With their efforts, it was rejected by the Ohio House of Representatives. But this doesn’t mean that educators and students can breathe easy from now on since the Bill is scheduled to have another hearing. Many job candidates in higher education have already turned down offers even without the bill in place, and educators have stated their concerns regarding retaining and attracting potential teachers. Regardless, teachers are more than willing to fight the bill again if they must.
(featured image: Fox)
