COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Republicans have reintroduced their higher education overhaul bill that will ban diversity efforts, so-called "bias" in classrooms and faculty strikes. College students and professors from across the state protested so loud that when the lawmakers tried to talk to the press in another room, their chants were in the background.
One of the most opposed bills in recent Ohio history is back.
“My first demonstration out here was summer of freshman year,” OSU junior Brielle Shorter said. "Two years later, I'm back."
Shorter and a group of roughly 20 college students rallied at the Statehouse while state Senator Jerry Cirino reintroduced his higher education overhaul bill — Senate Bill 1 — formerly known as S.B. 83 last General Assembly.
"We are promoting more speech, not less speech as some of our opponents said," Cirino said. "More discussion and debate on all topics, less indoctrination."
This massive bill focuses on what Cirino calls “free speech,” banning public universities in Ohio from Diverstiy, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, having “bias” in the classroom and limiting how “controversial topics” can and can’t be taught. The elimination of DEI would mean no diversity offices, training or scholarships.
"I talked with a lot of professors and students who are self-censoring and feel the need not just, not just the DEI side, but it's also the lack of diversity of thought accepted," the Republican continued.
Shorter said there is nothing wrong with her education and that lawmakers have no place in choosing how her professors teach a topic.
"When people who haven't been to undergrad at a public institution at all, let alone haven't been to undergrad in decades, talk about our university — it hurts," Shorter said.
There would also be required readings.
To earn a bachelor's degree, students must take a civics and capitalism course. Required reading would include the entire U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, at least five essays from the Federalist Papers, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, Martin Luther King's letter from the Birmingham Jail and principles from Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations."
When it comes to controversial topics, Cirino said that "everybody's opinions are welcome and given respect."
When it comes to the issue of people who believe the earth is flat, the lawmaker offered, "The faculty member would have to figure out how to deal with that."
"As crazy as that concept might be, the student has a right to believe that," he said.
What about the Holocaust, I asked Cirino.
When it comes to controversial topics, Jewish students and professors reached out to me to share worries about how the genocide may be covered. In 2022, a state representative told me that the Holocaust should be taught from "both sides," with her meaning from the Jewish people and "German soldiers."
With Holocaust deniers continually on the rise, I asked how the bill may blur the line between free speech, hate speech and the ability to educate about a historic event accurately.
"I'm going to use my right of free speech and tell you that Holocaust deniers are nuts, okay," the Republican responded. "That's my view."
If a professor is teaching a world history course and a student denies or diminishes the genocide, the professor has "several options available," he said.
"They can pick up the student and throw them out the door; they can debate with the student and explain the preponderance of evidence to the contrary... Try to educate that person as to why their position might be wrong," he said.
That's the back and forth that should happen, he added.
"They shouldn't be shouted down, even though they're nuts... The environment we want to have is to educate, to enlighten other people to the truth," the lawmaker continued. "Sometimes they won't see it or they don't want to see it. That's fine. But that's the environment we should have in higher ed."
"You said the first option would be to remove them from the classroom. Would that be going against Senate Bill 1?" I asked.
"No, I'm not suggesting that that's what anybody should do. It's a ridiculous option," Cirino responded. "Hopefully nobody will attempt to do that on any subject. But I was just using that as an example, as a contrast to 'let's educate and talk about the preponderance of facts that are to the contrary.'"
If a professor doesn't teach up to the lawmakers' standards, their job could be in jeopardy. There will be student evaluations on whether the educator showed bias or taught with bias. Yearly reviews would take place.
"Even if you've been granted tenure, we need to make sure that you are not just riding the wave until you're retired," Cirino said.
OSU professor Pranav Jani added that the bill goes against free speech since it also bans university faculty from striking.
"You should have the right to withhold your labor if it's not being met with respect," Jani said.
Strikes paying families at the whim of educators and disadvantaged students just trying to learn, Cirino responded.
Click here to read more in-depth about how the labor union feels about the strikes and tenure provisions, plus more from bill supporters.
The Republican knows that the bill is controversial — as the protestors' chants could be heard inside the briefing room.
"I always dreamed of hearing my name yelled in the hallways," Cirino joked. "This wasn't exactly what I had in mind."
However, the lawmaker wasn't too phased by it.
"It's probably highly likely that the students that were out here protesting are probably getting extra credit for being here," he said, dismissing the students. "I don't believe that they have studied the bill and all the implications of this legislation."
When it comes to the implications — if universities don't comply with the regulations, their funding is threatened.
"I happen to know very well the Senate Finance chair," Cirino said, referring to himself. "This is going to be taken into account when we are reviewing things in the future."
State Rep. Tom Young (R-Washington Twp.) will be sponsoring the legislation in the House.
"When this legislation is signed into law, D-E-I will be D-E-A-D," Young told me after the press conference.
This bill never made it to a floor vote during the last General Assembly when Speaker Jason Stephens was in charge.
RELATED: Ohio House blocks controversial higher education overhaul bill
For Shorter, she and her friends are looking to get out of the state if S.B. 1 passes because she said it will damage education.
"It's sad because this is my home, but they're trying to push me out of it," Shorter said.
Students were upset by the idea that they were only protesting because professors asked them to, telling the lawmakers that they don't get what it is like to be in school.
GOP's type of rhetoric makes Shorter hold signs with sayings like "I should have gone out of state—" and she believes that.
"I'm hoping to go to med school," she said. "Hey, UMich, do you have any extra seats?"
The bill will be heard — and protested — in the coming weeks.
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