Williams, Demetriou Legislation will Provide Educational Freedom for College Students

COLUMBUS – State Representatives Josh Williams (R-Oregon) and Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Twp.) have introduced legislation that will protect intellectual diversity and freedom of speech on college campuses and ensure that students and faculty cannot be unfairly discriminated against for their beliefs.

The bill will help to protect the integrity of Ohio’s institutions of higher education and ensure that students are learning critical thinking skill that promote free and open conversation and debate.

“Across Ohio and the nation, universities and colleges have become the epicenter of indoctrination of young Americans,” Williams said. “This indoctrination has become the standard by requiring every students to think and act the same by requiring diversity, equality and inclusion classes as part of a degree program. This legislation will put an end to the one-sided conversation and bring universities back to what they were meant to be, a place of free thought and expression where students can become what they want to be.”

The legislation will require state institutions to adopt and create policies that will guarantee the primary function of the pursuit of knowledge. It will also protect students by assuring universities don’t require students to take a political stance on an ideology or social issue to obtain an undergraduate or post-graduate degree.

“Parents and students across Ohio have grown frustrated with Ohio universities, colleges, and community colleges as their values have become misaligned,” Demetriou said. “This legislation will ensure that Ohio institutions of higher education get back to their core mission of developing competent leaders who will propel our State forward by way of a rigorous and balanced education.” 

To hold professors accountable to the new policies, the legislation requires the Department of Higher Education to develop a set of standardized questions to be used in student evaluations, with a question specifically addressing classroom bias. 

There are disciplinary actions that can be taken against facility that interfere with the intellectual diversity of a student, including posting an annual report of any violation to the universities website.  

The legislation is a companion to Ohio Senator Jerry Cirino’s Senate Bill 83. Williams and Demetriou’s legislation has not yet been assigned to a committee.