Republican Power Grab Prioritizes Discrimination, Trampling Workers' Rights and Censorship, Over Freedoms and Economic Growth

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Phillip M. Robinson, Jr (D-Solon) today released the following statement following the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 1, controversial legislation that eliminates academic freedom, workers’ right, and diversity initiatives in Ohio’s education system:

“Yesterday, the Ohio House of Representatives passed SB 1, also known as the Ohio Higher Education Destruction Act. SB 1 is a sweeping piece of legislation that proposes an unprecedented level of political interference and micromanagement into the affairs of Ohio's public colleges and universities. This legislation will destroy academic freedom, attack workers’ rights, and harm Ohio’s economy. SB 1 is an attack on our First Amendment right to freedom of speech. This legislation is an attack on people of color and marginalized communities. This legislation is an attack on Ohioans’ freedom and future. I urge Governor DeWine to veto SB 1,” said Rep. Robinson.

Rep. Robinson voted against SB 1. The legislation now goes back to the Senate where they will vote on concurrence before sending SB 1 to Governor DeWine’s desk. 

“SB 1 is an attack on unions and their rights to collectively bargain fair wages and working conditions and is considered the ‘worst attack on collective bargaining since 2011’s historically unpopular SB 5’. SB 1 bans faculty strikes, establishes post tenure reviews, and more. One of SB 1’s biggest flaws is its failure to define ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.’ This lack of clarity will limit access to higher education for underrepresented communities and weaken Ohio’s competitiveness in an increasingly diverse economy. Also, SB 1 has received overwhelming opposition, including 1,5K people submitting opponent testimony against the bill, 900 medical students signing a letter against the legislation, and hundreds of students around the state protesting against the bill. This legislation will lead Ohio’s students, recent graduates, and potential employers to look elsewhere. Republicans could spend their time addressing our state’s real issues, but instead they decided to damage our state’s future over unproven theories,” said Rep. Robinson.

If signed into law by Governor DeWine, SB 1 would have both immediate and long-term negative effects on Ohio’s institutions of higher learning including:

• Radically undermining the union rights of faculty workers by banning full-time faculty from striking and collective bargaining related to faculty workload, evaluations, tenure, and layoffs;
• Defines “controversial belief or policy” by specifically mentioning “climate change, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.” Colleges will not be allowed to teach issues that impact the daily lives of people on both ends of the political spectrum;
• Eliminates scholarships, defined as DEI by the legislature, which will further harm those from lower economic backgrounds being able to attend higher ed institutions; and
• In trying to solve problems that do not exist, SB 1 creates new issues that will increase costs, stifle growth, and prevent Ohio’s young adults from reaching their full potential.

These points and SB 1 as a whole will drive high quality faculty and students out of Ohio along with stifling those from considering to move and study in Ohio. SB 1, in short, stifles freedom of speech and thought, makes college less affordable, and makes Ohio a state less likely for young people to either stay or even move to to begin with. Our higher ed institutions will be weakened, and, as a result, our state as a whole.