News

Mar 19, 2023

DDN Opinion: SB 83 a device to clamp down on opinions Republicans dislike

Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News By Ray Marcano You can say this about our

Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News

By Ray Marcano

You can say this about our elected representatives: They sure are consistent when it comes to not caring what you think.

That's again evident as the Senate passed the amazingly shortsighted and rights-killing Senate Bill 83, the Enact Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act. Despite its fancy-sounding name, SB 83 is no more than a device to clamp down on opinions Republicans dislike while ensuring we adhere to their philosophy while doing what they rage against — indoctrinating college students.

The bill says colleges can't publicly take a position on climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, abortion, or other controversial policies, as defined by the state.

That's the key phrase, "as defined by the state." Lawmakers want to tell you what's controversial, meaning they’re engaging in some sort of Orwellian thought control (I guess lawmakers haven't read Healy vs. James, the 1972 Supreme Court ruling that codified free speech rights for public universities).

The bill would prohibit university staff from striking, depriving workers of their only effective tool to battle for better working conditions.

The bill requires students to take an American history course as defined by lawmakers without meaningful experience in developing college curricula beyond their own ideology.