Antonio Condemns Passage of Higher Education Destruction Act

Today, Senate Democratic Leader Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) issued the following statement after the Ohio Senate voted to pass the highly controversial Senate Bill 1:

“Senate Bill 1 is a politically motivated attack on Ohio’s institutions of higher education,” said Antonio. “Rather than imposing ideological restrictions and attacking faculty, we should focus on finding solutions to real issues like college affordability, student recruitment, and workforce development. This bill does not contribute to improving the institutions of higher education in Ohio, but will, I fear, erode them.”

Senate Bill 1 contains several provisions that would drastically change Ohio’s higher education landscape, including prohibiting university faculty members from striking; banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs; and forbidding institutions of higher education from taking positions on “controversial beliefs or policies.”

According to U.S. News, Ohio has nine schools in the top 200 public institutions in the United States, the fourth most in the country. Critics argue the passage of S.B. 1 would jeopardize the quality of Ohio’s higher education by driving away students, faculty, and critical business partnerships.

Senate Bill 1 now goes to the Ohio House of Representatives for consideration.