Blackshear Condemns Passage of Senate Bill 1

Today, state Senator Willis E. Blackshear Jr. (D-Dayton) issued the following statement after the Ohio Senate voted to pass the highly controversial Senate Bill 1:

"The passage of Senate Bill 1 is a direct attack on academic freedom and the integrity of Ohio’s higher education system,” said Blackshear. “By imposing political restrictions on universities, undermining diversity initiatives, and interfering with the rights of faculty, this bill threatens the quality of education our students receive. Ohio’s colleges and universities should be places where students learn to think critically and engage with diverse perspectives – not where politicians dictate what can and cannot be taught. Furthermore, higher education is an integral part of economic growth, and policies like this only serve to push investment and innovation elsewhere. I stand firmly against Senate Bill 1 and any effort that seeks to undermine education in our state."

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.