Ohio universities' new centers to combat "liberal bias" aren't popular with students, so a Republican leader wants to require attendance.

In 2025, Senate Finance chair Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) got legislation passed, dramatically changing higher ed.

Ohio bill would defund public universities for promoting DEI

S.B. 1 focuses on what Cirino calls “free speech,” banning public universities in Ohio from Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, having “bias” in the classroom and limiting how “controversial topics” can and can’t be taught. “Controversial” under Ohio law includes “belief policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues such as climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.”

A free speech education bans talking about controversal topics? Totally free speech right there. The subtle bit of speech this conveniently ignores is the speech opportunity that is being denied to the students in abstaining from attending the demonization of DEI, climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.

What really gets me is that marriage is controversial now? What marriage stuff is controversial? Oh, right. Being against marriage equality is a hill they’re wanting to die on.

No chance they’d talk about Regan sending the national guard to kill protesters of the Vietnam war?