Senate Bill 83 is also called Enact Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act it was introduced by Ohio Republican Senator, Jerry Cirino. This extremely troubling bill has already passed in the Senate and is now in the House Committee. Make no mistake, this is not a bill aimed at improving higher education, on the contrary it seeks to limit and erase all efforts at diversity acceptance on Ohio college campuses. For example, it would eliminate all DEI training currently required. The issue with this is that even if systemic problems are identified no training could be done and it would not even allow for proactive training. Basically, this bill goes on the premise that diversity training is not acceptable in any form.
In speaking with Lex Rakoven (They/Them) an LGBTQ Support Liaison whose position could be impacted by this bill, one can see how this bill is already impacting Sinclair. “We are getting ready”, they said, “this bill attacks all diversity.” This bill would end segregation in the broadest of terms. On the surface that sounds great but consider this, dorms are segregated by sex, so are sports teams. The bill states students could not be “segregated” by membership in any group. In the current climate this is aimed at ending all services to membership related groups like LGBTQ, Ethnic, and gender-based groups. It could and most certainly will ban clubs like BriTe SiGnal Alliance, and The African American Male Initiative.
While this bill goes on to erase and exclude positive experiences in many areas on college campuses, this final point bears mentioning in this article. The bill seeks to end what they call indoctrination on college campuses by ending all controversial policies, “Controversial belief or policy’ means any belief or policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues such as climate change, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.”
We leave you with this final thought from Rakoven, “Use your power to vote, vote for what you believe in.” While we have no voice or vote in the passing of this bill, which will surely pass in the GOP controlled house, we can impact overturning all of today’s anti-diversity bills and laws by impacting who is in power tomorrow.
I sat down to speak with Michael Carter, Head of Diversity at Sinclair, to discuss the bill. He does not believe it will pass but if it does, like BriTe SiGnal Alliance, he says we will stay the course just as we do now. Its empowering to know that Sinclair values diversity, which is an amazing fact in today’s world climate! When asked his thoughts he said, “They want people to react but that’s not a very good political play. There will be people who rally against some of this legislation.” He also made the point that we need to show people what they stand to lose if this bill and others like it are passed.
Karen Shirk
Graphic Designer