Dear faculty members,
This week (either Wednesday, September 22nd or Thursday, September 23rd), the Ohio legislature will be holding a hearing on House Bills 322 and/or 327, which would prohibit the teaching of “certain current events and certain concepts regarding race and sex” (HB 322) and “divisive concepts” (HB 327).
Not only are these bills extreme threats to academic freedom, but they would place severe pressure on many types of faculty speech in the classroom given the serious consequences if found to be in violation of these laws (the university would lose ¼ of its state funding for the first offense!).
We are encouraging you to contact the Committee members and voice your opposition to these bills. You can refer to these talking points in your communications with Committee members. You can also find more information about these bills by watching the recent Save Ohio Higher Ed forum on Sept. 2, reading this recent Academe blog, or accessing more information and toolkits at the League of Women Voters' Honesty for Ohio Education website.
House State & Local Government Committee |
||||||
District |
Representative |
Position |
Office Phone |
|
|
|
1 |
Scott Wiggam |
Chair |
614-466-1474 |
|
NA |
|
2 |
Marilyn John |
Vice Chair |
614-466-5802 |
|
NA |
|
31 |
Brigid Kelly |
Ranking Member |
614-466-5786 |
|
||
61 |
Jamie Callender |
Majority Party Member |
614-644-6074 |
|
||
43 |
Rodney Creech |
Majority Party Member |
614-466-2960 |
|
NA |
|
74 |
Bill Dean |
Majority Party Member |
614-466-1470 |
|
NA |
NA |
99 |
Sarah Fowler Arthur |
Majority Party Member |
614-466-1405 |
|
NA |
|
35 |
Tavia Galonski |
Minority Party Member |
614-644-6037 |
|
||
5 |
Tim Ginter |
Majority Party Member |
614-466-8022 |
|
https://www.facebook.com/State-Representative-Tim-Ginter-570781376390526/ |
|
76 |
Diane Grendell |
Majority Party Member |
614-644-5088 |
|
NA |
|
24 |
Allison Russo |
Minority Party Member |
614-466-8012 |
|
||
13 |
Michael Skindell |
Minority Party Member |
614-466-5921 |
|
||
45 |
Lisa Sobecki |
Minority Party Member |
614-644-6017 |
|
||
78 |
Brian Stewart |
Majority Party Member |
614-466-1464 |
|
||
91 |
Shane Wilkin |
Majority Party Member |
614-466-3506 |
|
||
Committee Site: https://ohiohouse.gov/committees/state-and-local-government |
Additionally, you can submit opposition testimony, either in writing or in-person during the hearing. Testimony must be submitted 24 hours in advance to
Coleen Taylor, MPA
Executive Director
330.673.9118
AAUP-KSU
136 N. Water Street
Suite 213
Kent, Ohio 44240