Ohio’s #SB461 forces state universities to fund partisan "civic centers" at record levels—even if students aren't taking the classes. Instead of fixing soaring tuition, lawmakers are wasting tax dollars to force an agenda. Ohio families deserve affordable education, not mandated indoctrination. 🎓❌
"Have y'all seen this? No. No. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa! Oh, God! I told you not to! That's Luke Perez, an assistant professor at Ohio State's Salmon P. Chase Center, attacking a reporter who tried to ask him questions. The Chase Center is one of five ideologically-driven academic centers created by Ohio politicians and imposed on public universities. OSU investigators reportedly called it the most egregious workplace violence case they had ever handled and recommended firing him. But a new Ohio bill would give the directors of these centers sweeping authority over hiring and firing. And that's part of a much bigger problem. In 2023, Ohio lawmakers spent $24 million to create five politically-driven civic centers at public universities. And even with that built-in audience, students aren't exactly lining up to take these classes. At Ohio State, only 28 students enrolled in 58 available seats, while the university spent $1.5 million on the center in its first three months and employed 26 staff members. Now, lawmakers want to guarantee these centers funding at the highest level they've ever received when courses are half-empty while stripping away normal university oversight. Meanwhile, Senate Bill 1 is costing universities millions to implement and nearly 100 academic programs are being eliminated. Ohio also approved $31 million to renovate the building that will permanently house the Chase Center, while some students are living in dorms with mold and mushrooms going from the wall. They want to call that intellectual freedom, but we know what it is. Political control, forcing students and universities to prop up an ideological project they didn't ask for. Ohio lawmakers should be lowering the cost of college and investing in students, not shielding partisan centers that they created from accountability."
💬 Discussion
Ohio’s #SB461 forces state universities to fund partisan "civic centers" at record levels—even if students aren't taking the classes. Instead of fixing soaring tuition, lawmakers are wasting tax dollars to force an agenda. Ohio families deserve affordable education, not mandated indoctrination. 🎓❌