By Nya Brunson / Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Central State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration.

Higher education institutions across the United States are getting an increase in attention. In Ohio and many other states across the country, there has been an increase in restrictions on higher education and what can be taught in these institutions. Significant pieces of legislation have been passed or are being passed to ban or limit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies and regulations, also known as DEI.

In the Ohio Senate, two bills were introduced. The first one is Senate Bill 83, first introduced by Senator Jerry Cirino on March 14, 2023. The bill addresses many topics, including but not limited to banning mandatory DEI programs and training; prohibiting higher education faculty and staff from striking; requiring syllabi and biographical information on professors to be publicly displayed online; and prohibiting partnerships with Chinese institutions.

Senator Cirino introduced the bill to ensure the freedom of speech at Ohio's higher education institutions. One main goal was to protect the rights of students and professors alike by removing barriers during the hiring process, such as mandatory DEI litmus tests. Diversity statements would not be required from job candidates.
The second one, House Bill 151, is nearly identical. This bill was sponsored by Representatives Steve Demetriou and Josh Williams.

A revised substitute version of Senate Bill 83 was introduced that allows exceptions for mandatory DEI programs and training. The bill only requires "professional qualifications" and syllabi from professors, and partnerships with Chinese institutions are not banned. However, the bill also aims to protect the intellectual property of Ohio institutions must be protected.

"Because of the ways that the bills are written, there's sort of vague language that's used around things like controversial topics, and obviously different people have different understandings of what that means, and I could foresee professors being cautious and less willing to talk about various topics because some might see them as controversial whether or not they are," says Dr. John Shaw, a Gender and Sexualities professor at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.

The Ohio Senate passed the substitute bill on May 17, 2023.

These bills will affect all who attend a higher education institution in Ohio.

Alijah Mason, a junior at Central State University, says this about the situation: "It matters because diversity and inclusion don't leave anyone out. Everyone should be able to have a safe space everywhere they go, such as schools, workplaces, government offices, grocery stores, etc."

As of June 30, 2023, Senate Bill 83 has not been included in the state budget, known as House Bill 33, that was signed by Governor DeWine.

This collaboration is produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.


get more stories like this via email

Student loan forgiveness took center stage on Thursday at the American Federation of Teachers conference.

The Biden administration has canceled more than $62 billion in federal student debt for more than 871,000 public service workers nationwide, including teachers.

Presidential candidate Kamala Harris spoke at the conference, thanking educators for their work for children's well-being. She told them the administration sees a "future with affordable health care, affordable child care, and paid leave - not for some, but for all."

"We see a future where every student has the support and the resources they need to thrive, and a future where no teacher has to struggle with the burden of student loan debt," she said. "So, as an example, our administration has forgiven student loan debt for nearly 5 million Americans."

She pointed out that federal student debt relief plans, including the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, face potential threats from legal challenges and some resistance from Republicans in Congress.

A Pennsylvania recipient of student loan forgiveness introduced Vice President Harris. Brittany Shoup, a member of Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Local 400, is a special-education teacher in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Shoup said she had heard about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, but most people who applied for it didn't receive it during the last administration.

"The Biden/Harris administration fixed PSLF and made the process easy," she said. "So I applied and later had my student loans forgiven. This is a huge weight off my shoulders. And now, I help my fellow teachers get the debt forgiveness they deserve."

The AFT conference wrapped up Thursday in Houston, with more than 3,500 educators in attendance.


get more stories like this via email

As summer winds down and North Carolina students prepare to return to school, the focus shifts to the urgent need for better public education funding.

The future of North Carolina school funding may hinge on Leandro v. North Carolina a decadeslong court battle about the financial challenges many districts face.

Matthew Ellinwood, director of the Education and Law Project at the North Carolina Justice Center, stressed the crucial role of state funding in ensuring a quality education for every child.

"We're waiting to see what the decision will be for that but there's a lot at stake for families who are feeling these lack of resources in their schools locally," Ellinwood observed. "People need to understand the huge role that the state plays in funding our schools locally, because of what our Constitution said and the rights that it provides to families."

In recent years, the court developed the Leandro Plan, a comprehensive strategy to ensure the state meets students' constitutional rights to education, from early childhood education to college and career transitions. Earlier this year, the state court reheard the case, which could determine the state's obligations but there has been no ruling yet.

North Carolina ranks 49th in the U.S. for school funding, with 92% of students in underfunded districts. Ellinwood noted the Leandro Plan aims to bridge these gaps.

"To deal with the shortages that we're seeing in teachers across the state and the number of teachers who are leaving the profession," Ellinwood explained. "And get back the nationally recommended ratios for nurses, counselors and therapists. It's something that a lot of families are seeing are not in place in their school for their health and mental health needs."

Ellinwood predicted the plan would also help address the child care crisis in the state. He explained rising costs and the end of federal pandemic funds have worsened challenges for child care centers and schools, leading to closures.

"I think the state is doing some kind of Band-Aid to try to keep the system going but we really need a significant investment there and that is laid out in the Leandro Plan," Ellinwood emphasized. "In a really, again, comprehensive way, we need funding through different wages for the quality measures, to ensure that those are met and continue to be high quality."

State lawmakers have approved a $68 million emergency fund for child care. Despite it, the state Department of Health and Human Services warned of more closures this fall without more support.


get more stories like this via email

Some Illinois educators made their way to Texas this week for an American Federation of Teachers convention. AFT is one of the nation's largest labor unions for educators and school personnel, with nearly two-million members - including more than 100,000 in Illinois.

The organization promotes democracy, economic opportunity and quality public education. Earlier this week, AFT President Randi Weingarten spoke to attendees in Houston on the impact of public schools in Illinois and nationwide.

"Public schools are essential to our children's future and to our democracy. Every public school should be a place where families want to send their children, educators want to work, and all students thrive," said Weingarten.

Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to give today's keynote speech at the convention.

Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery echoes the union's reaction to President Joe Biden's announcement not to seek re-election. He expressed his gratitude for what he called Biden's "unwavering dedication" to the American people, including investments in public education.

The IFT also supports some issues unrelated to education. These include defending reproductive health and improving healthcare access, and fostering an economy that uplifts the middle class. Another battle many educators face is evolving technology aimed at youth. Weingarten called on social media giants to operate more responsibly.

"We're fighting back against the addictive and predatory practices of social media companies, demanding that they protect - not prey on - children, and we're focusing on artificial intelligence. AI can be a powerful tool, but there must be strong guardrails," she said.

According to the Illinois State Board of Education, there are 867 districts and nearly 3,900 public schools in the state, with an 88% graduation rate. The average annual teacher salary is $75,000.