Veto Senate Bill 1

I am writing to express my strong opposition and urging you to veto Ohio Senate Bill 1. This bill represents a significant attack on both academic freedoms and collective bargaining rights, two pillars that support the integrity and strength of our educational institutions and the well-being of our workers. The provisions of Senate Bill 1 undermine the ability of educators and public sector workers to engage in fair and meaningful collective bargaining, which is vital for ensuring a balanced, just, and equitable workplace. Furthermore, the bill’s provisions that restrict academic freedom are deeply concerning. Educators must have the autonomy to teach, research, and engage with students in a way that fosters critical thinking, diversity of thought, and intellectual growth. To limit these freedoms is to limit the very foundation of education itself. As our governor, I urge you to stand against this harmful bill, which would negatively impact both our educators and the broader community. Ohio should be a place where the rights of workers and educators are upheld, and where our universities and schools remain spaces for open inquiry, debate, and progress. I hope that you will reconsider supporting this bill and instead work toward policies that protect and empower the hardworking people of Ohio, particularly those in education and public service.