Lawmakers in Ohio are considering another bill that looks to redefine what can be talked about at college and universities. 

Senate Bill 1 would get rid of courses regarding Diversity Equity and Inclusion and any DEI offices or departments at colleges and universities. 

Sponsors of the bill want to get rid of indoctrination or the process of teaching someone to accept a certain belief. 

“I don't know where this is going on, it's not going on at YSU,” Mark Vopat, the President of the Youngstown State University Ohio Education Association said about indoctrination. 

SB1 is similar to Senate Bill 83 that was introduced two years ago and still hasn’t been signed into law. Both look to ban controversial topics from the classroom.

“I don't know how I could get through a class without talking about a controversial topic,” Vopat siad. 

Vopat is a professor of ethics and social and political philosophy and said abortion, marriage and climate change come up often in his classes - topics that he wouldn’t be able to discuss if SB1 passes.

Controversial topics according to the bill also include electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and immigration policy.

Vopat said some students are concerned that groups that are directed toward helping black students, veterans or first generation college students could be eliminated under the bill.  

“It essentially says the university can’t treat anyone differently even if it would be an equitable treatment,” Vopat said. “...but we really don't know how it's going to be interpreted and that's part of the problem. You put this really vague notion of DEI, it could have really bad implications for a number of different groups and a number of different individuals who would be treated differently.”

The bill also looks to prevent full time faculty from striking and would allow faculty to be terminated regardless of tenure if they don't meet expectations.

“It seems really like it’s an attempt to take away our collective bargaining rights,” Vopat said. 

SB1 is still being considered in the Ohio Senate. Several educators plan to attend the hearings in Columbus to voice their opinions against the bill.