Ohio’s SB1 Shows the Insidious Nature of White Supremacy

To put it simply, SB1 aims to rid college campuses of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.

On February 12, 2025 after 1,011 Ohio residents gave opposing testimony, the Ohio Senate still passed SB1 with a vote of 21 to 11.

If over 1,000 Ohio residents opposed the bill and yet it still passed, I’m sure you’re thinking there must have been even more supporting testimony. Nope—only 14.

SB1 now moves on to the House Workforce and Higher Education committee. For the March 11, 2025 meeting, the House Committee will again accept opponent testimony.

Due to work commitments, I will not be in attendance to read in-person testimony. However, I have submitted a written testimony, which I will share here.

I encourage you to submit opposing testimony as well. You can do as simply as filling out this form: #StopSB1HB6

Stop SB1!

Stop SB1!

My name is Krystina Pratt and I am representing myself as a PAEMST Recipient, which is the highest honor bestowed upon educators in the United States, awarded by The White House and The National Science Foundation.

SB1 is built on a lie—the false idea that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts discriminate against white, cis-gendered, able-bodied men. There is no evidence to support this claim—only evidence to refute it.

Despite claims that DEI marginalizes white people, 72% of higher-ed faculty and nearly half of all college students are white. Even in corporate spaces, DEI efforts benefit white men—28 CEOs, mostly white, collectively earned $5 million in 2023 for meeting DEI goals.

Additionally, SB1 would harm rural students.

Making up one-third of enrolled K-12 students. Approximately 95% of Ohio’s rural population is white. Last year, the Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) grant program provided $44.5 million, demonstrating the need for continued support.

DEI also supports white men like my friend Eric, a veteran who recently received The Tillman Scholarship. DEI fosters workplace understanding for veterans with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and movement restrictions. (Stewart, 2025)

Proponent testimony from Mr. Cirino states, “Ohio’s continued economic advancements require this.” However, decades of research confirm that effective DEI efforts create better workplaces and stronger economies. A McKinsey & Company report states that closing the racial wealth gap could add $1 trillion to the U.S. economy by 2028.

In his testimony, Mr. Cirino cites education philosopher John Dewey. Yet Dewey himself advocated for cultural diversity in education as essential for democracy. SB1 contradicts his very principles of ‘cultural pluralism.’

In response to Mr. Cirino’s mention of the five institutions supporting this bill, I’d like to bring attention to the National Association of Scholars (NAS). A page on their website titled “Our Work,” shares how this right-wing organization tracks ‘cancel culture’ on college campuses, to promote freedom of thought. 

A few examples of the ‘intellectual diversity’ they aim to defend:

2/17/2022 - Clayton Looney - University of Montana. Mr. Looney, a white man, allegedly used the N-word in texts to his black ex-wife, and allegedly called his daughter the N-word. He also allegedly referred to Muslims wearing "towel wraps."

2/1/2022 - Stephen Kershnar - State University of New York at Fredonia. Professor Kershnar appeared on an episode of the Brain in a Vat podcast called "Sexual Taboos." In the episode, he questioned whether "adult-chid sex" is always wrong.

6/5/2020 - Douglas Brooks - Miami University Professor Brooks allegedly called a group of Black Lives Matter protesters “monkeys.”

6/25/2021 - Monte Miller - East Carolina University. Professor Miller posted on Facebook "Hey there. How about F*CK Juneteenth!!!"

Juneteenth is the day Americans celebrate as the emancipation of slavery. This is the kind of ideology SB1 aligns with. Take for example, president of NAS, Peter Wood. Wood has authored several books, including 1620: A Critical Response to the 1619 Project. His book aims to refute claims made by Nikole Hannah-Jones, specifically her assertion that slavery has shaped modern day America. 

Peter Wood calls slavery 'ignominious (shameful), not dehumanizing' and even claims enslaved Africans were 'better off in Virginia,' falsely equating slavery to indentured servitude . 

On a podcast appearance, in reference to the brutal murder of George Floyd, Wood stated “I prefer to say ‘his death in police custody.’”. Officer Derek Chauvin was tried and convicted of Floyd’s murder and is currently serving decades in prison. 

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There is nothing ‘intellectually diverse’ about the aforementioned statements that SB1 aims to promote. This bill is not an attempt to eliminate “institutional discrimination,” as Mr. Cirino claims. 

SB1 is an attempt to put paddles on the dying heart of white supremacy. Listen to opponents when we say; it is time to pull the plug. Not everything is up for debate. Deeming the identities and lived experiences of others as “controversial” does not foster ‘intellectual diversity,’ it fosters hate.

For the future of Ohio and its most vulnerable citizens, I urge you to oppose Senate Bill 1.

Thank you,

Krystina Pratt, M.Ed.