(NEW YORK) – PEN America denounced two recently introduced bills in Indiana as an “extreme effort to silence voices on college campuses” in the state. These bills would add additional restrictions on higher education after last year’s passage of SB 202, a so-called “intellectual diversity” bill that in reality undermined the state’s system of faculty tenure.
The first new bill of concern is SB 235, a near-copy of a model bill from the Manhattan Institute, which would explicitly ban DEI offices and programming on public college campuses — including any programming “designed or implemented with reference to race” — as well as bar universities from commenting on a long list of topics related to race, gender, and identity “or any related formulation” of the concepts under a mandate of ‘neutrality.’ SB 235 also includes language requiring that the state legislature be notified in advance of all changes to academic standards in both public and private health science programs, and even attempts to micromanage how students in those programs are graded.
The second bill, SB 289, which applies both to public higher ed and K-12 institutions, is an educational gag order that prohibits any employee from “promoting, embracing, or endorsing stereotypes” – a term defined so broadly in the bill that it could be used to restrict instruction, assignments or presentations on campus.
“These bills represent an extreme effort to silence voices on college campuses in Indiana,” said Amy Reid, Freedom to Learn senior manager at PEN America. “We’ve seen the impact of similar bans in states like Utah, Florida, Texas, and Iowa. They shut down student services and cultural centers, intimidate faculty and staff, and cast a vast chilling effect over free expression on campuses. But the provisions of these new bills go much further. If taken literally, SB 235’s prohibition on programming ‘designed with reference to race’ could ban even considering individuals’ race when putting together a campus panel, and its ‘neutrality’ mandate could ban universities from expressing virtually any idea whatsoever. It also includes new and alarming measures that invite government interference in setting the standards for students earning degrees in health-related fields in both public and private institutions. Meanwhile, SB 289 would ban classroom discussion of a concept so broad and unclear that compliance with the statute seems almost impossible. Indiana legislators should reject these wrongheaded bills, keep the government out of the state’s classrooms, and protect students’ freedom to learn.”
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Malka Margolies, [email protected]