One wonders whether state Senate Finance chair Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, sees the irony in railing against an alleged liberal agenda and bias in education while simultaneously proclaiming “We have to change people’s minds and hearts,” with state-mandated “intellectual diversity” civics centers teaching his version of American history and political science on state college campuses.

Required by 2025’s state Senate Bill 1, the centers are paired with a ban on public universities in Ohio having Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives; and “bias” in classrooms. The measure also limits how “controversial topics” can be taught, according to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal.

Yes, Ohio’s law includes a definition for “controversial:” “belief policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues such as climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage or abortion.”

Imagine being sheltered enough to believe it was possible to limit college students’ ability to learn about, discuss — and form their OWN beliefs — on those topics.

What now seems even more naive is the idea that Cirino and Co. could shape those same students’ thoughts to their own liking by mandating these civics centers at Ohio State, Cleveland State, Miami University, University of Toledo and Wright State.

According to the Capital Journal, state data showed that in 2025 only 159 of Ohio State’s more than 67,000 students were enrolled in the new Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society. It’s just not a popular place for students.

What’s Cirino’s solution?

He’s sponsoring a bill that would also mandate attendance, requiring any student at a university with a center to take a course through that center.

It’s not quite cooking the books, but it’s close.

It is most definitely an attempt at indoctrination much more forceful than anything of which academia is being accused.

Though Cirino and some of his fellow lawmakers continue to protest that these centers are independent, the Capital Journal noted the majority of speakers that have been brought in for Ohio State’s “250 years of freedom” program are conservative, affiliated with the Republican Party and/or supporters of right-leaning policies.

College students can sniff out this kind of thing a mile away. Normally, once they get the feeling they are being told they MUST do something, their instinct is to question it and maybe even reject it entirely.

Cirino can attempt to mandate otherwise all he wants. He may just be accomplishing the opposite of what he hopes.