Butler County News

In an effort to bring greater transparency and protect students' academic freedom, Rep. Stephenie Scialabba (R-Butler) has introduced two bills that aim to make important changes to institutions of higher education. House Bill 2040 focuses on ensuring transparency in the use of tax dollars for educational programs abroad, while House Bill 2041 aims to prohibit the mandatory completion of Critical Race Theory (CRT) or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training or coursework.

One of the motivations behind House Bill 2040 stems from a recent incident at Penn State University, where tax dollars were used to fund a trip to Ghana. During this trip, citizens of Ghana were taught about gender as a social construct in farming. Rep. Scialabba expressed her concerns, stating, "The best use of those dollars would be for something that helps Pennsylvanians." To address this issue, the bill requires institutions to create public reports a year in advance, disclosing the cost of these trips, the source of funding, the purpose, and the benefit derived for Pennsylvanians.

Another focal point of Rep. Scialabba's effort is House Bill 2041, which aims to protect students from being forced to complete mandatory diversity training or coursework. Rep. Scialabba highlighted the case of the University of Pittsburgh, where undergraduate and graduate students are currently required to complete diversity training. She argued, "These concepts and courses should be offered as electives and should not be forced upon students, especially where the pedagogy is unbalanced with a mandatory course of counterthought. Holding degrees, credit hours, and education hostage to these ideas is not only underhanded, but also un-American."

If passed, House Bill 2041 would prohibit institutions of higher education from making diversity training or coursework a graduation requirement, degree requirement, or a prerequisite for receiving credit hours. This move aligns with the growing trend seen in other states, with North Dakota becoming the first state to enact a law banning mandatory DEI training and the use of diversity statements in hiring and promotions at public institutions of higher education. States such as Arizona and Tennessee, along with more than a dozen others, are also considering similar measures.

Rep. Scialabba's bills seek to ensure transparency in the use of tax dollars and protect students' academic freedom. By requiring institutions to disclose the use of funds for educational programs abroad and prohibiting mandatory DEI/CRT training, these bills aim to put the best interests of Pennsylvanians and students first. As the debate on these issues continues, it remains to be seen how these bills will be received by the wider community and within the higher education sector.