Ohio introduces legislation to ban vaccine mandates as largest state university issues order

More than 60,000 students, staff and faculty at one of the nation’s largest academic institutions will not be permitted on campus this fall unless they can provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19, yet over 100,000 fans will be invited into the university’s massive football stadium each week under no such restrictions.

Ohio State University became one of the first, and easily the most populated, campuses in America to implement a vaccine mandate, less than 24 hours after the Food and Drug Administration granted full approval of the Pfizer shot—which is not actually a vaccine. In a release, OSU president Kristin Johnson wrote that the vaccine requirement, “will increase our ability to support our students in continuing their educational experiences as well as help protect our current and the state’s future workforce,” and adding that there was “strong support for this requirement” at Ohio State among student, staff, and faculty leadership.

“That’s an interesting declaration,” observed Patrick Wood, founder and Executive Director of Citizens for Free Speech, a non-profit organization dedicated to first amendment rights, and to the right for free Americans to make their own health care choices. “If there was such strong support among the students, staff and leadership on campus, then why would there be a need for a mandate? Wouldn’t that support be expressed by 60,000 people lining up for the shots voluntarily?”

Interestingly, in her attempt to limit the spread of the Chinese Coronavirus throughout the OSU campus, Johnson did not extend the university’s mandate to the 100,000+ football fans that pack Ohio Stadium for home games each fall, each of whom may attend Buckeye games without any vaccine verification whatsoever.

“It seems like there might be more of a profit motive here than President Johnson would like to admit,” Wood continued. “Ohio State makes millions of dollars through their football program each year, so perhaps the idea of unvaccinated fans staying home might have played a role in the contradictory positions on vaccine requirements on campus.”

The Ohio State announcement came at the same time that the Ohio House of Representatives heard testimony this week on HB 248, known by supporters as the vaccine choice and anti-discrimination act. Lawmakers listened as hundreds of supporters packed the Statehouse atrium, cheering the testimony of those in favor of banning employers and universities, like OSU, from mandating vaccines. Several hundred more supporters waved flags and signs of support outside.

“The purpose of this legislation is to allow people to choose to do what they feel is best for their own body and protect individuals from any consequences or hardships for choosing one way or the other,” said State Rep. Jennifer Gross, the bill’s co-sponsor.

Wood said that he and the CFFS membership he represents are in full agreement.

“There are few rights in our Constitution that are more sacrosanct than our right to privacy, including and especially our medical privacy. CFFS members, now 35,000 strong and growing, believe that ‘My Body, My Choice’ absolutely applies to the issue of forced, coerced, or mandated vaccinations. We will be part of this fight every step of the way on behalf of Americans’ individual liberties,” the CFFS director proclaimed.

If Ohio HB 248 passes in September, Ohio would become the 10^th state to pass some version of prohibition on vaccine mandates by state and local governments, schools or agencies. CFFS stands ready to support such legislation in every state in which it is introduced.

For more information about CFFS please visit www.CitizensForFreeSpeech.org.

Contact:

Bob Frantz
National Director of Communications
[email protected]