We wanted to share this press release from our Democratic friends next door in Floyd County. What can you do in Harrison County to put an end to these radical GOP policies? Help us to elect Heidi Sellers, Doug Leatherbury, and re-elect Sen. Richard Young. Visit, like, and share their facebook pages to help spread the word!
Bailey, Sellers & Freiberger react to controversial State Board of Education action.
New Albany – On Wednesday, Kevin Sue
Bailey, Heidi Sellers and Chuck Freiberger – educators and candidates
for State House District 72, House District 70 and State Senate District
46 respectively – released the following statement after the Indiana
State Board of Education (SBOE) controversially stripped Superintendent
of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz of duties assigned to her as chair of
the State Board.
“As educators, we were motivated to run for office because of our passion for the future of our state’s youngest citizens. We spend every day working with students at New Albany - Floyd County Schools, West Clark Community Schools, Greater Clark Schools, and Harrison County Schools to ensure they receive the highest quality education possible.
“Regrettably, constant political interference not only complicates our jobs, but most importantly it’s unfair to our students.
“Our children’s future and college and career preparedness shouldn’t be a Democratic or Republican issue.
“We appreciate the political dialogue and desire to improve our state’s education system, but it’s about time we solely focus on the needs of Hoosier students, not those of for-profit out-of-state schools or private schools looking to add extra revenue to their budgets through vouchers.
“Today’s meeting revealed that the State Board of Education is more interested in scoring cheap political points rather than solving the real issues that help prepare our children for the jobs of the future.
“The last election ended in November 2012, yet it seems Republicans are still in denial as they’re still furiously trying to undo the results.
“Apparently, the election is still being contested by the governor and by members of the State Board who instead of respecting the decisions of Superintendent Ritz as the elected State Superintendent, are attempting to diminish her powers rather than abide by her judgments as a duly elected official.
“Elections have consequences and the State Board of Education should remember who they serve – Indiana’s parents and students – not politicians or political parties. Perhaps Governor Pence has forgotten that Superintendent Ritz got 1.3 million votes, more than he did, in the 2012 election.
“Our students deserve better and we look forward to getting back to school and being part of the solution – not part of the problem. Together WE can do better!”
Fighting for common sense education policy
This year in the Statehouse, House Democrats proposed common sense improvements to our state’s education policy, all of which were blocked by party line Republican votes. Instead Republicans voted to:
“As educators, we were motivated to run for office because of our passion for the future of our state’s youngest citizens. We spend every day working with students at New Albany - Floyd County Schools, West Clark Community Schools, Greater Clark Schools, and Harrison County Schools to ensure they receive the highest quality education possible.
“Regrettably, constant political interference not only complicates our jobs, but most importantly it’s unfair to our students.
“Our children’s future and college and career preparedness shouldn’t be a Democratic or Republican issue.
“We appreciate the political dialogue and desire to improve our state’s education system, but it’s about time we solely focus on the needs of Hoosier students, not those of for-profit out-of-state schools or private schools looking to add extra revenue to their budgets through vouchers.
“Today’s meeting revealed that the State Board of Education is more interested in scoring cheap political points rather than solving the real issues that help prepare our children for the jobs of the future.
“The last election ended in November 2012, yet it seems Republicans are still in denial as they’re still furiously trying to undo the results.
“Apparently, the election is still being contested by the governor and by members of the State Board who instead of respecting the decisions of Superintendent Ritz as the elected State Superintendent, are attempting to diminish her powers rather than abide by her judgments as a duly elected official.
“Elections have consequences and the State Board of Education should remember who they serve – Indiana’s parents and students – not politicians or political parties. Perhaps Governor Pence has forgotten that Superintendent Ritz got 1.3 million votes, more than he did, in the 2012 election.
“Our students deserve better and we look forward to getting back to school and being part of the solution – not part of the problem. Together WE can do better!”
###
Fighting for common sense education policy
This year in the Statehouse, House Democrats proposed common sense improvements to our state’s education policy, all of which were blocked by party line Republican votes. Instead Republicans voted to:
- Forgive $91,000,000 in charter school debt at the expense of squeezing public school budgets even tighter (HEA 1001)
- Allow firearms on school property (SB 229)
- Allow homeschooled students to participate in sports programs at public schools (HB1047)
- Spend millions of dollars to fully fund the Governor’s duplicative and controversial education agency where staff are paid salaries over $100,000, while teachers continue to see their classroom budgets decrease (HB 1319, Amendment 4)
- Backed out on implementing the Pre-K pilot program after taking credit for its passage
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