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!
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!”
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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
