Kosciusko County Democrats at a recent meeting approved a resolution supporting Glenda Ritz, Indiana superintendent of public schools. The Kosciusko County Democrats in alignment with Democratic Party principles have always valued education and educators, said John Bonitati, Kosciusko County democrat chair, in a press release. Strengthening public education is a vital policy to help benefit ourselves, our families and the greatest benefit of all, an educated public which helps grow Indiana’s economy, he said. He also noted there is a political movement taking place in Indiana attempting to undermine public education by siphoning off public dollars for schools and demoralizing educators. Teachers are essential members of all communities, Bonitati said, and Ritz is working every day to support the policies below and create an education system of high quality and equity for all Hoosiers. The Kosciusko County Democrats support the following education platform and recommend the adoption of the platform by the Indiana Democratic Party State Central Committee: Guaranteeing Safe Schools: Every child in every school has the right to learn in an environment that is safe and reassuring. If a child does not feel safe, a child cannot learn. The county party supports ensuring that every child is safe and respected at school and all school activities. Letting Teachers Teach: In recent years, we have seen more and more reliance on high-stakes, pass-fail testing. This practice limits time teachers can spend educating and results in “teaching to the test.” The county party supports efforts to give educators more time for teaching and less time for testing. Treating Teachers Like the Professionals They Are: The prior administration demoralized and degraded the great educators we have throughout Indiana, Bonitati said. Teachers do incredible work for our communities and they deserve recognition for their efforts, and the county party supports making teacher licensing and evaluation standards the highest in the nation while treating teachers with the respect and professionalism they deserve. Respecting Local Control: We believe that government that is closest to the people governs best. The county party supports giving more control to local school districts. The best ideas do not always come out of Indianapolis or the Statehouse – they happen when parents, teachers, students and communities work together. Improving Vocational Education: Our schools must prepare all students for the global economy, whether they will attend college or seek an alternate path to a career. The county party supports standards that require every student to graduate college or become career ready.
