The Indiana State Republican-controlled legislature is completely out of touch with most state residents on the education bills that they seek to enact. This legislation is not only harmful to the state educational system and students but parts are also unconstitutional.
House Bill 1003 would provide state vouchers for charter schools and private educational institutions, most of which are religious schools. This legislation will gut public school funding while still having to provide for virtually all the special needs funding in the state, allowing private schools to "cherry pick" students. Public schools are open to all while private schools are under no such limitation.
The Indiana State Constitution is unambiguous if you read Article 1, Bill of Rights, Section 6 titled: No state money for religious institutions. No money shall be drawn from the treasury, for the benefit of any religious or theological institution. Passing this legislation will initiate legal action that will cost taxpayers money that we do not have for a legal fight that cannot be won. The voucher bill is clearly unconstitutional and spending money defending it would be fiscally irresponsible. Most taxpayers should be incensed with this scenario.
The other piece of hallmark legislation, House Bill 1585, would essentially eliminate collective bargaining for teachers. You know, teachers, the "Privileged Elite" as Governor Daniels has made well known in the national press. Teachers are among the most dedicated, hard-working members of our community. While their pay is modest, they are vilified by this governor. This legislation is simply a thinly veiled political attempt to weaken the teachers union and strip workers of their hard won bargaining rights. Elected officials work to fabricate this as a class struggle between the pubic and private sector employees when in fact it's an attack on the entire middle class.
The future of our country depends on the education of our children to compete in the global economy and provide the leadership needed in a rapidly changing world. If you think it is difficult to attract the some of our brightest to be teachers to fulfill these goals, it will be impossible in the future. My children attended local public schools, and I can tell you the teachers certainly did not go into their profession to get rich. It is a career steeped in caring that should be revered, and I find it shameful that we have politicians that characterize the teacher as the sole source of the problems with the educational system.
You can stand idly by as these elected officials move forward with an agenda that does nothing to address the issues faced in education and will destroy the progress made in education over decades. The other choice is to make your voice heard now and at the ballot box in the next election.
