ANOTHER SUNDAY TWITTER STORM

Twitter Storm

Join us on Twitter Sunday, Feb. 21 4 – 5 p.m. Indy time/3 -4 p.m. Chicago time

It was evident early that many legislators on the Senate Pension and Labor Committee had no interest in hearing from teachers on HB 1004, a teacher bill. The committee offered and voted on two amendments to the bill before anyone could testify and offer context, therefore it appears that the disposition of this bill was predetermined.

So this weekend, join the Twitter Storm and let your voice be heard. Twitter Storms work best when a large group of people tweet messages around a specific topic using the same hashtag. Our goal is to generate as many tweets possible from members, leaders, partners, parents and activists.

Hashtag: #RespectOurVoice #RespectTeachers

Sample tweets:

You can use the sample tweets below or create your own. Because we’re asking for our voices to be heard and respected, ensure that your messages are respectful, but clear.

HB 1004 will cut the pay for the majority of teachers, worsening the teacher shortage, and hurting students. #RespectOurVoice

HB 1004: a backdoor around bargaining with local teachers. #RespectOurVoice

Silencing our voices before the vote is unacceptable. Vote NO on HB 1004. #RespectOurVoice

HB 1004 isn’t local control, it is individual control. Vote no on HB 1004. #RespectOurVoice

Indiana opens the door to discriminatory supplements. Vote NO on HB 1004. #RespectOurVoice

Tag Legislators and Media:

Find your legislators and local journalists (such as @ChalkbeatIN @ShainaRC @nkellyatJC @IndyStarChelsea @kfrancisco) on Twitter and tag them in your tweets. 

WEDNESDAY WIRE

The Greatest American Institution 

"The whole people must take upon themselves the education of the whole people and be willing to bear the expenses of it. There should not be a district of one mile square, without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the public expense of the people themselves."— John Adams, U.S. President, 1785

Where is the gap in logic? As I sit here trying to figure out how to write this post, I keep wondering what the heck these Indiana legislators are thinking with their “reform” of our public education system. I mean, where are the dots not connecting here?

If there is one Institution, one great idea that separates the US from the rest of the world, that has produced great leaders and scientists, artists and innovators, engineers and musicians - it is this idea that we take the education of the whole people upon ourselves. HB 1003 threatens to expand this notion that private institutions should benefit from public funding so that some – not all – have the ‘choice’ to attend the private institution. All the while this ‘choice’ is funded at the expense of our greatest institution, our public education system that actually educates the whole people.

CALL YOUR SENATOR AND TELL THEM TO VOTE NO TO 1003 NOW!!

Our laws have to make sense and be able to withstand the test of reason. If this system of granting vouchers for 'choice' is good enough for public education, shouldn’t it be good enough for other institutions to be logical? For example:

If vouchers are so great, Why don’t we start funneling money from Public Libraries to give it to Barnes and Noble? Or Christian Book Stores? After all, I am a taxpayer and I want compensated for my choice to purchase books at a bookstore instead of borrowing from a Library.


Or better yet, I don’t want to take public transportation, it is my "choice" to buy a car...cant the Legislators funnel a certain dollar amount from public transportation so I can use it to fund my automobile "choice"?
 

I will tell you why – because outsourcing public funds to private institutions is nothing more than Corporate Welfare. Whether it is Voucher funds to private schools, Book Stores, or Car Dealers, outsourcing public funds to private institutions will always be nothing more than Corporate Welfare. For as many people in the House and Senate who claim to be Capitalists, supportive of a free market system, there are an awful lot of these same legislators who seek to support these “capitalist free market” ventures with public funds. Last time I checked, that isn’t Capitalism.

It is time for ALL Hoosiers to come together and say enough of this voucher nonsense. We don’t need to pay for someone else’s so-called ‘choice’ while our Greatest American Institution – that very institution that separates US from the rest of the world, is left to deteriorate and our children left with curriculum cuts, educator down-sizing, and program dismantling. This is the OPPOSITE of educating of our children - this is cronyism, nothing more,.

It is time for the those downstate to put their petty power struggles aside and do what is right for THE PEOPLE – not some of the people, ALL of the PEOPLE.

CALL YOUR LEGISLATOR AND ASK THEM TO VOTE NO ON 1003 Today!
Tell them you want fully – funded PUBLIC Schools, not Corporate Welfare disguised as ‘reform’.


 

TUESDAY TATTLER 10

This is the Triple "T" Edition of Tuesday Tattler, as it is Tuesday Tattler TEN.  For this installment the tattler once again puts pressure on the Indiana Senate to VOTE NO on Voucher Expansion (HB 1003) and calls on public school advocates to focus on 10 specific Senators in making calls. 

WE CAN STILL DEFEAT HB1003 in the Senate

After passing two Senate committees last week, the voucher expansion bill (HB1003) did NOT come up for second reading Thursday. That means it has to get both second and third reading votes before the end of day this Wednesday.   Late this Monday afternoon, the senate began hearing amendments to HB 1003. Democrats offered one that would make a line-item for vouchers in the overall budget. This would allow for tracking the funding and also guarantee a certain amount for public education to have in its budget. This amendment was voted down by Republicans on a straight party line.

Remember: vouchers come out of the budget for public schools first and THEN the remaing moneis are distributed to public schools. It is important that all Senators hear from passionate public school advocates in the next 24 hours.  Lobbyists have been contacting Senators one by one, and your messages will add urgency. If we can defeat this bill in the Senate, we don't have to worry about battling it again in the House.

We most definitely CAN put an end to this fiasco that is robbing money from public schools and slow the destructive process current legislators seem hell bent on forcing onto our public schools.  For the most part, the overarching concern of those senators (all Republican) who are possibly waffling on this HB1003, is financial.  Remember that Senator Skinner of the Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee has said that they don't know and can't tell us just how much this bill will actually cost the public schools' budgets. How can they be fiscally responsible and support this?

Below are your Tuesday Tattler "10" to contact immediately!

Here is a list of some specific Senators to contact, along with reasons and rationale for making contact. Please make as many contacts as possible over the next few hours. It is vital that ALL senators hear the reasons why this bill is one of the most detrimental to PUBLIC education to come from the house so far. 

CONTACT THESE SENATORS SPECIFICALLY!! 

1.) Senator Mishler (R) of District 9 (Marshall County and Kosciusko County) said that , although he agrees with "choice" he has some major reservations. He is in the area near Warsaw and in his area there are almost no schools that one can use vouchers for! If you know anyone in that area, please let them know that they need to contact him and let him know that they, too, have deep concerns. For most of these waffling Republicans, my understanding is that they are worried about the cost. During the Tax and Fiscal Policy committee, Mishler said he "reserves the right to vote against it on the floor. " Let's all encourage him to vote NO and let him know that this bleeding of funds will hurt the public schools in his district. His email is: s9@iga.in.gov.

2.) Senator Zakas  (District 11) was first elected in 1982 and he may be a key vote. He is a Catholic and is probably getting a lot of pressure from Catholic school parents and schools. If you are Catholic or you know some Catholic school parents who don't believe in de-funding public schools, please try to contact him. Or if you know anyone in that area, of course. His email is : s11@iga.in.gov.

3.) Senator Landske  (District 6) She was originally sworn into the Senate in 1984. ( Lake County, Newton County, and Benton County area).  Senator Landske has fiscal concerns about this bill and needs to hear from as many constituents as possible asking her to be fiscally responsible and VOTE NO.  Tell Sue that 1003 is bad for her community! Tri-Creek and other schools will only suffer from voucher expansion!!! Her email is s6@iga.in.gov

4.) Senator Charbonneau ( District 5) (Valpo and Rensselear area) has shown that he has serious reservations about the A-F grading system of our schools. Now the HB1003 includes an amendment that would allow anyone in an "F" school district to take a voucher. A Kindergartner within an "A" elementary school district but that also has an "F" high school, could go straight to a private one. Let's encourage him to see the misuse of this grading system in this bill and, of course, the financial ramifications of these millions of dollars leaving our public school budget. Let's Remind Ed what he said at the Legislative Breakfast about 1003/vouchers being an Indianapolis issue, not Northwest Indiana. Tell him we expect him to vote with Northwest Indiana, not be complacent with the party line! His email is s5@iga.in.gov

5.) Senator Kenley (District 20, Hamilton County) had been wonderful at arguing against expanding these vouchers. His concerns are financial, but he also pointed out that they are doing a bait and switch type of thing by allowing wealthier families to receive these vouchers as well as not requiring so many kids to try the public schools first. He needs to be thanked for this and encouraged to vote against the bill. He has suggested that we have a study first to see how the vouchers are working for kids. Please encourage him to push for that before we expand the program. He also seems to be very concerned with the way special education will be hurt by this bill (see Vic's notes). His email is s20@iga.in.gov

6.) Senator Steele (District 44, Bedford, Columbus, Nashville area: Brown Co., Lawrence Co, Jackson Co. and some Monroe Co.) was concerned during the first voucher bill with accountability of the private schools. He added an amendment that was about something like civics and morals being taught in those voucher schools requiring some accountability. That provision for accountability was promptly tossed aside by Tony Bennett and crew. They only have to observe 5% (13 total) schools and have a very vague review of what goes on. Accountability as well as financial cost might be a good argument for him. Please let your friends know. Here's his email: s44@iga.in.gov

7.) Senator Bray, freshman senator whose family background does not support public education or fiscal education funding. District 37 (Morgan County and some Putnam. Martinsville) email: s37@iga.in.gov

8.) Senator Crider, like Bray, is new to the senate (so they didn't vote for vouchers in 2011) He is District 28. (Greenfield). Email s28@iga.in.gov

9. ) Senator Waltz, District 36 (Marion County and Norther Johnson County) In the Senate since 2004, he has an investment banking company, The Baron Group, Inc., which specializes in mergers, acquisitions, and capitalization of small to mid size private companies in the transportation and manufacturing industries.  This financial background should make him aware of the fiscal irresponsibility of VOUCHERS. His email is s36@iga.in.gov

10.) Senator Leising, District 42 (Rushville, Connersville) a member of the Education and Career Development committee, she should most definitely be aware of the destructive nature of this fiscally irresponsible legislation. s42@iga.in.gov


These senators should also hear from you with the financial concerns:

Senator Alting, District 22. See map His email is s22@iga.in.gov

Senator Becker, District 50 (Evansville area). Her email is s50@iga.in.gov

Senator Boots , District 23 ( Crawfordsville and Lebanon area). His email s23@iga.in.gov

Senator Head, District 18 His email s18@iga.in.gov

Senator Paul, District 27 (Richmond area) His email is s27@iga.in.gov

TUESDAY TATTLER 9

So the Indiana Supreme Court ruled last week that the state's voucher program is legal; thus, allowing for public tax dollars to continue being used to finance private school tuition.

"We hold that the Indiana school voucher program, the choice scholarship program, is within the legislature's power under Article 8, Section 1, and that the enacted program does not violate either Section 4 or Section 6 of Article 1 of the Indiana Constitution," the justices wrote in the 5-0 decision.

It is important to note, that this ruling not only allows for a voucher program to finance private school tuition, but it also allows for these funds to be utilized for those private insititutions with a religious base.  Apparently the Supreme Court does not hold a belief that the Indiana Constitution calls for a separation of church and state when allowing our public tax dollars to finance the tuition of private paraochial schools.  However, just because the Supreme Court ruled vouchers to be constitutinally legal, it does not mean that they should be rapidly and continually expanded at the expense of our state's public schools.

At the legislative level the next step for the Voucher Expansion Bill (HB 1003) is the Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee. Since HB 1003 had a fiscal cost, it was recommitted to the Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee for approval in their final meeting this morning.  Senator Kenley is a member of this committee, so it would seem that his amendments will be accepted to reduce the fiscal cost and thus move the bill out of committee and to the full senate for a vote.  This could happen anytime between April 4 and April 10 making it vital for ALL senators to hear from PUBLIC education supporters in opposition to the Voucher Expansion Bill.

It is important to note that, even though Representative Robert Behning has assumed passage from the introduction of this bill,  that 21 current Senators voted against vouchers in 2011. That group forms a strong base for opposition to voucher expansion.  They should be thanked for their vote and asked to continue to vote against vouchers. They are: Republican Senators Alting, Becker, Boots, Head, Mishler, Nugent, Tomes, Waterman and Zakas. (9)
Democrat Senators Arnold, Breaux, Broden, Hume, Lanane, Mrvan, Randolph, Rogers, Skinner, Tallian, Taylor, Richard Young. (12)

It is just as important to note that there are 25 Senators who voted for vouchers in 2011 who are currently in the Senate. They should be reminded about the new additional fiscal costs for vouchers given to students who are already in private schools and asked to vote against expanding the voucher program at this time. They are: Republican Senators Banks, Buck, Charbonneau, Delph, Eckerty, Glick, Grooms, Hershman, Holdman, Kenley, Kruse, Landske, Leising, Long, Merritt, Pat Miller, Paul, Schneider, Smith, Steele, Walker, Waltz, Wyss, Yoder, and Michael Young,

There are also 4 Senators who are new to the Senate and did not vote on vouchers in 2011. They should be asked to hold to the original program and not expand vouchers due to the new excessive fiscal costs. They are: Republican Senators Bray, Crider and Pete Miller and Democrat Senator Stoops.

As you make your calls, send your emails, and write letters, be firm in your stance and remind your senators that this fiscal impact is not to be perceived as an effort to assist private school parents with tuition support, but it is a blatant swipe at our PUBLIC schools and robs them of much needed monies during some rough economic times.  It is vital that we make a strong push to encourage our senators to vote down HB1003 and leave the voucher program at current levels and hold of expanding an already costly program. 

Legislative Lunchbox v. 8

"Do legislators deserve the same apples teachers get for their efforts in education? Every Friday, "The Hoosier Mom on Politics" makes that decision, giving two legislators a good or bad apple, depending on their support of Public Education and Indiana’s children. Check back every Friday at lunchtime to see what the Hoosier Mom packs in the Legislator Lunchbox for the week!

For this post of the “Legislative Lunchbox”, I chose to pack a lunch for State Senator Luke Kenley (R-Noblesville) and to the State legislators collectively.

All the State legislators received a good apple today for unanimously sending Senate Bill 465 to the Governor's desk. In the current legislative educational environment, getting legislators to work together and pass a bill as essential and critical as this one, required someone to have moved a mountain. Senate Bill 465 re-prioritizes the importance of Indiana's career-readiness vocational education program in the State through the creation of vocational curricula. The bill allows creation of regional "Indiana Works Councils" where business and education leaders will come together to define and establish mutually beneficial educational and career objectives. The grossly visible decline in support for vocational education in recent years has been blinding, and the State has struggled economically as a result. My one concern lies in the likelihood that this bill is nothing more than a pie-in-the-sky idea that legislators will not actually fund. That bright and shiny-eyed idealism that actually believes it can solve problems by thinking them away is not going to work here. Teachers, tools, supplies, support-systems, infrastructure, and more are essential to accomplish this goal. In many ways, the funding cuts in recent years have hit vocational education hard and heavy and this bill should require action to fix that problem.

Senator Luke Kenley received a bad apple today for not knowing how to stand behind his own rationale. It is simple - either one supports something because it aligns philosophically, or one is just doing another's political dirty-work; probably someone else who actually leads. Last week, Senator Kenley claimed that HB 1003 was questionable since: the current voucher system lacked data-driven accountability measures for private schools, factual evidence must be gathered to support the notion that vouchers are solving this "failing school" problem prior to expanding voucher funding. The changes Kenley approved Wednesday do not resolve these issues in any way, shape, or form. Nor does it resolve the critical issue of a year-stay in public school, which the bill lacks. Now the Senators want to tie voucher transfers to the A to F grading scale of public schools. This is ridiculous at best! These are the same Senators who little over 4 weeks ago passed a measure to remove the A to F grading scale from existence. Now - all the sudden - the Senators have decided the grading scale works and is an excellent measurement tool for vouchers? This is absurd! Moreover, why are we giving voucher funds to any family that has income above the federal income guidelines for aid to dependent families? If vouchers are to help low-income families, then we need to use the same income measures for low-income families across the board through all government programs. So either increase the income requirements for aid to dependent families or decrease income requirements for vouchers. Our legislative actions must first and foremost make sense: and to put it bluntly, the voucher program just does not align. The fact is, a group of wishy-washy scared people who can't stand behind their own convictions - let alone what is right to do by Hoosier children (if they even know the difference) - are the ones playing political games. This isn't a political recreation sport, it is our children's education. My hope is that some one can get behind their convictions and stay there. Mr. Kenley - is your character strong enough to do that?

The Hoosier Mom hopes all the readers will spread the word about the Legislative Lunchbox. Feel free to email me with suggestions for next week’s lunch: for whom should I pack lunch and why?