$390K - What Does It Look Like to Buy Julie Olthoff In The 11th Hour?

$390,000...That is all it took to earn buy Julie Olthoff's vote for the next 2 years. Just like any other situation where one purchases an object, the purchaser needs to know exactly what they are getting. This is what Bosma, Behning, and the well-monied House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC) PAC lobbyists will get from Olthoff...

More destruction of PUBLIC Education - Olthoff has consistently aligned her vote with the school privatization lobby and why would she change over the next two years with so much money coming her way to guarantee she will vote the party line instead of what is best for her constituents. Christel DeHaan (think Christel Charters), Hoosiers For Quality Education(think religious zealots bent on publicly funding private religious education), and a PAC that passes money through for the Koch Bros - that is who is buying Olthoff. Get the picture?

She expanded charter school funding and opened the door for more charter schools to set up shop in Indiana on the taxpayers dime. She established policy that expanded the voucher system which siphons money right off the top of public education. She established policy that disregarded the will of the voters and marginalized the role of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Glenda Ritz, by removing her constitutional authority to preside over the SBOE  - and she did this without even putting the issue to public question.

Well, the proof is in the pudding folks, and tonight we are serving pudding for dessert. 

Here is the campaign contribution report showing how Olthoff received $390,000 from the House Republican Campaign Committee in the 11th hour, literally just days before election day.

Here is a link to the campaign finance report showing where the House Republican Campaign Committee received their $$$$. I would attach an image, but it is over 110 pages long, so yeah...

http://campaignfinance.in.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/FilingAmendmentSelect.aspx?FilingID=59939

Take a look at these records and follow the $$$ back to the original source, and you too will see how the school privatization lobby has created a wicked web of deception by purchasing politicians for play during assembly, then filtering the money multiple times to cover their tracks.

Indiana Legislators Who Voted to Remove the Power of the Superintendent of Public Instruction

Here are images of the final roll call votes from the Indiana State House and the Indiana State Senate for SB 1 in 2015.

This bill removed the power of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to chair the State Board of Education (SBOE).  Since the adoption of the Indiana Constitution in 1851, the duly elected SPI has presided over the SBOE. 

FED UP YET?

Sure Ed, You Are Still "Working On It"

Thank you Representative Ed Soliday, for picking up the phone and clarifying your position on the SSCA charter app specifically and for clarifying your position on charter schools in general.

Hoosier Voices discovered today that Valparaiso community advocates were able to make contact with Rep. Ed Soliday. These advocates stated that they had tried to talk with Soliday by phone and email since they first heard of the SSCA charter school hearing, but had not received a response from the Representative until they called his office in Indy today and spoke with his office assistant Luke.



From our sources in Valpo:

"ED SOLIDAY RESPONDS (sort of) 

Two weeks after the SSCA charter school matter became public and two weeks after members of our group reached out to Rep. Soliday's office for support, we finally heard from Soliday's through his legislative assisant Luke Wilson. Actually, Luke finally picked up the phone to take our call.

After much stammering we were informed that Rep. Soliday is "still working on a statement" and will respond to "individual constituents through direct mail" i.e. campaign literature.

So in short, while constituents from both parties organized, stood up and spoke out against the SSCA charter, our state represntative DID NOTHING.

Thanks Rep. Ed Soliday for being such a "good friend" of public education and Valpo Schools."

Hoosier Voices has not received a statement from Sen. Ed Charbonneau at the time this published.

#RememberInNovember: The Fab 5 State Legislators Bent On Destroying Public Schools, One 'A' District At A Time

Bosma, Charbonneau, Kruse, Soliday, and Behning:

The Fab 5 that made the Indiana charter school mess by authorizing Grace College

Written By: Hoosier Voices For Public Education Blogger

In 2002, the State of Indiana adopted the policy that established the charter school system. It wasn't until former Governor Mitch Daniels' second term of office that charter school legislation burgeoned, in great part due to the financial and political support of wealthy individuals like the Koch brothers, Klipsch, and the Waltons in addition the American Legislative Exchange Council PAC (aka: ALEC).

The initial intended purpose of the 2002 legislation was to address educational need in districts that were struggling with overall academic performance and graduation rates. Slow to grow over the course of those initial 6 years, the Daniels administration and Tony Bennett took it upon themselves to champion the so-called 'school reform' ideology which amped into high gear during the 2010 and 2011 legislative sessions with Indiana becoming known to have one of the most expansive school reform agendas administered into public policy in our country.

In the 'real' reality of today's educational climate, we have strayed significantly from the original intent and purpose of that 2002 charter authorizing legislation, as evidenced most recently through the South Shore Classical Academy (SSCA) charter school application for authorization through Grace College. SSCA purports to provide differentiated instruction not currently available in the local public schools by providing the Michigan based Hillsdale College model of "Classical Education". Not only does the evangelical private Christian school Grace College stand to financial gain from this charter, so does Hillsdale College which was established by Freewill Baptists and in its Mission touts Hillsdale students as being "Grateful to God for Inestimable Blessings".

This leads me to question "how did we ever get here"?  How did we get to the point where a charter school would need to situate itself strategically amongst 3 'A' ranked public schools with diverse school populations, excellent graduation rates, active and engaged parents and community, who have the will and disposition to 'self-fund' through the passage of school funding referenda? How did we get to the point where charter schools are actually glorified private religious schools being funded on the public's dime?

Even if I can't answer the 'how', there is one thing that I know I can answer and that is who brought this chaos to bear? It doesn't take much more than a quick google search to find the answer to that question. And interestingly enough, duplication is easy to find between the legislation that authorized charter school expansion and the list of Community Partners provided by SSCA in their application.

Here is a list of State Legislators listed in SSCA's application on the 'Evidence of Community Support' page, which you can view in full by clicking here.

• Senator Ed Charboneau, Valparaiso

• Representative Ed Soliday, Valparaiso

• Senator Dennis Kruse

• Senator Rick Niemeyer

• Representative Bill Fine

• Representative Tony Cook

• Representative Jim Lucas

• Representative Brian Bosma

• Representative Bob Behning

• Representative Peggy Mayfield

I am not certain if it is common practice for State Legislators to openly serve as 'Community Partners' with charter schools in organization and planning and development of the charter, but I do know there isn't anything more wrong with the process than politicians laying names to support charter applications. If this is going to become common practice with our State Legislators, then there truly is only one way to fix this problem and it requires going to the polls on election day and voting 'representatives' like this out of office. After all, with so-called 'Community Partners' like these, who needs enemies?

To fully understand who got us here, we also have to look at the 2011 'school reform' legislation, that allowed ideological religious institutions like Grace College to myopically approve charter applications while cloistered in secrecy with their Board of Trustees and Senior Administration deciding whether to collect the check or not.

Here is a link to the full HB 1002.

Here is a link to the roll call vote approving the measure in the House.

Here is a link to the roll call vote approving the measure in the Senate.

If you look closely, you will see that both Ed Charbonneau and Ed Soliday voted to APPROVE Grace College as a charter authorizer. These self-proclaimed 'supporters of education' literally laid the ground work for the SSCA charter to come in to Valpo today - their own community. 

You will also see that Dennis Kruse, the SSCA advisory board member, introduced this legislation in the Senate and voted for it while Brian Bosma introduced this legislation in the House and voted for it. One of our personal favorite legislators here at Hoosier Voices, Bob Behning also voted to give Grace authorizer status.

So there you have it: Charbonneau, Soliday, Kruse, Bosma, and Behning are the Fab 5 that created this mess in Porter County and across our Great State. 

Have you emailed the Fab 5? Have you let them know that while you aren't certain if they knew that this is where the 2011 charter expansion legislation would bear fruit, you do know that they created the mess and they need to fix it! Tell them that you expect them to PUBLICLY come out in opposition to this Charter School. Tell them that you expect them to put pressure on the Grace Board of Trustees to turn this charter application down. Furthermore, tell them that you expect them to go back to Indianapolis and fix this policy mess they have created. That is, IF they get reelected.

Oppose The SSCA Charter School In Valpo, Chesterton, Portage

Written By: Christopher Pupillo, Valparaiso IN

Public Hearing on September 14, 2016 at 5pm
at the Library Service Center, Westchester Library
100 W Indiana Ave, Chesterton, IN

Area public schools have been under assault by a barrage of funding cuts and legislative disdain, manifested in staffing and program cuts which have contributed to a growing statewide teacher shortage. For public schools in Valparaiso, Chesterton, and Portage a new threat has emerged, this time in the form of an unwanted and un-needed charter school.

The South Shore Classical Academy (SSCA) aims to bring a “classical education” to area students. For those unfamiliar with so-called classical schools, think high-priced private prep school. This charter is the brainchild of Valparaiso University professors, who from atop their “ivory tower” perches seem to think our high-performing schools are beneath their academic pedigrees, and presumably that of their children. Unlike the stories told by legislators that charter schools were meant to provide a “way out” for minority students stuck in failing inner-city school, this charter is being developed to create that private prep school experience, but on the taxpayers dime.

The result of this exercise in personal educational indulgence would come at the expense of area public schools to the tune of more than $4,000,000 annually, if SSCA enrollment projections are met.

Simply put, that equates to teachers cuts and program elimination.

These cuts would be especially painful for the tax payers of Valparaiso who approved an unprecedented two referendums (tax hikes), one of which is meant to restore previous teacher cuts brought about by legislative cuts to funding Valpo schools. That general fund referendum would also allow for expanded academic programming intended to preserve Valparaiso’s reputation as a world-class public school system, a reputation which contributes mightily to the quality of life and economic vitality of our city.

Adding insult to injury, the authorizing body for this charter school, Grace Theological Seminary, will make their decision in private, completely away from public scrutiny. That’s right, the decision to syphon away from your public schools millions in tax payer dollars will be made by a private entity with zero transparency. Of course, Grace will receive a healthy 3% of that $4,000,000 in taxpayer money each year for their efforts.

There’s still time to act, but we need your help.

First, contact Rep. Ed Soliday (800-382-9841) and Sen. Ed Charbonneau (800-382-9467) and ask them to weigh in opposed to this charter school theft of public school financial support, and to fix the mess they created by allowing private charters authorizers to operate in the shadows.

Closer to home, tax payers should contact their local elected officials, especially Mayors Costas and Snyder, both of whom have met with representatives of the SSCA, according to their application. Tell them they need to stand up for tax payers and our schools, and stand opposed to this charter.

Finally, residents of Valparaiso, Chesterton and Portage need to show up to the only public hearing on this charter, to be held this Wednesday, 5 p.m. at the Westchester Library in Chesterton.  

Wear “Red For Public Ed” and let your voices be heard. Stand up for our schools, our teachers, our students, and for tax payers.

Final Grades: State Legislators

Hoosier Mom's Public Education Grade Book

Spring Session 2013

It is that time in the legislative session when the Hoosier Mom must submit the final grade card for our legislators. The grades are based on their support for public education as measured through their votes. 

The Hoosier Mom chose 5 bills as "tests" of our legislator's support for public education this session. Just like in school, legislators will earn points by passing the test and using their vote in support of public education. Just like in public school, legislators that chose to not take the test do not earn points: there is no make-up test. 


The 5 tests were:

SB 189 - Performance Qualified Schools

HB 1003 - Voucher Program Expansion

HB 1338 - Charter School Expansion

HB 1357 - Deprofessionalization of Superintendent Licensure

HB 1427 - Common Core & other Tony Bennett matters


There are many legislators who are failing to support public education. The Hoosier Mom suggests a voter takeover of these legislator's positions in the upcoming election year.  Accountability is the priority here: they must be held accountable to the voters.

The only option we have is to elect legislators that will documentably support public education via their vote.

The gradebook is as follows for the House, then the Senate:

 

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?

TUESDAY TATTLER 8

Former Indiana Governor and new Purdue University President, Mitch Daniels implemented $300 million in education funding cuts in 2010 and 2011 as the recession forced the state to slash its budget across the board: K-12 education, higher education, and unemployment benefits. As the 2012 fiscal year came to a close with nearly $2 billion in reserves, constituent said the surplus should be used to restore funding to programs and budgets that were cut.

Shouldn't any surplus be used to reinstate funding to those programs?  One would think that this idea would make sense, but to the politicians it apparently means nothing.  The legislature has recently set out to continue to destroy Public education in Indiana through bills to strip the power of newly elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, Glenda Ritz, and by attempting to push through a huge fiscally irresponsible voucher expansion bill.

It appears that newly elected Governor Mike Pence has no desire to increase funding for education or reinstate the $300 million that was cut.  Governor Pence has made it clear that he supports voucher expansion, and his budget does not appear to establish any fiscal improvement for Indiana's K-12 PUBLIC education.  Pence is seeking approval of his proposed budget that includes a cut in Indiana's state income tax rate by 10 percent over the next two years.

What appears fortunate for Indiana's Public schools, is the fact that prominent Republican lawmakers in Indiana are lukewarm at best on the new governor's tax cut plan. Some are even on record as wishing to replenish funding to programs the recession forced them to cut and shore up Indiana's budget for the long haul.  Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma and some other Republican legislative leaders would rather return the budget surplus to the state's public schools.

The current debate is over how much money to restore — and to what programs. Pence's budget would increase K-12 funding by $137 million over the next two years, but this increase only makes up for the gap in  the funding of Indiana's new full-day kindergarten program.  Some Indiana Democrats say Pence's budget falls short of reinstating the education dollars the Daniels administration cut; we're not even halfway there. Speaker Bosma says he'd prefer to restore even more money to public schools, although he declines to say how much and by what means. 

While all this looks good on paper, and while Mitch Daniels laughs from West Lafayette at the debate taking place, Pence's propsed increases in education look to be undercut even more by his push for voucher expansion.  Expanding the state's voucher program looks to rob a significant amount of funding from the very PUBLIC schools still reeling from those $300 million in cuts suffered under the Daniels administration's last budget.  While Daniels secured his future job by appointing the very people who eventually hired him at Purdue, he has set himself up in a comfortable seat to view Pence's battle to make a name for himself in the State House. 

While Pence and Daniels have proven to be on the same page with regard to destroying public education through their "reformist" tactics and vouchers to support their private school cronies and corporate sponsors, it is now time for Hoosier PUBLIC school supporters to continue to stand up to these politicians.  We must push for proper funding for K-12 education to be restored, and for the voucher expansion wagon to be derailed.  It is time for the Daniels era to end and for Pence to understand that the voters sent a loud message in November and will continue to do so throughout his term, which could easily end after 4 years if he continues to scoff at PUBLIC schools as second rate to his precious charter and private schools.  We must let our voices be heard loudly as we procliam that we want funding restored from the previous cuts and more support for PUBLIC education in Indiana.  We must demand our $300 million to be returned to our PUBLIC schools without adding extra unfunded expenses on top.

 

Legislative Lunchbox v. 7

"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 State Representative Heath VanNatter (R - Howard County).

Senator Luke Kenley received a good apple today for his common sense and leadership in the Senate Appropriations Committee hearings on the voucher expansion bill (HB 1003). One of the most expansive voucher programs in the Nation-State, Indiana's fledgling voucher program is being scrutinized in the State Supreme Court on question of its constitutionality. Moreover, the tangible recipients of these public funds are mostly private religious institutions. Student's function in the deal only as a Straw Buyer and to date students have received no documented net tangible benefit (ie: improved educational outcomes as measured on standardized tests). HB 1003 proposes even further expansion to the current voucher program, by eliminating the requirement that students at least finish a year stay in public school. Herein lies the fundamental deal breaker for most Senators, as the year stay language was essential to gaining majority approval of the first voucher bill less than two years ago. The Hoosier Mom believes Senator Kenley showed excellence in reason with the matter when he said,

"This is a pretty, almost, cataclysmic change in the education system.

I wonder if this would make sense to give it a rest for some time, say 5 years, and study it?" 

Senator Kenley, you are absolutely right. There is no reason why we have to expand the voucher program at an Indy Car pace - this isn't some quick and easy means to an end. Quite the contrary, these are our children and the easy come - easy go nature of the reform ideology is not a value I want to cultivate in my children. In fact, until there is more certainty as to the real educational outcomes for Hoosier children as a result of the nascent voucher program, there should be considerable hesitancy on the part of legislators to continue with the existing program. Hoosier children's education, not private religious institution's profit margins, are what should be the top priority.

Representative Heath VanNatter received a bad apple today for watching YouTube during the course of his busy day at work in the State House. Apparently, participation in the civic engagement process by fulfilling his elected role as State legislator just isn't interesting enough for him. So he 'mixes it up'  by watching YouTube while we the taxpayers finance him. What seems even worse is that not even one other legislator or intern or employee saw this behavior as anything out of the ordinary. It would seem that our fine Representative VanNatter must be watching YouTube fairly often for it not to phase anyone around him. Here is the video:

Now, I know there are probably worse things that could - and likely do - happen during the course of the day in the State House; things worse than some random representative watching You Tube. Maybe this just perturbs me personally because Rep. VanNatter reminds me of that young college boy who acts too smart to be bothered with participating in his class, and so uses his laptop to supposedly "take notes" all the while in reality he is busily surfing the internet for the entirety of class. Well, the Hoosier Mom thinks it is time for you to grow up Representative VanNatter: turn the video off and pay attention to the task at hand, please. After all, paying attention is the least you can do for your constituents. Who knows, maybe once you start paying attention you will eventually learn what occurs in the House and become more capable of making an informed decision on current legislation. Stranger things have happened!

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?

TUESDAY TATTLER 6

This week the "tattler" looks at the Hoosier Mom's grading of our Indiana state representatives, especially those who received "F" grades for their lack of support for PUBLIC education.

When you look for your legislator's grade on any of the five "tests" used by the Hoosier Mom for her "mid-term" report card, you are going to want to look at a couple of things to check the reasoning for your representative's overall grade.  When looking at the overall "grades" you will want to note the method of grading.  There is a possible point total of 10 or 0 for each "test".  This makes for a possible total of 50 points for the "mid-term".  Representatives received full credit (10 points) for voting in favor of PUBLIC education.  In the reverse, the representatives received no credit (0) for voting against PUBLIC education or by "skipping the test" (not showing up to vote).

The Hoosier Mom utilized the following grading scale to determine each representative's mid-term grade based on their overall mid-term test results.
 

80-100, A
 

60-79, B

40-59, C

20-39, D

0-19, F

If your representative received a grade of C or below, it is time to question why they are voting against PUBLIC education, or if they are skipping out on votes to save face from going against their caucus.  Click the image below to see how each individual representative scored on the 5 "tests" in the first half of the session.

Hoosier Mom's Grade Report

REMEDIATION

It is not only vital that we note how our legislators are voting, or if they are skipping out on votes on key legislation to save face, it is also important that we begin to look at proper remediation techniques to see that they pass their final exam.  As good "teachers" we must utilize all our available tools to ensure that our "students" understand the full scope of their voting, and how we expect them to rectify this by showing better support of PUBLIC education in their future voting.  What tools do we have at our disposal to better "remediate"?  That my friends is the one question we have an easy answer for.  Here is your "Remediation Tool Kit"

1) Phone Calls - Use the switchboards to contact your direct representatives and key committee members to inform them how they can vote to support PUBLIC education.

2) Emails - Continue to use the email links to email your representatives regarding key legislation and how they can vote to support PUBLIC education. Contact the House Contact the Senate Contact Education Committees

3) Letter Writing - Utilize letter writing skills to "smail" mail your legislators now to inform them, should legislation come for vote of full house, how they can vote to support PUBLIC education.

4) Facebook (social media) - Continue to create and/or share posts supporting PUBLIC education and callling for action in posts to inform others of what they can do to support PUBLIC education.

5) Visit Legislature - Make trips to the house to speak with legislators or to testify in support of PUBLIC education when key education legislation comes up for discussion and vote.

6) BE ACTIVE - STAY ACTIVE - We used our voices to vote in November in support of PUBLIC education.  We me must stay active to make sure the voices (and votes) of 1.3 million hoosiers continue to be heard in support of PUBLIC education.

Mid-Term Grades: State Representative

Hoosier Mom's Public Education Grade Book

Spring 2013


It is that time in the legislative session when the Hoosier Mom must submit the mid-term grade card for our legislators. The grades are based on their support for public education as measured through their votes. 

The Hoosier Mom chose 5 bills as "tests" of our legislator's support for public education this session. Just like in school, legislators will earn points by passing the test and using their vote in support of public education. Just like in public school, legislators that chose to not take the test do not earn points: there is no make-up test. 


The 5 tests were:

HB 1003 - Voucher Program Expansion

HB 1334 - Singling Out Public School Employees & Freedom of Speech

HB1337 - Corporate Takeover of Schools Based On Fatally Flawed A-F Scale

HB1338 - Virtual Charter Expansion

HB 1357 - Deprofessionalization of School Administrators


There are many legislators who are failing to support public education. The Hoosier Mom suggests a voter takeover of these legislator's positions, especially if their grades do not improve over the course of the session. Accountability is the priority here: they must be held accountable to the voters.

Early intervention can also be important in changing a failing legislator's grades. Voters - please contact your failing legislators and provide early intervention services. They need direct remediation on the educational priorities for Hoosier children: the voters expect better from our legislators. This may require extra time on your part - services via phone calls, emails, visiting the statehouse, writing letters, etc. 

If we all work together, we can turn-around the grades of these failing legislators and re-direct their focus on providing a high-quality public education for all Hoosier children.

The gradebook is as follows:

Legislative Lunchbox v. 5

"Do legislators deserve the same apples teachers get for their efforts in education? Every Friday, "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 House Majority Leader Rep. Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) and for Senator James Buck (R-Tipton). The Hoosier Mom has found that this week, things have come down to whether or not these gentlemen need to go back to manners school. A high-quality character is turning out to be a rarity in certain education reform circles in the State Legislature. Additionally, we appear to be at a disappointing juncture in the legislative process given the lack of any real concerted effort to do what is right for Hoosier kid's education.

Rep. Bosma received a good apple for extending an olive branch to Glenda Ritz yesterday, when he agreed to drop a proposal which strips Glenda of her authority that we - the tax-paying voters - gave to her in the last election. Specifically, he sent a bill, authored by ALEC member and Rep. Bob Behning (R-Indianapolis), to the House Rules Committee where bills go to die. This bill was designed to transfer control of the State's school voucher program from the State Superintendent's office to the Governor's office. Essentially, it was a blatant power grab since these reform agenda-minded legislators were still feeling sour grapes over Glenda Ritz (Democratic Party) 'unexpected' victory over Daniel's hand-picked golden-boy Tony Bennett (Republican Party). The Indy Star article states that "the goal [of the bill] is to send a message". Send a message? By overstepping your legislative responsibilities in an attempt to subvert the decision of 1.3 million voters? This must be a joke! How about next time that you want to "send a message", you just do it the way us regular folk send messages: a letter, email, phone call, text message, facebook...heck you could probably even schedule a meeting with her and talk in person.Who knew there are so many ways to send a message! Rep. Bosma, you are getting a good apple this week, not because you are showing leadership and support on the issue of Public Education and what is best for Hoosier children. Rather, because out of all the Republican legislators in the House, you are the only one that has attempted to "send a message" in a manner that is consistent with the character and values expected of our State legislators. I hope you begin to consider the damage that has been done to Public Education over the past few years, and continue to communicate with Superintendent Ritz about ways the House and IDOE can work together to accomplish goals that are truly in the best interest of Hoosier children.


Representative Jim Buck received a bad apple in his lunchbox for his letter to a concerned Hoosier voter and Public School teacher who expressed concern in a letter for the fact that so many of the members of the House and Senate Education Committees have absolutely no idea about or experience with Education and Education related matters, outside of their position on the Committee. Here is a quote from the Senator's letter, just to get an idea of how inappropriate his response is:

"It is my hope that in the future you will appear sober. As your correspondence reads, you seem to be in a state of deliriousness or absent mindedness and may have written your email while in an inebriated state. Considering your correspondence has no relevance to truth or fact, it is also my hope that you will continue to further educate yourself on, not only the goals and objectives of the American Legislative Exchange Council, but also on the intentions of our General Assembly members."

Yes, you are reading that correct. The fine Senator from Tipton blatantly accuses the letter-writer of being drunk because the writer had the audacity to question the intentions of the "American Legislative Exchange Council" (A.L.E.C.) and the State legislator's buy-in to A.L.E.C.'s corporate education reform propaganda machine. Just to be clear, the letter-writer states they weren't inebriated when writing the letter: in fact this person doesn't drink at all. Which is ironically, quite unlike most of our Founding Fathers: like Thomas Jefferson, John and Samuel Adams (you, know - the guy with the Boston Lager), and the rest of the lot (see "The Alcoholic Republic: An American Tradition"). Now assuming that the writer wasn't inebriated at the time of writing the letter and doesn't need to check into a Betty Ford clinic (which political party did her husband belong to?), that pretty much means the Sen. Buck is being a bully to a constituent who was exercising the 1st Amendment right to free speech. Come on, Sen. Buck, it is best to maintain a character consistent with the esteem of the office which you hold, and seek to be proactive in engaging constituents in civil conversation. In fact, most of us would actually like to know exactly what the intentions of the General Assembly members are! The bills and measures I have seen only point to one thing: destruction of the quality of Hoosier children's education. Shame on you for your letter, and even more so - shame on you for supporting the destruction of the access to public education. Your constituents support the local public schools in your district: it is time you got on board the bus and support public education or face the consequences in the next election.


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?

Legislative Lunchbox v.3

"Do legislators deserve the same apples teachers get for their efforts in education? Every Friday, "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 Senator Karen Tallian(D-Ogden Dunes)and for State Representative Jim Lucas (R-Seymour).

Senator Karen Tallian received a good apple in her lunchbox for authoring SB 469 which provides that Full-Day Kindergarten become mandatory and, more importantly, that each Kindergarten Pupil counts as a full student in the annual ADM. Sen. Tallian, kudos to you for not only recognizing the need for a continuum of early childhood education provided through Indiana's public schools, but for actually standing up and doing something about it. So many legislators pay lip service to the educational needs of Kindergartners, sometimes taking action simply to publicize and further their own political careers. But not you Senator Tallian! This bill is simple and to the point - not only does it outline mandatory Kindergarten but it counts Kindergartners as full students so Public Schools can receive full-funding for the education provided. But here comes the sticking point - this bill hasn't even received a hearing in the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development. Bills are getting heard which expand vouchers to fully-fund preschool but apparently the legislative rationale is that during the magic year of Kindergarten, Indiana children only deserve to have their education only halfway funded. Where the heck is the common sense in that? Come on Senate Committee on Education and Career Development: listen to Senator Tallian on this matter. It is time for Indiana to have a hearing on this bill.

Representative Jim Lucas received a bad apple in his lunchbox for his letter to an Indiana voter concerned about the voucher expansion bill (HB 1003)which cleared the House Committee on Education Thursday. Mr Lucas writes, "I am aware of the potential for the growth of vouchers, and yes, this growth may come at the expense of what is referred to as our public system, but as long as that child is receiving an education, and better yet, an education of the choice of the parent, then I fail to see the negative of this." There are so many levels of 'wrong' in this statement (let alone the whole letter), where is a Hoosier Mom to begin? First of all Mr. Lucas, "what is referred to as our public system" is the public education system which you, as an elected official, are required to provide (please read Article 8 of the state constitution, Mr. Lucas if you are unsure of what I reference about your job). I understand that this is your first term and you aren't particularly familiar with all the 'ins and outs of serving your constituents, but I can guarantee you that if you take this kind of "my way or the highway" approach, you will be out of this job soon enough and back shilling awnings in Seymour. I don't think I need to remind you but this is the first time in a while that a Republican has been elected to district 69, and if you continue with your back-handed comments about public education, I can guarantee that reelection is not in your future.

Just in case you weren't aware Mr. Lucas, most all of your constituents received their education via Indiana's public school system and most all of your constituents with children are sending their kids to public school. These are your constituents: as an elected representative it is your duty to serve the best interest of the people, not the best interest of a few private religious companies that seek to receive government hand-outs (via corporate welfare) on the backs of hard-working Hoosiers. As a tax-paying mom and life-long Hoosier, I can tell you that I don't care to pay for some other parent's education "choice". If a parent chooses to send their child to a private school, then they can pay for their choice - I and the other taxpayers in Indiana aren't financially responsible for their personal preference and you should stop trying to make us pay for it. However as a taxpayer, I strongly believe the money I give to the state needs to go to the betterment of most ALL Hoosiers, not just a few. Public Education is the only means and method which effectively and efficiently provides for a common education of Hoosier children. It is time you learned to not only vote in the best interest of your constituents, but also in the best interest of Hoosiers on the whole.

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?

The Race To Waste $46 Mil In The House

An Open Letter

To The Members of The House Committee On Education,

HB 1003 is scheduled for a hearing and you are expected to vote on this bill today. As a mom of 2 children that attend Public School in Northwest Indiana, as a woman raised on a grain and hog farm in Central Indiana, and as Hoosier through and through, I implore you to vote NO on this measure. It needs to stop where it is at in an attempt to bring a little bit of common sense back to your actions.

Indiana's voucher program (the LARGEST voucher program in the country) has been legally challenged as it conflicts with the Indiana Constitution on two grounds. First, that you as Representatives are charged with creating policy in line with the Constitution which directs you to educate children through a system of common schools - Indiana's "so-called" Public Education system. Second, you as Representatives are charged with creating policy that would not compel "We The Taxpayers" to pay taxes which support religious institutions.

This legal challenge has not been resolved and to be quite frank with you, the Legislators interested in "reforming" Indiana's Public Education System might be surprised how it ends. Now you plan to expand a program this session, that will potentially be deemed unconstitutional? Where is the common sense in that action! This isn't the Indy 500 - you don't have to pass it now - time is on your side and you should use it to your advantage. Sit it out, let us see what happens in court before moving forward in any method or manner on this Bill.

Finally, I will argue and I believe MOST of the taxpaying and voting citizens agree on this...It is NOT your responsibility to pay for - with my tax dollars - "school choice" in Indiana. My tax dollars should be going to the benefit of Indiana citizens as a whole, to the betterment of most all Hoosiers, not just a few. Private and Religious Schools can not and will not serve most all Hoosiers. If a parent chooses to send their child to a Religious School - so be it, that is their choice. They should have to deal with the financial implications of their choice. The rest of the children in the State of Indiana should not pay for their choice.

Now, you vote how you want, but don't forget the rest of us regular hard-working Hoosier moms and dads are watching - and we will vote in less than 2 years. And if Public Education continues to be dismantled, I guarantee you - my vote will go with Public Education.

Sincerely,

The Hoosier Mom On Politics