State Board of Ed Real Life “House of Cards

Just like the despicable back room government machinations that take place in the TV
show “House of Cards”, the Indiana State Board of Education (SBOE) and Governor have proceeded
to manipulate education policy procedures regardless of public preference or even legislative
promulgations.

Glenda Ritz received 1.3 million votes to oust Tony Bennett and his policies even before
it was discovered that he changed the school grading parameters to make the Charter School
performance of a wealthy donor reach “A” status, and before he admitted to unethical political
use of his staff on the tax payer’s dime.

As Glenda Ritz revealed herself to be a true professional educator with the best interests
of students in mind, not political platforms, the Governor autonomously created a parallel Department of Education named CECI (Center for Education and Career Innovation) to ensure political agendas would be forced on the public.

The SBOE has now put in place procedures that allow it to override any decision or proposal
from Supt. Ritz.

The CECI has publicly second guessed Supt. Ritz’s federal funding waiver, putting millions
of dollars of federal funding at risk.

Supt. Ritz’s educationally sound proposal to add Reading to the State assessment has
been rejected by Governor.

The SBOE, against the judgement of every professional educational organization in the
State, is moving towards approving “adjunct” teachers who would have no formal training.

The State Legislature banned growth measures that use peer growth comparisons of
students based on ISTEP scores, the SBOE is taking action to continue this practice anyway.

The SBOE has just given itself permission to raise any proposal for a vote without any
advance notice to the public.

Perhaps the writers of “House of Cards” will borrow SBOE minutes as a script in an upcoming
episode.

Voice disapproval at www.in.gov/gov/2333, rguffin@ceci.in.gov, tony@walkerlawgroup.
biz (local SBOE rep)

OF BOGEYMEN AND SCAPEGOATS

the goblins will git ‘cha if you don’t watch out

Does anyone else think that much of the verbiage and some legislation coming from
some State officials involves the creation of goblins and bogeymen about which the public is
supposed to be afraid? It’s been about denial of Climate Change and Evolution; fear of
Immigration, Gay Marriage, and especially Big Government…impending doom, war on
religion….woooo, scary!

The most recent legislative enacted Bogeyman has been withdrawal from The Common
Core (Thriller music please). Couched in rationalizations about how Indiana must not be
controlled by Big Government, Indiana is opting to create its own independent State Standards
that are to be the strongest in the nation. And, of course, the new standards (due out soon) are
not supposed to be in any way similar to the dreaded Common Core. The problem here, of
course, is that neither the general public, nor most government officials, have any idea what is
included in the Common Core. There really has not been any detailed list of exactly what
elements of the Common Core are representative of unnecessary and damaging Big
Government educational expectations.

It is also interesting to note that one of the other major Bogeyman is that US kids are not
college and career ready, nor prepared for global competition with kids from other countries.
So, if Indiana kids are not educated to the same standards as kids from other States, nor for the
new modifications in national assessments (ACT and SAT) which are being based on Common
Core, and are found wanting by US Colleges and Universities who are looking for evidence of
mastery of Common Core standards (designed to gain a global edge), how will we ever
overcome our bogeyman fears? Hopefully, the general public and government officials will hold
a deaf ear to any fear mongers who claim Indiana’s new standards are too similar to Common
Core.

Indiana must realize that all the attention on “What should all students
know?” (Standards) and “How do we know if all students have learned them?” (the new State
ISTEP that will have to be developed at who knows how much cost) continues to avoid focus on
the most important question “What do we do when students haven’t learned?”

Interventions, re-teaching, summer school, after school, and pre-school are having funds
diminished and many school systems are forced to reduce or end summer school. The State
budget no longer provides full funding for summer school students in grades 4-8 who fail our
current State ISTEP exam, while continuing to scapegoat teachers and schools for not having
higher percentages of students at grade level or college and career ready.

Hopefully, candidates for State Representative and State Senator will be evaluated by
the public on their beliefs in Bogeymen and Scapegoats.

Where is the Public Outrage Over Discriminatory and Harmful Public Education Legislation?

As the 2014 Legislative Session comes to a close, legislative trends and efforts are
clearly earmarked by examples of discrimination, favoritism for religious interests and
increased profit making for businesses and investors at the expense of public
education. Here are some questions about education along with the “answers” that
2014 legislators are considering.

Q: Public schools not doing well enough?
A: Take more money away from them rather than earmark money for
improvement.

Q: Not enough money in the State coffers to increase funding for education?
A: Cut taxes for business owners that will further reduce school funds.

Q: Concerned about discriminatory hiring practices in the workplace and
withholding services from anyone (e.g. sexual orientation) on the basis of religion?
A: State Senators Delph and Bosma going on record to rebuff giving State
money grants to institutions who discriminate hiring on the basis of religion.
A: But allow Charter and Private Schools that receive State tax dollars to
discriminate based on ability, special needs and religion (sexual orientation?).

Q: Charter Schools and private schools supposedly better?
A: Allow discriminatory selection based on academic ability and religion,
insuring the lowest performing students remain in public schools while the private and
Charter Schools can reject students who would drag down their performance, or whose
needs they don’t want to meet.
A: Allow private voucher schools to be exempt from State exams and
meeting accommodations for Special Needs students.

Q: Need better teachers in under-performing schools with the most
disadvantaged students?
A: Provide financial incentives for highly qualified teachers to transfer to
underperforming Charter Schools, but not underperforming public schools.

Q: School shootings and student safety a concern?
A: Allow concealed guns in cars in school parking lots.

Q: Is there verified research, that pre-School programs for the most
disadvantaged children will raise achievement?
A: Do not allow a pilot program because it will cost money.
A: Remain one of only a few States in America without mandatory
Kindergarten and State funded pre-school program.

Q: Want high State education standards?
A:  Reject Common Core Standards due to objection from religious and
private schools.

Q: Concerned about filling the void left by rejecting Common Core Standards?  !
A: Create ridiculously short timeline to develop the highest educational
standards and new State test. Fail to consider time for re-tooling curricula, instructional
strategies, and costs.

Can it be any more obvious that:
A) Many Legislators are not qualified to make coherent, logical
educational decisions;
B) current Legislative decisions are being motivated by financial
incentives/welfare for business and private/religious interests by taking money from
pubic education and from the needs of our most disadvantaged children?

How long will the public endure and accept such obvious illogical contradictions,
hypocrisies and discriminations in legislative actions and proposals regarding public
education?

Contact both Republican and Democrat lawmakers.! !

Please consider joining the Indiana Coalition of Public Education Network (ICPE)