I have just returned from being out of state for a few days and am just overwhelmed and disheartened with the number of bills that are coming out of committees that are to diminish the power and authority of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the DOE, diminish the power of ISTA, and affect teachers by threatening their livelihood and their ability to teach as they know is most effective.
I talked with a teacher from New York while I was gone. She looked at me with disbelief and shock when I told her how Indiana education is systematically being privitized so that precious public education dollars (our tax dollars) are increasingly going to corporations. What two entities are the biggest obstacles in the fight to protect public education---Glenda Ritz, who was given a mandate by the citizens of Indiana to do so, and ISTA. So is it any wonder that there are so many bills to increasingly decrease the effectiveness of both?
I had lunch with Glenda over the holidays. I asked her how retired teachers could best help her. Her response was to follow the bills that would diminish her authority and to use the same methods used to help elect her to help her maintain authority. Currently these bills are Senate Bill 1, House Bill 1486, House Bill 1609 (click on General School Policy below). Below I have given you suggested activities, websites and Face Book pages of interest, and the 2015 Bill Watch directly from the ISTA website.
- I’m asking you to post and share information on Facebook and to utilize other social media (see informative sites below).
- Contact your legislators frequently telling them that the will of the people is being usurped. Glenda received more votes than the Governor, yet by diminishing her authority, the Governor and Legislature are nullifying her election.
- Talk with your friends and family informing them about what is happening and asking for their help in contacting legislators.
- Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper(s).
- Attend ISTA Lobby Days--not only to have the opportunity to meet with legislators, but to hear first-hand the legislative briefings by our ISTA legislative staff. March 17 is the Retired Teachers designated day, but attend others. Other Lobby Days are February 10 and 24, March 3, and April 15. Report to your members after each Lobby Day.
- Attend Third House meetings in your area and express your views.
- Check the ISTA website often to keep updated on bills that affect education and educators. https://ista-in.org/bill-watch
- Contribute to I-PACE--you may do this by check or by using the ISTA website, you may pay by credit card.
- Have I-PACE and NEA Fund fundraisers at each of your meetings.
Facebook and websites:
- Have writing letters to policy makers a part of each chapter meeting.
https://ista-in.org
https://ista-in.org/bill-watch
Indiana Coalition for Public Education
www.icpe2011.com
Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education
Indiana Bipartisan Support of Public Education
Indiana Department of Education
Ritz4Education www.ritz4ed.com
http://dianeravitch.net
Speak Up For Education and Kids
2015 Bill Watch
Below are categories of reports containing important bills that our Government Relations team is tracking for the 2015 session. By clicking the report you will be able to read a bill digest, last 3 statuses and if in a committee, that committee’s meeting time and location.
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