As state lawmakers prepare to convene for a special session Monday, local school officials are keeping an eye on proposed legislation that could set a precedent for school funding issues.
A concern for Plymouth School Superintendent Andy Hartley is House Bill 1315. It deals with the involvement of a distressed unit appeal board in the operation of the Gary and Muncie school districts. “Some of the original language, I started to see again, from just monitoring and being on a watch list and things like that,” Hartley told the Plymouth School Board last week. He said he’s been talking with legislators, to get their perspective on the issue.
While Plymouth Schools are not in the same financial situation as Gary or Muncie’s schools, Plymouth Education Association Co-President Laura Kruyer noted that if it happened in Muncie, it could happen to any school corporation. She worries that under the proposal, Muncie’s elected school board could lose authority, and teachers could lose some collective bargaining power.
Kruyer also said that Indiana isn’t immune to teacher walkouts, like those recently seen in other states. She urged individuals to keep public education in mind, and write their legislators.
