Governor Mike Pence has been trying to take down State Superintendent of Education Glenda Ritz ever since they were both elected to office in 2012. Pence is a Republican, Ritz is a Democrat. In the election, Ritz won with a bipartisan coalition and beat incumbent Tony Bennett, whose campaign outspent Ritz’s by 10-1. Ritz won more votes than Pence in the general election. Under Tony Bennett, Indiana education policy favored for-profit charter schools, vouchers, high-stakes testing, and attacks on the teaching profession (he was chair of Jeb Bush’s Chiefs for Change and adopted all of Bush’s favored policies). After he resigned, he was immediately hired to be State Superintendent in Florida, but then quickly resigned when AP reporter Tom LoBianco revealed that Bennett had altered the A-F grading system to protect the charter school of one of his major campaign donors.
Glenda Ritz’s victory would prove to be a thorn under Governor Pence’s saddle. Pence appoints the members of the State Board, which Ritz chairs. Over the past two years, Pence created a new state agency to deal with education and workforce issues, to reduce Ritz’s authority. The sniping has continued, because Pence won’t be content until Ritz has no authority at all.
Now members of the State Senate have introduced bills to allow the State Board of Education to elect its own chair, a position that under current law belongs to the elected State Superintendent.
What are the lessons for the rest of us?
One, Governor Pence and the members of the State Senate want to nullify the clear wishes of the public who overwhelmingly voted for Glenda Ritz. Pence and his allies apparently don’t believe in democracy.
Two, Superintendent Glenda Ritz is a brave woman with a strong stomach, who has stood up to this constant assault on her and her office with great dignity.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Those of us in Indiana are PAINFULLY aware of this. Pence is grooming his image to run for president it seems. He is tragic enough for Indiana. Think of what he would be like as president. George W was bad enough. BUT there will be a LOT of money behind him or whoever is to take the role of George W. We may get “Bush-whatcked” again.
We need to keep reminding people that Pence was the guy who went to a market in Iraq wearing full body armor, protected by 200+ soldiers, covered by several helicopters, and declared that the market was “as safe as any in Indiana”. Nearly 100 people from that market turned up dead the next day.
Absolutely disgusting!. As a former Indiana PS teacher I have nothing nut contempt for Pence and his pals.
Is this a real life actual state superintendent who actually understands the issues schools, students and teachers are facing? I’ve been searching for one anywhere. The fact that the powers are trying to reduce her is a sign of credibility in my eyes.
Ohio Algebra Teacher,
Glenda Ritz is an experienced educator. That is likely the reason the powers-that-be don’t want her.
Thanks for the info, Diane. That pretty much explains it. I wonder how she won. The Reformers have been masterful in filling these positions with the truest of believers. Same for Governor mansions.
Ohio Algebra II Teacher:
Anecdotally, I heard that Glenda Ritz won by grassroots efforts. A lot of teachers got good and mad. We were able to use social media effectively to paint Dr. Bennett as the fool that he is.
I for one, saw exactly 1 Bennett campaign ad in the Michiana area (IN and MI counties which straddle the state line), roughly in the South Bend and Notre Dame area. I saw 2 Ritz ads on TV (there may have been more). I saw Glenda Ritz at a community meeting, outdoors on a miserable, drizzly, chilly, October Saturday morning. To my knowledge, Bennett never talked to PEOPLE–he went to organizations, corporations, and wealthy edupreneurs, but not voters. He never spoke to teachers, principals, students, or parents except to give canned speeches or give some award to recognize excellence.
In that election, the Indiana GOP swept nearly every important statewide office except the State Superintendent of Schools. Bennett’s defeat rankled outgoing governor Daniels (term-limited) so much that he claimed that teachers used illegal and improper methods to oust Bennett; he claimed “We got emails sent out on school time by people who were supposed to be teaching someone at the time.” Pressed for details, he never gave any proof.
Another small tidbit worth repeating is what I heard at a meeting this fall; many teachers and other public ed supporters wrote hundreds of postcards. One of these postcards even ended up on the desk of one of the GOP legislators. After seeing that dedication, he worriedly told his friends that Bennett stood a good chance of losing.
If any other Hoosiers on this thread know otherwise, I’d like to hear your impression of how Ritz dethroned Bennett in November 2012.
bilgewater, that’s one of the most heartening things I’ve read with regards to education-related elections. Really appreciate your efforts and thanks for passing this on.
Pence has established himself as a politician trying to have his cake and eat it, too, with regards to education policy. He got out of the Common Core…and replaced it with something like the Indiana Core that pretty much cut and pasted CCSS. If Secretary Duncan was happy with the result, you know that any change was window dressing.
Pence not only wants his cake and eat it too, he also wants to buy cake with MY tax money and feed it to vouchers and charters.
This is exactly the kind of democracy that the self-styled leaders of “education reform” are for.
It is just as stomach churning as the charterization of a school in Adelanto, CA.
I repeat the first part—solely minus the emoticons—what I wrote on this blog under a posting of 10-24-2014:
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Old Teacher: excellent points.
Let me reinforce what you said about the undemocratic nature of this whole “parent trigger” [i.e., shooting the gun of self-styled “education reform” at unsuspecting parents) business as it has worked itself out in reality, not in rheeality.
I reprint the first part of a comment I made on this blog on 1-14-2014 under a posting entitled “Two Anti-Parent Revolution Parents Accused of Vandalizing Charter School.” Also see my comment on this blog, 6-28-2013, under the posting “A Sad Graduation Day at Desert Trails Elementary School in Adelanto, CA.”
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Simply as an aid to the owner of this blog—and to head off distracting molehills of tiny correction that divert from serious discussion—I include two excerpts below re the numbers involved in the charterization of Desert Trails Elementary School.
Please go to the articles linked below (and others; google) for more context.
I simply remind those viewing this blog that the parents who voted—53!—were not only a very small minority of the original petitioners, but also voted for the huge number of parents past and future. Among the charterites/privatizers, this is called “choice” — which as Chiara Duggan has pointed out, substitutes in their minds for “voice.” And in my mind, substitutes for “democracy.
[start quote]
Only 53 of the original 466 parent petitioners voted, and amongst those who did, the vast majority voted in favor of LaVerne Prep.
[end quote]
Link: http://www.vvdailypress.com/articles/trails-38493-adelanto-approved.html
[start quote]
But some school officials and parents expressed concern that only 53 ballots were cast in the charter election. Although the school has about 400 families with 610 students, only 180 parents who signed the petition for a charter campus during the campaign last year were eligible to vote under the parent-trigger law.
“Fifty-three votes cast the direction of the school,” said LaNita M. Dominique, president of the Adelanto teachers’ union. “That’s a little disheartening.”
[end quote]
Link: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/22/local/la-me-parent-trigger-20121023
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Link: https://dianeravitch.net/2014/01/14/two-anti-parent-revolution-parents-accused-of-vandalizing-charter-school/
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Link: https://dianeravitch.net/2014/10/24/capital-and-main-the-failure-of-the-parent-trigger/
Just sayin’…
😎
Democracy: Money is speech so we have the democracy we can afford.
Power and Votes:
The power to vote is now quite funny
Advocate and agitate, do as you like
Oligarchs have one vote, but use lots of money
Elections now give us a huge load of spite.
I hope we can bury these turnip heads legislators with enough criticism that they will seriously reconsider. I’m going to spend an extra hour at school blasting this news to everyone I can. GRRRR
When these rheformy politicians don’t get what they want at the election booth, they change the laws, rules, regulations. They circumvent. Look at what Rhee’s husband tried 4 times – the “strong mayor” law. Puhlease. How about the pedophile mayor gets thrown out of office? That’d be wonderful. Oh, wrong state; my bad.
They are all spoil sports who want what they want regardless of voter’s wishes. I hope someday these pigs are all rounded up and arrested for the crimes they have committed.
A little off topic but all about the charter…check out this ad I received in an email today (and yes I’m a public school teacher):
\https://www.charterbusinessinsights.com/finance-and-accounting/5-ways-maximize-profit-margins/
If I wrote the news:
INDIANAPOLIS – A new bill introduced in the state legislature would remove one high official from the statewide ballot. Since 2012, Glenda Ritz, Superintendent of Public Instruction, has clashed with Governor Pence over education policy.
After an upset victory supported by a grassroots campaign of Hoosiers supporting public education, Ritz’s stance has been the only obstacle for Pence to dismantle public education in Indiana. “This rift has not been good for education in Indiana,” said one state senator. “Therefore, I have proposed a bill to make the office of Governor an appointed position.”
“This bill only makes sense,” said another state senator. “We need to remove obstacles to progress and good education. […] Obviously, the Governor needs to go.”
“We keep saying that education is the most important priority. We’re going to prove it. We will listen to the will of the people allow the Superintendent of Public Instruction appoint the Governor,” read a statement by a group of state legislators. “It’s time we got our priorities in order.”
I am so thankful that I can walk away from this wretched situation in three years. I really am at a loss as to what Indiana will be like in the next five to ten years – pretty ugly, I’m afraid.
While the idea was squelched by Hoosier GOP legislators, keep in mind that Indiana State Sen.Mike Delph (R), a Tea Party darling, introduced a bill that would allow a state lawmaker or sitting governor to seek re-election and a federal office at the same time. Other states (including Texas and Wisconsin…gawd…it’s bad to be in the same paragraph) allow a candidate to simultaneously seek the presidency or vice presidency and a federal office at the same time, such as US Senator or Congressman/woman.
This would have been different with the Indiana legislation. It would have allowed a state lawmaker to simultaneously seek the presidency or vice presidency or other federal office at the same time as campaigning for a re-election. Delph’s intent was specific to Mike Pence’s aspirations. This is the way these cretins operate.
Indiana GOP legislators are totally owned by ALEC/ Koch Bros. and will stop at nothing to satisfy the puppet masters’ whims. I voted for Glenda Ritz and have made the conscious decision to not purchase products from Indiana businesses that financially supported Indiana lawmakers who oppose public education. Follow the Money (http://www.followthemoney.org/) makes it pretty easy to track where the donations come from.
This is just so painful to watch happen.
DEzerov, thanks for that great link about follow the money! I have a large mailing list of people I send anti-reform stuff to, and this will make my list.
If I were to retire today, I would seriously consider becoming an activist for public education in Indiana…but sadly that date is 10 years out.
Thanks again, DEzerov!
Bilgewater,
Hoosier companies who support those against public education include Pop Weaver Popcorn and Red Gold Tomato Products. Those were the first to go in our house. Add to them any Georgia-Pacific paper product, Dixie, Brawny, etc. Koch Bros there… The list goes on and on and on…