Indiana was once a state that strongly supported its public schools. But now that the far-right has taken control of the Legislature and the Governor’s office, the public schools are viewed by state government as an inconvenient burden to the state.
There is one state official who has tried to protect the public schools from Indiana’s rabidly conservative Republicans: State Superintendent Glenda Ritz. She was elected in 2012 with more votes than Governor Pence. He never forgave him for outpolling him, and he spent much energy trying to remove the powers and duties of her elected office.
Valerie Strauss writes about Governor Pence here. To say the least, he doesn’t like public schools. He was also one of the first governors to celebrate the passage of a “religious freedom” bill that recognized the right of businesses to discriminate against gay people. Under Pence’s leadership, business owners could refuse to see their goods or services to gay people because their religious is against gay people.
Mike Pence is on the far right fringes of the GOP.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Here is the link.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/07/15/how-mike-pence-tried-to-undermine-the-will-of-indianas-voters/
She writes about it where?
“He never forgave him for outpolling him” Huhwhat?
Should be, “He never forgave her for outpolling him.” It’s not that hard to figure it out in context. Diane publishes a lot of times a day, often on a phone. Cur her some slack.
Pence disaster as a Representative and worse as governor. Trump sure got rolled by the far right.
This cloud has a silver lining. Bye bye, Chris Christie.
We get to keep him LCT.
Oh dear Zeus, I heard Trump speaking today, introducing Pence and all of a sudden I realized that there could be at least 4 years of this, 4 years of President Trump and VP Pence. AGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! This a horror, a nightmare too horrible to contemplate and I am not about to leave for Denmark or anywhere else. Dear people, please vote for Hillary because Trump really stands a good chance of winning. These are scary times. But wait there’s more, President Trump could appoint Christie to the supreme court, FBI chief or head of the justice department!!!! Oy Vay to the nth degree.
People should realize that President Trump/VP Pence would have a compliant GOP controlled Congress with which they could implement all kinds of mischief. Tax cuts for the 1% while they decimate Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the ACA.
Joe maybe you can ask Obama what part of the Social Security money paid for the affordable care act. You assume that they are going to help the 1% do you mean Hillary and Bill. They are part of the 1% now.
So it seems that Trump is selecting someone reasonable. Another serious thinker like the new math number crunching Paul Ryan. A serous conservative that the party can coalesce around . Now seriously this is who they are, Trump is not an aberration he is the logical extension of the party of Reagan.
Just attacking them for being what they are and for long have been, is not going to do it . It didn’t work for the sixteen other Republicans who pretended they were different from Trump. it wont work especially for Hillary .
What the Democratic party has to prove and quickly is who they are. They have been seriously lacking in that regard. I understand obstruction, its tough,however their rhetoric has not matched their deeds .They are running out of time . If they were physicians we would say they have violated their oath, “primum non nocere”.
Thank you, Diane. I can’t imagine much worse than Trump/Pence winning. Pence was a disaster to Indiana in many ways. (I live in Indiana.) There are too many things in this state that are underfunded, including schools. Working conditions are horrible and teachers can’t bargain for anything better. All you need to teach in Indiana is a bachelor’s degree in anything, as long as you got a B average. Teachers are not valued.
Indiana ranks 46th in quality of life, 42nd in workforce. – [CNBC]
I read this morning that Trump has hinted that if he wins the White House, he might back out and refuse to become president. Would that automatically mean Pence would become president? If so, did Trump deliberately pick this guy who would never stand a chance if he was the the presidential candidate knowing that Pence would be president when he backed out?
Business Insider back on July 7 reported “Don’t Trump entertains idea he might not actually serve as president if he wins election.”
http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-not-serving-as-president-if-he-wins-election-2016-7
Therefore a vote for anyone but HRC means the possibility that even if Trump is elected, the next president of the United States could be Mike Pence just because he ran as Trump’s VP choice.
Depends on when Trump backed out. If it’s before the Electoral College officially votes in mid December, electors might be opened up, with electors voting for whomever they want. That’s unclear, though, as nothing like that has ever happened, so take that with a grain of salt. If it’s after the Electoral College votes but before the Inauguration on January 20, Pence would get it. Either way, scary!
My teacher’s union supported Killary before candidates even announced intentions to run. She has not a clue about education or Common Core. She supports charter schools and wants schools to take over the role of parents. Many teachers and parents will take their chances with the Trump/Pence ticket. She can’t even understand how to handle top secret info on the Internet. Can’t be trusted.
You would support someone who has destroyed the public education in his state? I’m not a fan of HRC, but you can’t overlook Pence’s dismal record on public education.
He has not ruined education in our state unless you’re talking about the actual increase he has budgetted to education. Check your facts before you spout someone else’s misinformation.
Pence has pushed privatization as hard as he can. He wants to destroy public education. He also embarrassed Indiana with his promotion of anti-gay legislation and didn’t back down until major corporations threatened to leave the state. He was the Rush Limbaugh on decaf of Indiana. He is a handsome, well-spoken bigot and hater of public schools.
But Trump is trustworthy??!? Ha, ha, ha, too funny. Listen, if you hate Hillary because you think she’s such a liar and demon from hell, how could you possibly vote for Trump who lies about his lies. I would think you would vote for Jill Stein or not vote at all. I would have more respect for the latter alternative.
Veronica, go ahead and vote for Trump-Pence. I can assure you that you won’t have a union or public schools after four years of these guys. Start thinking now about the religious school you will send your children to.
Or Walmart charter schools owned and controlled by the Walton family with class loads of 50 or more, all personalized instruction with scripted lessons through the internet, and a classroom monitor paid poverty waged with no benefits.
If you are a supporter of public schools, do NOT vote Trump/Pence! As our governor, Pence has given millions of $$$ to charters and privates. Indiana Is the top state in the US for monies given for vouchers to charters/privates. Pence is bought and paid for by ALEC. He even spoke at their conference. I know because I am recently retired) teacher in Indiana. He also took powers away from our voter elected Superintendent of Education and has done nothing but fight with the Dept. of ED since he became governor. Pence is bad for education!
Veronica, you have to be kidding. Pence has taken all of the rights of teachers away and given 1/3 of the money that was used for our public schools to the carter schools. He has also worked against other unions like the police and firefighters.
A new Website will direct Americans and national media to Mike Pence’s most-telling interview as Indiana’s governor. In this interview he states that Indiana’s religious freedom law ‘absolutely not’ a mistake. This law allows businesses to discriminate against GLTB people.
INDIANAPOLIS – With Mike Pence as Donald Trump’s new VP nominee, the Indiana Democratic Party today announced http://www.Trump-Pence.com, a new website that directs Americans and national media to Pence’s most well-known interview as Indiana’s governor.
“For Americans who are seeing Mike Pence for the first time, it’s worth reminding them about the interview that really defines just the kind of governor and politician he is.
What else do Americans and national media need to know about Mike Pence? Well, take a look below and see for yourself.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: MIKE PENCE’S HORRIBLE RECORD AS INDIANA’S GOVERNOR
Governor’s Reelection Chances
Statistical Tie: In a poll conducted in Late April, 49% Pence- 45% Gregg. 5% margin of error. IndyStar
Rated a Tossup: GOVERNING Magazine
Pence’s Term of Colossal Mistakes
October 2014 – Citing federal ties, Gov. Pence declined a $80 million grant that would have established a statewide Pre-K system. – Associated Press
January 2015 – Pence created a statewide news service, JustIN. – Fox 59
March/April 2015 – Gov. Pence signed RFRA in a private ceremony, throwing the state in a $250 million economic panic (CAP). – IndyStar
March/April 2015 – Pence waits 65 days before responding to the worst HIV crisis in state history. – Indiana Public Media
April 2015 – Pence strips the powers of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Glenda Ritz. This is the only statewide Democratic elected official. – WNDU (NBC), Politico
May 2015 Mike Pence uses his own campaign dollars to help repeal the common construction wage laws, allowing union worker wages to go down and the expanding wage gap continues to grow in our state. – NWI Times
Bonus: Pence opposed the auto bailout. –
Summer 2015 – Pence hires and then fires a PR company meant to repair the state’s bruised image following RFRA. Cost taxpayers $365,000. – Associated Press
August 2015 – A Major interstate bridge defaults. Pence waits over a week before responding. – Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
November 2015 – Pence bands Syrian refugees that had planned to settle in Indiana. – IndyStar, New York Times
February 2016 – After RFRA and tough year, Pence’s Lieutenant Governor resigns. – IndyStar
March 2016 – Mike Pence signs HEA 1337, one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation. – IndyStar
April 2016 – Pence flubs endorsement to Cruz during GOP Indiana Primary. – Washington Post
April 2016 – Mike Pence is booed at home opener of Triple A baseball team – Fox 59
May 2016 – Mike Pence won’t condemn Trump’s attacks on Judge Curiel – only called it “inappropriate.” – Indiana Public Media
Bonus: Pence wants to redefine birthright citizenship for Americans – WRTV
Pence’s Only “Accomplishment” – HIP 2.0, Paid for by President Obama’s AC
Are there any US-owned K12 schools in Turkey? Of course not.
The part that amazes me is how cheaply US politicians can be bought. They’ll happily sell their constituents down the river for a trip that would cost them 3 thousand dollars.
Gross.
Pence doesn’t think public education is working….and most of us know that it doesn’t as well. He has a different idea other than mindlessly throwing more money at the bureaucrats/Dept of Ed who make our lives more difficult.
I ask this over and over and over and NEVER get an answer – WHAT politician has an actual track record of helping us teachers? I don’t just mean “funding” but making the profession one in which we can succeed.
We are all adults here and KNOW none of these politicians are going to help us and need to quit pretending that people like Pence are going to possibly do any worse than the last 8 years of a “pro education” president.
I am sure this isn’t popular and is “controversial”.
Mike pence is a religious fanatic who wants to use his governmental power to tell others how to live. He is a poor example of a politician serving the rights of all americans. Soon to be our next vice president, pence will take us back to the 1950’s when women had no rights, gay and lesbian had no rights, African Americans had no rights. Pence is a threat to civil liberties and it is sad 😢 he was voted in along with trump