Thousands of teachers from across Indiana will rally in Indianapolis on November 19, seeking better pay and more resources for their students.
Indiana has one of the most reactionary state governments in the nation.
Over 100 districts will close or switch to e-learning for the day.
The state’s largest school district, the Fort Wayne Community Schools, announced that it would close because so many teachers will be joining the protest at the State Capitol.
Many will wear buttons remembering our dear Phyllis Bush, a founding member of the board of the Network for Public Education, a teacher activist and founder of the Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education, who died eight months ago but left behind hundreds and thousands of admirers inspired by her passion for public education. Phyllis’s wife, Donna Roof, and her many former students and friends will be at the rally on November 19, remembering the dedication, love, and wit that Phyllis brought to her role as a teacher and as an advocate for public schools.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
More power to all. Having the event in Indianapolis is likely to attract some criticism from the charter promoting MindTrust and mayor.
Reactionary? The state that gave us Dan Quayle and Mike Pence (and Mother)?
As Dan once said, “The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation’s history. [on followup] No, not our nation’s, but in World War II. I mean, we all lived in this century. I didn’t live in this century, but in this century’s history.”
and, presaging Trump:
“I made a misstatement and I stand by all my misstatements.”
The “sage” in “presage” is meant, of course, ironically.
Teachers in Indiana are going to have to strike if they want anything from the GOP controlled Congress and the GOP governor. More money was given to charter schools in the state on both this year’s and next year’s budget.
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Lafayette joins 75 other districts out Nov. 19, as teachers take off for ‘Red for Ed’ rally at Statehouse
Nov. 11, 2019
LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Lafayette School Corp. will cancel class for all schools Nov. 19, joining more than 70 other districts across the state, as more than 130 teachers from the district requested personal days to attend the statewide “Red for Ed” rally in Indianapolis, LSC Superintendent Les Huddle confirmed Monday.
LSC will make up the day at the end of the school year, according to Huddle. Oakland Elementary and Oakland High School will make up the day on the first Monday of their spring break, which is March 23. Lafayette teachers will be joining teachers from across the state, many of whom are coming from a growing list of districts that will be closed because of the number of teachers rallying at the Statehouse….
Check out this story on jconline.com: https://www.jconline.com/story/news/2019/11/11/lsc-cancels-school-nov-19-130-teachers-plan-go-red-ed-rally-statehouse/2562848001/
Indiana one of the most reactionary states?
“Who da thunk it”.
LOL
Great to hear. Go Indiana teachers!
I’ll be there, took a personal day and arranged a sub before the district called it. Time to let these legislators know we know who they are and exactly what they’re doing.
Awesome! Break a leg, Stephen!
Stephen,
I wish the Indiana teachers great success against formidable opponents.
I hope Indiana citizens who believe in public education as a common good with democratically elected school boards can counter the political activities of I-CAN (Indiana Catholic Action Network) which promote school choice. “To follow priority legislation of the Indiana Catholic Conference visit http://www.indianacc.org. The website includes access to I-CAN the Indiana Catholic Action Network. Those who sign up for I-CAN receive alerts on legislation moving forward and ways to contact the elected representatives.”
That paragraph is from March, 2019, the Archdiocese of Indiana – “New School Choice Incentives…The House budget is supported by the Indiana Catholic Conference.” The budget changes income eligibility and increases the tax credit cap.
Few are aware of the extensive religious network promoting school
choice politically.
Again, good luck to the teachers.
Linda: I signed up for their emails, just to find out what the Catholic church is doing. Should be interesting. I was raised Catholic but dropped out years ago.
The first pages of a search of, state “Catholic Action Network”, results in the listing of two states, New York and Indiana. At a New York Catholic-related site, the claim is made that the network in 2013-14, was responsible for 40,000 e-mails which linked to a $14 mil. increase in the state budget for “mandated service reimbursement”.
What’s also interesting is a different activity “inspired by the Catholic sisters, the Network Lobby for Social Justice”. It includes a tab for Nuns on the Bus. That site lists 13 issues exclusive of education.
Compare/contrast with Relay-
Fred Klipsch of Indiana, who formed a pro-school choice PAC and advocates for ed reform, gave $12 mil. to Marian University (Catholic) for a redesign of the Ed. Dept. (Indiana Business Journal, 2017). The guy leading the redesign is a Dean for Impact,
an organization funded by Gates.
I presume that Marian administrators informed themselves by reading the Philanthropy Roundtable article co-written by AEI’s Frederick Hess and a manager of a Gates-funded ed organization (“Don’t Surrender the Academy”) which describes the value of money, in lieu of the reformers’ preferred method – “blowing up the ed schools”.
Democracy sidelined for oligarchy?
I stand with these teachers. They are unhappy about what is happening in Indiana schools. Politicians in this state must take the time to hear what teachers are saying and then make appropriate changes. Politicians are the ones causing this disturbance.
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Educators from across the state plan to fill the Indiana Statehouse in a sea of red this week in one of the largest coordinated efforts of its kind in years.
Tuesday is being dubbed by public education advocates a Red for Ed Day of Action.
With more than a hundred Indiana districts calling off school that day, teachers from every corner of the state plan to rally in support of pay raises, school accountability and more ahead of the start of the 2020 legislative session.
Educators are organizing specifically on this day in 2019 to send a message to lawmakers from the outset of the session.
“We’re hoping this brings attention to the issues and lets them know we’re serious,” MSD of Boone Township Superintendent Nathan Kleefisch said. “I hope they consider the impact of their decisions and how they impact schools.”
Who is participating?
More than 120 districts across the state have called off or plan to offer alternative learning models like eLearning day on Tuesday, according to the Indiana chapter of the American Federation of Teachers.
An anticipated 15,000 supporters have registered their planned attendance with the Indiana State Teachers Association as of Sunday…
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/education/things-to-know-about-indiana-s-red-for-ed-action/article_a2705d6b-5621-5471-8f8c-56b05ee1fb45.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share
Faculty in public universities should be joining in the rally. Their heads are next on the billionaire chopping block- those who aren’t already part time adjuncts.