When public education is under fire, so is democracy by Fred Haigh: Elections in Indiana are critically important to all Hoosiers and, of course, they represent the most fundamental decision-making authority of a representative government. Elections choose our leadership, they guide our state’s future, and they rely on a large percentage of wise and worthy citizens to show up on election day and exercise their right to vote. We all learned that ethical lesson back in our middle school government class. At least most of us did. It seems our governor was playing hooky on that middle school day. Although the citizens of Indiana overwhelmingly elected Glenda Ritz as our superintendent of public instruction, Gov. Pence has effectively hijacked the public’s wishes and usurped Ritz’s authority to direct public education in our state. As Ritz stated two weeks ago, “Gov. Pence used an executive order to create CECI (Center for Education and Career Innovation). It was created without any consultation or conversation with the Department of Education and was created without legislative action or public input.” Aside from the disturbing fact that our governor is defying our state’s constitution and code, it is the voters of Indiana who received the biggest slap in the face. Our votes made it clear that change was needed, especially when public education was in question. Even though Ritz was outspent five to one by her opponent, over 1.3 million Hoosiers voted to send Ritz to the Statehouse to reestablish fairness and ethics in our state’s education system. Notably, Ritz was so strongly favored she received over 50,000 more votes than Gov. Pence. Rather than listen to the public, our governor, for the first time in my memory, used an executive order and unilaterally appointed a partisan and self-serving agency whose main purpose is to obstruct the will of the superintendent of public instruction. This is unethical and is wrong for our state, our schools and our children. Pence’s attempt to obstruct the bipartisan and open governance of public education should not continue. When public education is challenged, so is democracy. When people who care about public education are being ignored, so is democracy. When far-left or far-right dogmas are encouraged and when unethical behaviors are just tapped on the wrist, democracy loses. When for-profit and non-profit organizations are intent on unduly influencing public education, they are, more than likely eating away at democracy. When governors dismiss voters, they dismiss democracy. As a lifelong educator, l strongly support strengthening our public schools and providing elected officials with the freedom and influence to do their job. Gov. Pence should favor the potential of our Department of Education to prepare our students for the future. He should do all he can to encourage, not destroy, public eduation. That requires him to fully support the efforts of Ritz to lead Indiana’s Department of Education and to encourage the oversight and transparency our citizens voted to receive. I ask every voter to join me in making sure our voices are once again heard loud and clear. Please vote and support those candidates who support public education. Fred Haigh is a candidate for state representative for the 84th District and a resident of Fort Wayne. news-sentinel/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140912/EDITORIAL/140919888/1015/OPINION
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 20:37:48 +0000
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