Bill aimed at fiscally distressed schools punishes students and teachers
02/02/2018

Please contact your senator to voice your opposition to HB 1315. The bill is punitive and not helpful to taxpayers, students, parents, teachers and the communities in which these targeted school districts reside.  

The bill passed out of the House 65 - 26. House Democrats offered amendments that would have improved the bill, including an amendment from Rep. Melanie Wright (D - Yorktown) that would have made certain Muncie teachers had the right to a collective voice and a seat at the table, but it was defeated.

HB 1315 would permit every school district designated as being in fiscal distress to lay off up to 5 percent of the teaching force after Sept. 30 in a school year (with 90 days' notice). Resulting in just around the holidays, teachers being let go with just a few more months left on their annual contract.  

Why? Policymakers said there must be an immediate call to "right-size" the district to its enrollment. Even though:  

• Class sizes would increase mid-year.
• There would be upheaval in student scheduling and learning goals.
• No teacher would ever seek employment in that district going forward.
• Individual teacher contracts are annual contracts.
• Educators in the school district are most directly fulfilling the core mission of schools — teaching and learning.
• No others were singled out in HB 1315 for layoffs.  

In the case of Muncie Community Schools, the local teachers' association was the only party to submit a rational, reasoned last best offer as judged by the fact-finder.  

When it came to light that teachers had been underbilled for a time under their health insurance program, it was the local association that stepped up to ensure and endorse a pay-back timeline.  

The local exclusive representative had nothing to do with the decision to redirect more than $10 million in general obligation bonds meant for school renovation for purposes other than what was intended by that bond issue.  

The bill has been amended to grant Ball State University the ability to take over the operation of the entire Muncie Community Schools. By all indications, the idea was not vetted with anybody, but Ball State, until the day of the hearing.  

Teachers are stripped of their exclusive representative status, their right to collectively bargain their salary and wage-related issues and the requirement that they work under the same uniform teacher contract that every other teacher working in a public-school district works under.

HB 1315 would also strip locally elected school boards of their powers if they end up in fiscal distress, and right now the Gary Schools board is impacted.     

Overall, this bill has the potential of negatively impacting local control in communities. This is not just a Muncie and Gary bill, it has future precedent-setting implications. 

The entire bill can be read on the General Assembly website.

Please contact your senator to voice your opposition to this bill.