Witnesses accuse school board members of ‘hiding’ political affiliations
[the_ad id="5320"]
Bill to Make School Boards Partisan Elicits Divided Testimony from Witnesses
Advertise with us! Reach out to your community.
About 40 witnesses from across the state, including over a dozen from Hamilton County, weighed in on Senate Bill 287, which would require school board candidates to declare a political party and run in primary elections. The current nonpartisan system has been in place for decades.
The legislation has drawn both praise and criticism from those who testified before the House election panel. Supporters, such as Sen. Gary Byrne, say it would boost transparency for voters, as school board candidates often conceal their political leanings from constituents.
Dina Ferchmin, a recent candidate for the Carmel Clay Schools board, argued that hiding one’s party affiliation allows candidates to "present themselves as neutral figures with no political leanings," but "that ship has sailed" given the existing politicization of the curriculum.
Kristina Wheeler, a new member of the Carmel Clay School board, countered that the narrative is "false" and that voters are already aware of the political affiliations of those they elect. She also highlighted endorsements from both sides of the aisle.
Others, like Washington Township Schools board member Steven Thompson, worry that requiring party declaration would "crush the hopes of people" who want to help but don’t want to be tied to partisan politics. Several witnesses, including those working in the judiciary or for federal employers, said they would be prohibited from taking partisan office under Indiana’s Code of Judicial Conduct and the Hatch Act.
The bill’s author, Sen. Gary Byrne, also aims to provide more information to voters, citing that it would give them "one more piece of information" to consider when casting their ballots. Rep. Kyle Pierce agreed, noting that other specialized elected roles, such as coroner or surveyor, are already partisan.
Concerns were raised about the potential for voters to research candidates less, with Carmel resident Jim May accusing supporters of targeting the votes of "wholly uninformed" Hoosiers. Cecilia Poynter suggested addressing transparency concerns by banning school board candidates from using partisan indicators on their materials and requiring school district websites to include links to candidate information.
Senate Bill 287 would also increase school board pay from the current $2,000 maximum by tying compensation to 10% of starting teacher salaries, with a minimum of $40,000. The legislation will be revisited, with several amendments expected to be offered before a potential House vote.
[the_ad id="4253"]
Thoughts?
Comments