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August 14, 2010

Flashpoint: Were Daniels’ school funding cuts truly a last resort?

Anonymous The Tribune-Star The Tribune Star Sat Aug 14, 2010, 11:00 PM EDT

TERRE HAUTE — To the parents of schoolchildren across Indiana:

As your kids return to class for another school year, we wanted to take a few minutes to let you know about some of the changes you may be seeing at your local schools.

Due to the $300 million in funding cuts ordered by Gov. Daniels, many of you will find that the school building your children used to attend will be closed.  The number of students in your child’s classes will have grown by as much as 20 percent over last year. The programs your child planned on taking to get ready for college may be gone.

Count yourself lucky if you haven’t received a notice for fees your child has to pay in order to take part in band, football, or other extracurricular activities. If the state Attorney General hadn’t said that transportation to school was an essential part of a student’s education, many of you would have received a bill for your child to ride the school bus.

That teacher your oldest child adored when he went through the third grade may be out of a job before his siblings get that old.

Finally, as a parent and a taxpayer, be prepared to see millions of dollars in school funding property tax referendums on the ballot this November, and for possibly many Novembers to follow.

The Governor announced the $300 million in school funding cuts in late December of 2009, but due to that cut arriving in the middle of the school year, you are just now seeing the impact they are having on our schools.

Less than three weeks after those cuts were announced, Gov. Daniels and Superintendent Tony Bennett started their 2010 education agenda with a $48 million mandate for local schools. The General Assembly wisely sent the bill to be studied by the Department of Education, with a report due in 2011 along with a recommendation on how to fund more time for reading remediation.

Please be aware, we are at a serious crossroads for the future of K-12 education in Indiana. Hoosiers have to make it known that support for K-12 education is a priority.

Gov. Daniels and Superintendent Bennett want to debate education reform while pretending there are no negative impacts to public education being brought about by the $300 million in funding cuts they endorse.

Indiana House Democrats remain committed to responsibly funding education in this state.

Parents, students, teachers, and all other Hoosier taxpayers deserve an answer to the question that Gov. Daniels and his administration have dodged for months. Since the state ended fiscal year 2010 with a surplus of over $830 million, were the $300 million in school funding cuts ordered by the governor truly the last resort?

— Speaker B. Patrick Bauer

Democat, South Bend

— Rep. Greg Porter

Democrat, Indianapolis

Chair, House

Education Committee

Indiana House

of Representatives

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