Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I strongly believe that no matter whether I disagree with an elected official, in public, I always treat that individual with the respect and honor that their office and the people who elected them granted him/her.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t always been the case. Look at how some birthers, tea party members, talk radio types and Republican lawmakers have shown disrespect toward President Barack Obama.
Hoosiers, though, tend to be civil and respectful in public to our elected officials. But the recent behavior by some members of the State Board of Education (SBOE) have thrown that traditional Hoosier respect on its ear.
Ever since her election, Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz has been belittled by Indianapolis Star editorial writers, school reformers, Republican legislators, acolytes of former Superintendent Tony Bennett and especially SBOE members.
I can understand if disagreements and disrespect are shown privately, but the open disrespect toward Ritz has gotten out of hand.
Especially disrespect shown at SBOE meetings where Ritz, by state law, chairs that body.
Common courtesy and meeting etiquette, from Robert’s Rules, to federal, state and local bodies, even church and fraternal groups, means showing respect toward a group’s chairperson.
Questions, inquiries, permission to speak, requesting information from staff is always addressed through a group’s chair.
Well, most SBOE members have forgotten those rules of common decency.
Led by Dan Elsener, African-American member Tony Walker and recently abetted by Democratic newcomer Gordon Hendry and other SBOE members routinely interrupt Ritz at meetings; address questions directly to SBOE staff members without addressing the request through the chair – Ritz.
At last week’s SBOE meeting, members tried to run roughshod over Ritz.
It’s not just SBOE board members. Staff members of the state’s new Center for Education and Career Innovation (CECI) have also shown Ritz disrespect.
Gov. Mike Pence, who’s publicly acted chivalrous, generous and respectful to an individual who received more votes from Hoosiers as Ritz did, set up some of this mess with his creation of CECI.
Candidate Pence was very clear that he was going to exercise some say and control over public education in Indiana. Some of his ideas, especially a push toward more vocational and career education ran counter to the college at any cost mentality of Tony Bennett, education reformers and some SBOE members.
First lady Karen Pence, a key Pence aide who is a lifelong educator, also strongly influences Gov. Pence’s push for a strong say in Indiana’s educational policy.
But Pence’s creation of separate staff for SBOE and the Education Roundtable and that staff’s pushback against Ritz and her policies has exacerbated tensions between two strong willed views on what public education in Indiana should be.
Make no mistake, the reason for the battles between Ritz and SBOE and by extension with Pence is a battle over control of Indiana education.
Back to CECI staff disrespect toward Ritz. I saw it firsthand.
I serve on the Indiana Education Roundtable, the group of educators, lawmakers, businesspeople and others who advise the governor and state superintendent on education issues.
Both the governor and superintendent chair the Roundtable.
At Gov. Pence’s first Roundtable meeting, he entered and noticed something wrong. Staff had separated Gov. Pence and Ritz at their places at the head of the room; instead of together as had been past practice.
The governor saw the error and personally placed Ritz’s seat tag next to his seat as staff should’ve done.
The subtle staff disrespect was corrected by Pence. But, I saw the disrespect.
As I started writing this column, I was going to express concern that Superintendent Ritz hadn’t done a great job getting her message out in the media. Especially with the pining for Tony Bennett Indianapolis Star editorial writers pounding Ritz every chance they get.
Last Sunday, Ritz told her story on Rafael Sanchez’s “Indianapolis This Week” on WRTV (Channel 6).
On the program, Ritz said bluntly that she ended that controversial SBOE meeting because, “The members of the board – several members of the board – were not allowing the agenda to continue, and so I didn’t have any choice, at some point, other than to adjourn the meeting because I couldn’t progress the agenda.”
Ritz said, “I will not operate in a manner in which we’re breaking law.”
Ritz insisted that the SBOE members’ attempt to possibly violate Indiana’s Open Meeting Law was such an instance as was a proposed SBOE motion that in Ritz’s view violated Indiana law.
Ritz still needs to be more aggressive explaining to Indiana’s parents, taxpayers and even students what her educational agenda is. And outline those areas where she is in agreement with Gov. Pence and a majority of the SBOE (and there are some issues of agreement). As well as outlining the areas of disagreement.
Most important, the SBOE and Ritz’s critics (and perhaps even the governor) must remember this number – 1,332,755. That’s how many Hoosiers voted for her last November.
Glenda Ritz was elected by the people of this state. Regardless of how one feels about education, she deserves that respect.
What I’m hearing
in the streets
Monument Lighthouse Charter School has been open seven years. Its academic record at first was exemplary, but declined under Tony Bennett’s controversial A-F grading scheme. The school’s operator, Lighthouse Academies and the Monument Lighthouse board decided not to renew their Mayor Charter.
I hear it was because the mayor’s office indicated that such a renewal application would be denied. Even though Monument hadn’t yet received their 2012-2013 A-F accountability grade from the state.
Increasingly, the Mayor’s Charter School Office seemingly only renews charters from a favored few – Christel House, KIPP, Challenge Foundation, Ed Power, Goodwill. These operators get to add charter schools.
Others like Lighthouse are pressured to get out or change authorizers.
I fear this apparent elitist attitude could put Indy’s remaining grassroots charter school, Flanner House, in the crosshairs of a mayor that seemingly prefers corporate charter schools.
See ‘ya next week.
Email comments to acbrown@aol.com.
