A new education bill arising from the Indiana House of Representatives promises to reshape curriculum in the classroom, but opponents fear the political nature of the legislation will make it a challenge to teach factually.
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“… let's call it what it is. It's a racist bill.” - Dr. Ivan Hicks, Indianapolis NAACP.
At the beginning of the legislative session, Indiana Republicans introduced two controversial education bills: Indiana HB 1134 and Indiana SB 167.
SB 167 author, Scott Baldwin (R-Noblesville), made national news for saying teachers should teach fascism neutrally. He retracted his remarks, but the bill met its demise in the Indiana Senate. SB 167’s sister bill, HB 1134, remains alive and well in the House chamber.
IN HB 1134 author Representative Tony Cook (R-Cicero) says the bill is aimed to “enhance parents’ ability to see what’s being taught and required in schools with the development of a portal through which parents will have access to all curriculum and educational activities.
“The portal will have the capability to opt students in or out of the curriculum that the school board has approved as optional.”
The bill passed out of the Education Committee last week by an 8-5 along party lines vote, with one Republican joining with opposing Democrats on the committee. The bill is now headed to the House floor.
Since its passing from the Education Committee, support for and against the bill has been voiced from all over the political, civic, and religious spectrum. Civil and religious leaders joined educators at the Statehouse this past Wednesday, stating the bill is dangerous, toxic, and racist.
“We've come because House Bill 1134 is a dangerous bill, and let's call it what it is. It's a racist bill,” said Dr. Ivan Hicks of the Indianapolis NAACP.
Cook sees the bill differently, believing it will prevent teachers from interjecting their own views into the educational process.
“Facts are different than theory, and that’s where I’m going with this,” said Cook. “Teach the facts. The facts will talk to students. What we’re trying to caution against is bringing in my own feelings and imposing or promoting those to students.”
Locally, the sentiment amongst educators reflects what opponents of the bill are saying in Indianapolis.
“This bill will definitely make teachers unable to teach factual accounts of history,” said Natalie Born, an English teacher at Kokomo School Corporation. “This will be a challenge for all English teachers as well. We have a historical context standard that we have to cover.
“Educators have to be able to teach factual accounts of history, or we are doing a disservice not just to our students, but to our communities and country.”
Indiana University Professor of Labor Studies Patrick Hill explained that what may seem as empowering for parents and transparent for taxpayers is actually an effort to hobble and politicize public education.
“These bills, couched in the red meat language of transparency and parent rights to appease the party base are nothing but to really harm the very nature of public education,” said Hill. “If the end goal is to dismantle public education, then the current array of Indiana bills on public education will become a national model to return education to a system of the rich and for the rich who can afford it.
“Transparency is important, and parents, guardians, and community members have a right to know what is being taught in their local schools. Public institutions of K-12 are guided closely by Indiana Academic Standards, are very consistent with what is outlined by the Indiana Department of Education and can be found online easily.”
Born agrees that transparency in public education is already there. She counters that the bills’ authors have manufactured a crisis in order to inflict their will on education.
“There are already avenues for parents to voice their concerns about school library materials if they have them,” said Born. The reality is that the Senate Education Committee refused to present any data on parent complaints about harmful materials. And that’s because there just isn’t this outcry happening.”
HB 1134 was slated for a second reading on Thursday. If passed, the Indiana Senate has expressed interest in reviewing it.