The session has ended. Sine die!

They tried to divide us. The Heritage Foundation, Koch Brothers money, ALEC, and other extremist organizations helped to fund this latest national effort couched as being anti- “CRT” (Critical Race Theory) or about “parent empowerment.” They came to Indiana disguised as concerned parents wearing purple. We rallied our troops to make calls, send emails, and get to the Statehouse to testify in committee meetings. We pushed back. Indiana would NOT be “neutral” on Nazism nor other “isms” as was suggested by a senator in committee. We stood united against hate, and we voiced our trust in educators to teach the truth about history. Teachers, not politicians, belong in the classroom.

Our members sent emails over and over. They responded to our calls-to-action with phone calls, conversations with friends and neighbors, and even by traveling to the Statehouse to offer public comment. We waited to testify against some of this legislation for hours in vain. Our lobbyist, Joel Hand, spent hours at the Statehouse having conversations with legislators, testifying, and getting information on the various versions of these bills. We are so grateful for Joel. We are so proud of the work that our friends and partners with ICPE have done this session.

They tried to divide us. They have already created a competition for educational opportunity with different rules for public schools versus those of charters and vouchers. They tried to pit us against one another. This session they tried to take referendum dollars from public schools to privately-run, charter schools. They tried to force school board members to run on partisan lines which would have inserted more politics into education. We fought back on all of these things and won.

But as we know, it’s not over. We must have people in the Statehouse who support public schools. We must continue our work and get more people involved in the fight. They tried to divide and conquer us—and they failed. Now we need to come together.

The mission of public education is about including and educating everyone. Where else do we come together, across all backgrounds and experiences, and do the work of finding common ground? This is essential to our Common Good. We are stronger together. Our future is stronger together.

Public schools unite us.
We must unite for public schools.

Donate to our organization and show your pride for public education with a yard sign now — or during election season. It’s not purple. It’s not red or blue. It is red, white, and blue because public education is an American public good, and essential to our democracy and the future of our country.