Do you remember your first rally or day of action at the Statehouse to support your public schools? Or maybe next Monday will be your first Statehouse experience.

There is so much energy when we are all there together.  You get to see people you’ve heard of but never met. You get to meet, in person, people you’ve seen on Zoom calls or followed on Facebook or Twitter. 

Most of all, you realize, “I am not alone.”  There are people throughout Indiana who love their public schools – more on that later.

If you don’t already have it on your calendar, here are the details:

Indiana Coalition for Public Education Day of Action

Indiana Statehouse (see the “fine print” instructions at the end), South Atrium

Monday, February 20, 2 p.m.

If you can, come early and ask to meet with your Senator or Representative.  If that’s not possible, drop off a note or send them an e-mail. Feel free to enhance, improvise and personalize, saying something like, “I am (name) from (city) I’m at the Statehouse today because I support my public schools and I ask you to support them, too.

Our confirmed speakers are:

• Dr. Jennifer McCormick, Former Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer, ICPE President
• Dr. Pat Payne, ICPE Board Member
• Anne Duff, School Board, Ft. Wayne Comm. Schools
• Joel Hand, ICPE General Counsel & Lobbyist
• Senator Eddie Melton, IN Senate District 3
• GlenEva Dunham, President AFT & Gary Local 4
• Jennifer Laughlin, ISTA Treasurer & Brownsburg Teacher
• Rachel Burke, Indiana PTA President
• Aimee Robertson-West, President Anderson Schools Education Foundation
• Dr. Ramon Batts, Concerned Clergy
• Annette Johnson, Pike Township Trustee (Indianapolis)
• Shawna Simmons, Parent Advocate, Pike Township
• Meg Tomaska, Parent Advocate, Carmel
• Dountonia Batts, ICPE Board member, Family Advocate
• Student Speakers

Bring friends and join us! Bring your kids if they don’t have school.

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The fine print details for the February 20 Day of Action at the Statehouse

Helpful information

Where’s the Statehouse?  The Indiana Statehouse’s official address is 200 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN. It is at the northwest corner of Capitol and Washington Streets.

How do I get in?  The main entrance is on the Capitol Street side across from Market Street.

Handicap entrance  — An ADA accessible entrance is on the west side of the building via the Robert D. Orr Plaza.

Where do I park? Parking is always challenging during the legislative session. The Circle Centre Mall a few blocks away has parking garages at reasonable rates. Street parking is available at metered spots that accept credit cards.

Screening – All visitors are screened by metal detectors.  Bags and packages will be screened using X-ray equipment.  Allow enough time to be screened before the 2 p.m. rally.

Signs – Feel free to bring your own hand-held messages. Hand-held signs cannot be attached to sticks or similar objects. (We recommend a half-sheet of poster board for signs because they fit through the X-ray machine.) You may not attach a banner or sign to the building or grounds. 

Prohibited items — helium balloons, smoking, firearms, animals (other than service animals)

Behavior — It is ok to be enthusiastic, but rally participants must not be rude or disorderly.