Blue Indiana - Front Page

Bennett and Daniels: Using Race to the Top as an Excuse to Kill the Teaching Profession

wanderindiana — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:27:06 GMT

The Superintendent of Education in the state of Indiana, Tony Bennett, along with Governor Mitch Daniels, want to de-professionalize the teaching profession in the name of U.S. Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan's Race to the Top funding plan.

Bennett, through his proposed Rules for Educator Preparation and Accountability (REPA), wants to tie teacher evaluation, retention, and licensing to student test scores. No longer would teachers be required to meet professional standards, no longer would they be required to continue professional development, and one person, one school principal who may or may not have an educational background, will decide whether or not a teacher gets to keep a state license.

This is WRONG. Bennett must be stopped.

Bennett had this to say about today's release of the final application procedures for Race to the Top funds:

"In Indiana, we are eager to compete for the historic funding available under the Race to the Top. This competition catches us mid-stride in bold education-reform efforts that align well with the grant's criteria. Our application will be aggressive and comprehensive, designed in collaboration with schools, communities and leaders around the state.
"Our reform efforts already under way closely mirror the pillars of Race to the Top, because they have been crafted with the goals of increasing accountability, freedom and competition in our schools to increase students' academic achievement. Securing funding for our state will only increase the scope and speed of change for Hoosier students.
"For this reason, I am disappointed in the USDOE's choice to set target amounts for specific states, capping the funding for states regardless of their approach and commitment to reform. It's my belief that America's students would benefit more from Race to the Top if the quality, aggressiveness, and comprehensiveness of states' reform plans determine the funding amount.
"For Indiana, Race to the Top isn't about securing more funds; it's about accelerating reform. I am committed to ensuring Indiana's application secures our position as a national leader in education reforms that will help us reach our common goal - outstanding achievement for all Indiana's students."

Bennett is spewing a bunch of baloney.

First of all, this plan was conceived and drafted by Bennett and his conservative ilk and does not have the widespread support of professional educators across Indiana.

Secondly, Bennett's claim that his proposals "mirror" Race to the Top ideals is just plain garbage. They go far beyond funding requirements and are a blatant attempt to take away collective bargaining rights from Indiana teachers: in fact, there are going to be coordinated efforts in the Indiana state house to pass just such legislation, to break teachers' unions in Indiana.

Lastly, Bennett's disappointment is merely his veiled conservativism showing through, and when he speaks of "reform" he is really talking about taking away local control of schools and continuing Mitch Daniels' legacy of union-busting. The application and disbursement rules announced today insist that state teachers' unions be on-board with the states' applications; at present, this is NOT the case, though Bennett plans to push his "reform" down local schools' throats, changing rules in committee as much as possible without legislative changes to Indiana Code.

Bennett attempted to push his plans through last summer, when most teachers are out of the classroom. After an outcry, public comment period was delayed until school was in session; still, Bennett is scheduling sessions during the week when teachers are in the classroom and not able to express in numbers their opposition to his plans.

The Indiana State Teachers Association had this to say about Bennett's proposed rule changes:

November 3, 2009
Dear ISTA Member,
Thanks for the activism on the part of those of you who submitted comments online or attended and testified at one of the recent REPA hearings. By our count, more than 600 members took time off from school to attend one of the 10 a.m. hearings. We know that thousands of you also took the time to email your comments to Dr. Bennett and members of the Division of Professional Standards Advisory Board. We hope that the volume and quality of the testimony and comments alter the thinking and decision making of Dr. Bennett and the Board regarding teacher relicensure.
I also wanted to let you know that this morning I attended the Indiana Education Roundtable meeting co-chaired by Gov. Daniels and Dr. Bennett. Topics of discussion at today's meeting included:
* Elimination of tenure and seniority, meaning that every teacher would only be issued a one-year license;
* Evaluation of teachers by student test scores;
* Pay based on those evaluations;
* School choice;
* Teacher licensure retention tied to passing a test;
* Allowing multiple and non-traditional paths to become a licensed educator;
* Elimination of collective bargaining in Indiana.

When given the opportunity, I spoke to the Roundtable on behalf of all of Indiana's dedicated public educators.
After sitting through today's Roundtable meeting, I believe the groundwork is being laid for legislative efforts in the upcoming session of the General Assembly that will advance the same agenda that was shared at today's meeting. Once the legislative session starts in early January, I will be calling on you and other supporters of public education to help me as ISTA works to prevent the passage of legislation that will severely undermine the basic tenets of the public education system in our state.
Rest assured that ISTA will continue to monitor all education issues and advocate on behalf of public education, Indiana's students, and you.
Sincerely,
Nate Schnellenberger

The ISTA had posted a statement on August 31st saying that they were trying to work with Bennett on ensuring the continuation of tenure programs and fair teacher licensure, but their language and concern is obviously elevated now as Bennett was openly opposing the union's concerns at the Indiana Educators Roundtable.

With the NEA, they have an action alert page set up to alert your state legislators of concerns regarding Bennett's plans. Please take the time to contact your legislators and let them know that school reform, particularly regarding teaching licensure and professional standards, should not be rushed through, and that Tony Bennett's plans are NOT good for the state of Indiana.

President Obama is a natural-born citizen

FishersDemo — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:52:39 GMT

In ruling just announced, the Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the dismissal of a "birther" lawsuit which claimed that both Barack Obama and Senator John McCain were not "natural born citizens" under the meaning of the U.S. Constitution.

The Court of Appeals centered its discussion upon the argument that Obama could not be President because both of his parents were not U.S. Citizens. Relying upon a lot of well-settled U.S. law and 3 centuries of English common law, the Court declared that Obama was in fact a "natural born Citizen" within the meaning of the Constitution.

http://www.in.gov/judiciary/op...

Perhaps this will put to bed the rash of idiotic lawsuits over this topic once and for all. Even Dan Burton did not buy into the "birther" arguments.

Around the Indiana Blogosphere

Daily Activist — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:42:03 GMT

Some interesting news and opinion I've read on other sites around the Indiana blogosphere:

A Loyal Opposition

CBS Investigates Indianapolis’ Untested Rape Kit Controversy

Mayor Ballard likes to talk about putting public safety high on the list of priorities, but a CBS News Investigation about rape kits going untested for months and years in Indianapolis says otherwise:

Troyer Announces Primary Challenge to Souder

Troyer who has served as an aide to both Senator Lugar and former Senator Dan Coats is pledging to start the campaign with $25,000 of his own money and intends to challenge Souder’s bona fides as a fiscal conservative. Teabags anyone?

Masson's Blog

Veteran's Day

It’s Veteran’s Day, a grim, solemn holiday in my mind. We owe our soldiers, past and present, a debt of gratitude for the service they have provided and the sacrifices they have made. But I suggest that we should use the holiday less to celebrate the sacrifices they have made, admirable as they are; and more to reflect on whether the things purchased through that service and sacrifice are worth the price. When it’s (actual as opposed to rhetorical) freedom and preservation of the country, then definitely. Advancement of lesser policy goals, however, deserve closer scrutiny. Because, it’s not like we’re playing some elaborate game of Risk. We’re sending young men off to die.

Any other interesting bits of news or opinions that you think I and others should know about?

Steve Buyer raises plenty of questions, gives very few answers

Thomas — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:03:30 GMT

Polling shows Evan Bayh's popularity still high

Thomas — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:54:01 GMT

Via the Cillizzard, the latest numbers on Sen. Evan Bayh's approval rate across the Hoosier State:

Polling conducted for the Indiana Democratic Party suggests that Sen. Evan Bayh (D) remains extremely popular in the Hoosier State despite criticism from the liberal left over his stance on health care. The poll, which was conducted in 20 competitive legislative districts across the state, showed that 63 percent of Indiana voters approved of the job Bayh is doing while 31 percent disapproved -- including a solid 55 percent job approval score among critical independent voters. Those numbers were far stronger than President Obama's job approval numbers in the 20 districts (48 fav/51 unfav).
A memo on the poll obtained by the Fix touts Bayh's "enviable support for a Democrat in some of the most competitive areas of Indiana." Given those poll numbers and Bayh's massive campaign warchest -- nearly $13 million in the bank -- it's hard to see how the Indiana Democrat loses.

CBS News on Steve Buyer: "Follow the money"

Thomas — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:56:06 GMT

Anyone watching the CBS Evening News this evening was treated to an interesting surprise: a promo for an investigative story on Rep. Steve Buyer (IN-4).

With ominous voice-overs and a promise to "follow the money," the teaser included a question posed to a panicked Steve Buyer: "What happened to the $25,000?"

Tune in tomorrow night!

Words of wisdom

Thomas — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:39:11 GMT

Yeah, what the good congressman said:

U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, an Indiana Democrat who is one of two Muslims serving in Congress, cautioned against focusing on the alleged shooter's religion and instead said the discussion should be about mental health issues.
"This is no way a reflection of Islam any more than Timothy McVeigh's actions are a reflection of Christianity," said Carson, who supervised an anti-terrorism unit in Indiana's Department of Homeland Security and comes from a family of Marines.

House version of health care bill passes -- all five Hoosier Democrats vote yes!

Thomas — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:53:30 GMT

The full roll call can be found here.

Statements and releases are still rolling out, but here's a sampling.

Congressman Baron Hill:

Out great nation has been debating how to responsibly reform our health care system for decades. And the debate has grown increasingly important as health costs have escalated sharply - growing at nearly twice the rate of inflation, premiums rising four times faster than wages, and more than 60 percent of bankruptcies due to insurmountable medical bills. Inaction is both irresponsible and dangerous.
H.R. 3962 will allow those Hoosiers who work so hard every day but cannot afford health insurance for their families to secure it. Southern Indiana is currently home to 52,000 uninsured residents - a number that will significantly decrease under this bill.

Congressman Andr? Carson:

"With this legislation, tens-of-thousands of uninsured and underinsured Indianapolis residents can finally gain access to affordable, quality health coverage for themselves and their families. Businesses will no longer need to fear closing their doors because of unmanageable insurance costs, and employees will no longer face the fear of losing their health insurance if they lose their job. And families struggling through financial hardship will no longer slide into bankruptcy simply because they sought live-saving medical care.

Congressman Joe Donnelly:

If you have health coverage and like it, the new bill will not force you to change your plan or your doctor. The goal is to protect the doctor-patient relationship and the doctor's decision-making ability, which is critical to effective health care. For those who do not have coverage, the bill creates a national marketplace of competing insurance plans, offering minimum benefits, as well as a limited public plan for the uninsured and small businesses. Since 2000, premiums have more than doubled, including for most small businesses. These rising premiums have become one of the largest cost concerns for our small businesses, and the goal of this bill is to foster greater competition among insurers and lower premiums.

GOTP Update: Mourdock, Sodrel hang with Hitler signs

Thomas — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:01:43 GMT

For those curious on the latest going-ons in the Indiana ~~GOP~~ GOTP -- that's Grand Old Tea Party -- here's a report from the Ninth District.

According to its literature, the Corydon Tea Party favors limited government, fiscal responsibility, personal responsibility, the rule of law and national sovereignty.
The event's speakers included Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock; Jason Higdon, president of Citizens for Constitutionality Now; former 9th district congressman Mike Sodrell; and conservative activist Dr. Frank G. Simon.

Wait for it... wait... for... it...

Keith Chew, a school teacher from Brazil, Indiana drove three hours to attend the Corydon rally.
"I'm going to every one of them I can," he said.
He carried a sign that said "Hitler gave great speeches too" on one side.

Ah, there we go. I'm sure Richard Mourdock and Mike Sodrel admonished the man from the stage. Right?

Rep. Steve Buyer screaming on House floor

Thomas — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:30:52 GMT

After completely misstating the effect of this bill on veterans, and then screaming like a madman on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, Buyer went back to his office and counted the hundreds of thousands of dollars he, his family, and his campaign staff have indirectly (and in some cases directly) received from the pharmaceutical industry through his fake charity.

Mike Pence thanks Republicans for opposing health care reform... before they oppose it

Thomas — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:11:39 GMT

Via Glenn Thrush over at Politico, it appears that Mike Pence really, really wants to complain about the passage of a health care reform bill in the House. So much so that he went ahead and kicked things off hours before voting started:

Apparently Mike Pence (R-Ind.) jumped the gun on today's health reform vote -- and shot himself in the foot.
While Democrats are professing optimism -- but not certainty about the passage of today's bill, the third-ranking man in the House GOP seems to be conceding defeat, seven hours before voting is expected to start.
This, just now, from Pence's website:
PENCE DENOUNCES HOUSE PASSAGE OF PELOSI HEALTH CARE BILL
"This 1,990 page government takeover of health care holds devastating consequences for every family and small business that wants to lower health care costs."

The release has been taken down, but it's worth noting that Pence has already thanked the entire GOP caucus for voting against the bill. So much for debate and deliberation, eh?

The face of the new Republican Party

Thomas — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:40:33 GMT

If the NY-23 race taught us anything, it is that the Republican Party of yesteryear has been completely supplanted by the GOTP -- that's Grand Old Tea Party, for those wondering. Here's the latest on the "big tent" they have over in GOTP-land:

The National Jewish Democratic Council is calling on top Republicans to condemn the Holocaust imagery and anti-Semitism on signs seen at Thursday's "Tea Party" protest in Washington.
House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) were among the GOP leaders who spoke in front of the more than 5,000 activists protesting Democratic-sponsored health-care reform legislation. The crowd, according to media reports, included attendess holding a pair of banners picturing Holocaust victims with the words "National Socialist Healthcare, Dachau, Germany, 1945" and a smaller sign stating that "Obama takes his orders from the Rothchilds."

Classy.

Why I Support Health Care Reform

Daily Activist — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:21:43 GMT

In 1999, my best friend and sometimes roommate, Annette, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Annette was in her mid to late 20's. At that time in her life, Annette was a social worker and was employed by a domestic violence shelter. As part of her benefits package, she had health insurance. Annette was able to receive treatment for her cancer, fought hard and was able to defeat the melanoma. She was declared to be in remission.

Later, Annette decided she wanted to change careers. Domestic violence work, and social work in general, is very emotionally difficult and there is a high "burn out" rate in the field. Besides fighting her own cancer, Annette had spent years being a "front-line liberation worker", as she called herself, and she was ready to move on to other things.

Annette had also been a writer, poet, artist and performer. She decided she wanted to spend more time focusing on those skills because she found art to be invigorating as opposed to the constant struggle and drain on her energy that she was experiencing working with domestic violence survivors. Since art doesn't always pay well, if it pays at all, she decided to become a massage therapist. This allowed her to feel like she was still helping people and it gave her the independence and flexibility she needed to be able to spend time pursuing her writing and art.

Because she was a cancer survivor and needed regular check ups, Annette was concerned about being without insurance. She did some research and discovered she could be on C.O.B.R.A. for 18 months. This allowed Annette to be covered by health insurance while she went back to school to receive her massage therapy certification. Annette still had to pay $400 to $500 a month for this benefit. Annette planned on purchasing her own insurance once C.O.B.R.A. ran out.

Annette did receive her certification and pursued her goals as an artist and massage therapist. As a biased friend, I will say that she was very good at both, just as she was when she was advocating for survivors of domestic violence.

When the end of her 18 months of C.O.B.R.A. coverage came near, Annette began researching and applying for health insurance. While doing so, she discovered that she was refused because of her pre-existing condition of being a cancer survivor. She applied for assitance programs, but was determined to earn too much money. The only option available to her was a high risk insurance pool that would cost her $2000 a month. Annette became one of the uninsured.

In late 2004, Annette began experiencing symptoms of an unknown illness. She had moved to California, at this point, while I still lived in Michigan. Annette had learned to make her health a priority and was one of the most health conscious people I have ever known personally. Despite this fact, Annette repeatedly discounted her symptoms and put off going to the doctor because she could not afford to and did not have insurance. Finally, in December of 2004, Annette's partner and I both urged her to go to a doctor when her stomach inexplicably swelled up.

In every phone conversation I received from Annette after that point, her diagnosis became more clear and more devastating. Annette's melanoma had returned and had spread to many of her internal organs.

I traveled to California in February of 2005 to provide moral and physical support to Annette. She had been estranged from her family because she was not straight and, though she had made new friends when she moved to California, I wanted to be there to provide comfort. I also feared the worst and wanted to spend time with my friend.

The experience was dreadful. I helped Annette apply for Medi-Cal. The doctors refused to treat her with any chemo or any experimental treatments because she was uninsured. We pleaded to the board of the hospital to allow her to be treated, despite not having insurance. They refused. Ultimately, Annette was approved for Medi-Cal only weeks before she died in March of 2005 at the age of 33. She never received a minute of treatment other than for pain and the doctors never came clean to her to tell her she was dying. It was only the nurses and our own common sense that finally led us to this conclusion.

It is my belief that, if Annette had insurance, she would have sought medical attention sooner and may have lived or, at least, lived longer. There's no way of knowing that for sure, of course, but Annette was willing to fight for her life. I just wish she would have been allowed to.

Here's a link to a song that a mutual friend wrote about Annette's death. It's free for download.

I miss you, Annette. I am fighting for health care reform, at least partially, on your behalf.

Jon Stewart is funny

Thomas — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:17:41 GMT

(Post)Election Day Round-up

Thomas — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:53:20 GMT

It didn't really feel like an election yesterday, did it? And for most of the Hoosier State -- and the country, for that matter -- it really wasn't.

Here's the skinny:

The entire state of Maine is dead to me. Sad, I've always wanted to hike the 100 Mile Wilderness. Does Iowa feature mountains?

My personal favorite of the night was the victory of Democrat Bill Owens in NY-23, a district that hadn't elected a 'D' since sometime before the Civil War. His opponent was the poster child of the far-right, who seized control of the GOP in the district, and showed that while the revolution may be televised, that doesn't mean people are going to vote for you.

As it turns out, swing-states like Virginia don't like sub-par campaigns any more than anyone else does. Anyone saying this means Virginia is back to being a solidly "red" state is out of their mind.

Speaking of sub-par, Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine came face-to-face with the human side of those atrociously low approval ratings he's enjoyed over the last year.

After much drama, our friends in the northern part of the state weren't too enthusiastic about regional transportation, as it turns out.

Indianapolis loves Wishard. The fringe radical right were really the only folks opposing this from the start, but kudos to the folks at Wishard for running a spotless campaign.

What else went on yesterday?

Shella: Ed DeLaney doing "remarkably better"

Thomas — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:28:59 GMT

Via everyone's favorite WISH reporter -- deal with it, Anthony Calhoun -- we get this update on the condition of State Rep. Ed DeLaney:

Ann DeLaney reports that her husband Ed is "remarkably better" as he recovers from a brutal attack on Saturday. The state representative is eating for the first time but still hospitalized as the result of a murder attempt in Carmel.

Both Ann DeLaney and her husband's alleged attacker are expected to make appearances before the media today.

Update: Here is the statement that has been released by Ann DeLaney:

"We want to thank everyone for their huge outpouring of support for Ed, including Senator Bayh, Congressman Carson, Speaker Bauer, Senator Simpson, Mayor Ballard, and people around the state. We are so grateful for the strong support and expressions of love and prayer.
Ed is doing quite well considering the circumstances. Ed and I would like to thank the doctors and medical staff at Methodist hospital for their excellent care. He has five broken ribs and broken bones around his eye socket that will require surgery at a later date. He also has several abrasions and bruises.
"He is in a lot of pain, but his spirits are good. We are taking comfort in the prayers and expressions of our friends, family and well-wishers."

Stimulus funds create, save thousands of jobs in Indiana

Thomas — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:26:00 GMT

Good news for Indiana, bad news for empty Republican talking points (see: Pence, Mike):

The figures were included in a new report issued by an independent federal board monitoring the program's progress.
A summary of the stimulus money state government received so far showed it paid for the equivalent of 16,310 jobs.
About $610 million went for basic school funding in June to help prop up the state budget that took effect July 1. That supported about 13,200 school jobs, according to the state summary. About $82 million more went to specific education programs, providing more than 2,000 jobs.

As I point out over at the Watchblog, this really means two things:

Rep. Ed DeLaney viciously attacked in murder attempt

Thomas — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:46:59 GMT

Absolutely inexplicable, via Jim Shella at WISH:

Carmel Police Lt. Jeff Horner said that at approximately 10:15 Saturday officers responded to a welfare check on Catherine Dr. A witness called the police stating that she saw someone she knew that appeared to be in trouble. The witness stated that the subject was in a black PT Cruiser.
When the Carmel Officers arrived on Catherine Dr. they saw a male subject, later identified as Augustus J. Mendenhall, on top of another male subject. Mendenhall was punching the other subject in the head. Mendenhall ran when he saw the police approaching. After a short foot chase Mendenhall was tased and taken into custody.
Ed's wife Ann reports that he was lured to the meeting in Carmel under false pretenses. She said the man pulled a gun on 66-year-old DeLaney. When the gun jammed, the attacker used it to beat DeLaney.

My thoughts are with the DeLaney family, and I'll bring more as updates appear.

The bottom line on health care

Thomas — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:29:27 GMT

Sylvia A. Smith presents us with three short 'grafs that provide everything anyone might need to understand about the current state of the health care debate.

"My own family had to go on a state guarantee fund in Indiana when I lost my job about 15 years ago and my wife was pregnant," Pence said in a TV interview. "We can work together in a way that's fiscally responsible to deal with pre-existing conditions, but a massive new government-run insurance plan paid for with hundreds of billions of dollars in higher taxes is not the answer."
Souder called the plan a "government takeover" that would "raise health care costs for individuals and families, add to our national debt, and hurt small businesses, many of which are already struggling."
Republicans have not proposed an alternative bill.

Emphasis mine. Preceding decade-long history of anemic inaction theirs.

For me, this also represents the absurdity of those who seek to portray Sen. Bayh and the Blue Dogs as "just like" the Republicans on this point. Bayh, Hill, Ellsworth, and Donnelly are all working within the process -- disagreements may exist, and you may dislike the positions they are taking, but they are sitting down at the table.

Republicans? Calling them the "Party of No" has become a clich?, but that doesn't mean the description isn't as apt today as it was a year ago.

Plouffe confirms Bayh was VP finalist

Thomas — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:24:14 GMT

In what is being described as a decision made with by the "flip of a coin," the new book by Obama campaign guru David Plouffe confirms what seemed so obvious at the time: Senator Evan Bayh was on the shortlist of shortlists in the 2008 Veepstakes.

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe's book, excerpted in Time magazine, reveals he and senior strategist David Axelrod met with Biden, Bayh and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D), the three finalists for the job.
During those meetings, Plouffe writes, Biden filibustered the two top strategists, alternately explaining why he should be picked and why he did not want the job. Biden "could not be taught new tricks," Plouffe writes.
"Bayh's answers to our questions were substantively close to perfect, if cautiously so," Plouffe writes. Kaine acknowledged that he was likely on the bottom of the list, and he told Plouffe and Axelrod he would have no hard feelings if he weren't picked.

More than a few recent columns have insinuated that the 2012 contest could see a shake-up on the ticket if Sen. Biden steps down from his current post. Should that happen, expect to see a similar list of contenders emerge.