Senator Charbonneau Discusses Important Issues Being Debated during this Legislative Session

State Senator Ed Charbonneau

More than the Governor Mitch Daniels’ agenda was at stake in last November’s election. Republicans are now in the majority of both the House and Senate, and now stand to be in control of creating House, Senate, and congressional maps. Those maps will influence the outcome of elections for the next 10 years.

“The House is going to redraw their Districts and the Senate is going to draw their Districts,” explained Fifth District State Senator, Ed Charbonneau. “They are going to get together and approve them and gently draw the Congressional Districts.”

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Representative Dembowski Hesitant to Vote on School Reform Bill

State Representative Nancy Dembowski

Seventeenth District State Representative Nancy Dembowski (D-Knox) is hesitant to vote for a school reform bill that would allow for tax dollars to flow into private or charter schools at the expense of public schools.

“I think when we being talking about allowing tax monies to support more charter schools and vouchers and tax credits, we undermine the rural public school systems that I represent,” said Dembowski. “I’m very concerned about that. We think in terms of choice and allowing students to go to the schools of their choice, to a degree, and that’s acceptable, but I worry constantly about the private schools that require payment to go there. Tax money will go to support schools that will be done by some corporation who decides that they want to establish a new school that will be the best for your child.”

The Indiana Department of Education has prepared a document: “Indiana’s 2011 Education Agenda-Putting Students First”. The document puts forth a series of issues and problems. They include, among others: An antiquated tenure system, teachers and principals not annually evaluated, and ten percent of students are passing advanced placement exams.

Dr. Tony Bennett and Governor Mitch Daniels are championing school reform in this session of the legislature.