Monroe County Community School Corporation
School Board Election 2020
The candidates
District 2
April Hennessey
Matthew Smith
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
Marsha Lovejoy
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
How do I vote for the candidates?
District 2
April Hennessey
Matthew Smith
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
Marsha Lovejoy
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
How do I vote for the candidates?
- The candidates will appear on the back of the ballot. Sample ballots can be accessed here.
- The MCCSC school board race is nonpartisan.
- If you vote straight Democrat or Republican, you still have to vote for school board candidates.
- Although the candidates represent specific districts, they are all "at large" which means you can vote in every MCCSC district.
- Please see Monroe County's election page for more information here.
- See our main election page on how to ensure you are voting for public education.
ICPE–Monroe County School Board Forum Recording
The school board forum was on September 23, 2020, at 7:00 p.m.
You can watch the recording here:
The school board forum was on September 23, 2020, at 7:00 p.m.
You can watch the recording here:
Press on the school board race
Emily Cox, "MCCSC Board Has 3 Contested Races ; R-BB Has Just 1 Candidate for Each Seat," Herald Times, August, 26, 2020.
Emily Isaacman, "Here Are Monroe County's Elections to Watch for November 2020, Indiana Daily Student, August 27, 2020.
Emily Cox, "MCCSC School Board Candidate Forum Set for Wednesday," Herald Times, September 18, 2020.
Emily Cox, "Forum Features MCCSC School Board Candidates," Herald Times, September 24, 2020.
Emma Atkinson, "2020 Election Preview: MCCSC School Board Candidates," Indiana Public Media, September 23, 2020.
Emily Cox, "2020 General Election Questionnaire: Monroe County Community School Corp. Board, District 2," Herald Times, September 28, 2020.
Emily Cox, "MCCSC Board Has 3 Contested Races ; R-BB Has Just 1 Candidate for Each Seat," Herald Times, August, 26, 2020.
Emily Isaacman, "Here Are Monroe County's Elections to Watch for November 2020, Indiana Daily Student, August 27, 2020.
Emily Cox, "MCCSC School Board Candidate Forum Set for Wednesday," Herald Times, September 18, 2020.
Emily Cox, "Forum Features MCCSC School Board Candidates," Herald Times, September 24, 2020.
Emma Atkinson, "2020 Election Preview: MCCSC School Board Candidates," Indiana Public Media, September 23, 2020.
Emily Cox, "2020 General Election Questionnaire: Monroe County Community School Corp. Board, District 2," Herald Times, September 28, 2020.
Candidate survey
We sent out a questionnaire to every candidate.
The questions
The responses
We sent out a questionnaire to every candidate.
The questions
- Describe your connections to public schools.
- What is the role of the school board?
- What skills and experiences will you bring to the board?
- What is the goal of a public education system?
- What is the best way to evaluate our schools?
- How can the school board support teachers?
- What will you use to guide your thinking as MCCSC faces difficult decisions about reopening and closing schools during a pandemic?
- A new law in Indiana allows public school districts to share money raised through a referendum with local charter schools. Would you support sharing referendum money with local charters? Why or why not?
- What are steps that you would like to see MCCSC take to increase equity of opportunity and experiences across the district?
- Describe your position on public funding for charters and voucher schools.
The responses
1. Describe your connections to public schools.
District 2
April Hennessey
Growing up in a military family, I changed schools 13 times across states and countries. The experience, while difficult at times, exposed me to a wide range of educational possibilities and scenarios through public education. I brought those experiences with me into the classroom during my time as an English teacher in the Monroe County Community School Corporation where I taught both part-time and full-time, from the Fall of 2013 until the Spring of 2018. As a result, I had a front-row seat to the efforts that our district undertakes each day for our students. I also lived and breathed the gaps that we still have to fill.
In addition to my classroom responsibilities, I served as the United Students faculty sponsor in my last year of teaching to provide a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students to convene. I also served on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committees at both the building and district levels. Since leaving, I have continued to be closely connected with MCCSC teachers, students, and families. As a parent of two children in the district and as a civic-minded citizen, I am deeply invested in the outcomes both in the present moment of this pandemic and in the long-term outcomes for all of our children.
Matthew Smith
I have two daughters in MCCSC.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
I am a staunch public education supporter through and through. I attended the Cleveland Public Schools system and have been an outspoken advocate of public education ever since. My own involvement began as a volunteer with Fairview Elementary School and I have served MCCSC as a board member for a number of years. I feel strongly that we all have an investment in the education of our community’s children and have been proud to demonstrate that those of us without children are just as invested. As approximately 80 percent of our community do not have children in our school system, I have been able to promote the value of our educational system to them. I oppose tax payers funds to vouchers and charters as I have seen first-hand how diverting funds away from public schools has a negative impact on its operation.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
I am currently a school board member finishing my first term for the MCCSC board of school trustees. I have one child in the public schools who is a sophomore—and 3 who are proud graduates of MCCSC. As a mother, I volunteered in my children’s schools and have also spent many hours as a canvassing coordinator and volunteer recruiter for both of our referendum campaigns. I am also the president of the statewide Indiana Coalition for Public Education, an advocacy organization that networks with other public education groups across the state to inform our communities about issues that affect our public schools. We hope to empower the public to advocate for and support public education.
Marsha Lovejoy
My family is the product of public education. I’m proud that my daughter is a student at MCCSC. When my sons are old enough, they’ll also be in MCCSC.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
Over the years, I have had extensive connections to our public schools. My K-12 education was in public schools. I have a degree in education, and I have taught in the middle and high school levels. I have also taught at Indiana University Northwest and Valparaiso University in northwest Indiana, and IU Bloomington. I am retired Chair of the Communication Department at Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, where I continue to teach as an Adjunct Professor. As you may be aware, I served several terms as a member of your school board, and I seek reelection because there are still several issues that need consideration and resolution. I have served as a faculty member with Ivy Tech Community College and guided many of our MCCSC students into higher education opportunities. I value education and have extensive experience working with students of MCCSC to appreciate the value of education in their future lives.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
As the daughter of a public high school teacher, I grew up holding quality public education as one of my highest values. When making the decision to move my children to Bloomington in 2011, my primary consideration was that I held MCCSC in such high regard; my family left in 2016 but moved back in 2018, seeking the diversity that my children had experienced as MCCSC students.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
I graduated from Sullivan High School, where my father served as the Superintendent of Schools. After starting my ob/gyn practice in Carmel, Indiana, I was elected and served 12 years on the Carmel-Clay School Board. During that time, we built 4 schools, passed a referendum, and fought a public remonstrance when we enlarged the high school. Beginning in 2006 through 2018, I was elected, by the alumni, 4 times to serve Indiana University as trustee. From an educational point, I am an Emeritus Professor in the IU School of Medicine and continue to serve as a physician mentor for students at the Bloomington campus of the IU School of Medicine.
April Hennessey
Growing up in a military family, I changed schools 13 times across states and countries. The experience, while difficult at times, exposed me to a wide range of educational possibilities and scenarios through public education. I brought those experiences with me into the classroom during my time as an English teacher in the Monroe County Community School Corporation where I taught both part-time and full-time, from the Fall of 2013 until the Spring of 2018. As a result, I had a front-row seat to the efforts that our district undertakes each day for our students. I also lived and breathed the gaps that we still have to fill.
In addition to my classroom responsibilities, I served as the United Students faculty sponsor in my last year of teaching to provide a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students to convene. I also served on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committees at both the building and district levels. Since leaving, I have continued to be closely connected with MCCSC teachers, students, and families. As a parent of two children in the district and as a civic-minded citizen, I am deeply invested in the outcomes both in the present moment of this pandemic and in the long-term outcomes for all of our children.
Matthew Smith
I have two daughters in MCCSC.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
I am a staunch public education supporter through and through. I attended the Cleveland Public Schools system and have been an outspoken advocate of public education ever since. My own involvement began as a volunteer with Fairview Elementary School and I have served MCCSC as a board member for a number of years. I feel strongly that we all have an investment in the education of our community’s children and have been proud to demonstrate that those of us without children are just as invested. As approximately 80 percent of our community do not have children in our school system, I have been able to promote the value of our educational system to them. I oppose tax payers funds to vouchers and charters as I have seen first-hand how diverting funds away from public schools has a negative impact on its operation.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
I am currently a school board member finishing my first term for the MCCSC board of school trustees. I have one child in the public schools who is a sophomore—and 3 who are proud graduates of MCCSC. As a mother, I volunteered in my children’s schools and have also spent many hours as a canvassing coordinator and volunteer recruiter for both of our referendum campaigns. I am also the president of the statewide Indiana Coalition for Public Education, an advocacy organization that networks with other public education groups across the state to inform our communities about issues that affect our public schools. We hope to empower the public to advocate for and support public education.
Marsha Lovejoy
My family is the product of public education. I’m proud that my daughter is a student at MCCSC. When my sons are old enough, they’ll also be in MCCSC.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
Over the years, I have had extensive connections to our public schools. My K-12 education was in public schools. I have a degree in education, and I have taught in the middle and high school levels. I have also taught at Indiana University Northwest and Valparaiso University in northwest Indiana, and IU Bloomington. I am retired Chair of the Communication Department at Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, where I continue to teach as an Adjunct Professor. As you may be aware, I served several terms as a member of your school board, and I seek reelection because there are still several issues that need consideration and resolution. I have served as a faculty member with Ivy Tech Community College and guided many of our MCCSC students into higher education opportunities. I value education and have extensive experience working with students of MCCSC to appreciate the value of education in their future lives.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
As the daughter of a public high school teacher, I grew up holding quality public education as one of my highest values. When making the decision to move my children to Bloomington in 2011, my primary consideration was that I held MCCSC in such high regard; my family left in 2016 but moved back in 2018, seeking the diversity that my children had experienced as MCCSC students.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
I graduated from Sullivan High School, where my father served as the Superintendent of Schools. After starting my ob/gyn practice in Carmel, Indiana, I was elected and served 12 years on the Carmel-Clay School Board. During that time, we built 4 schools, passed a referendum, and fought a public remonstrance when we enlarged the high school. Beginning in 2006 through 2018, I was elected, by the alumni, 4 times to serve Indiana University as trustee. From an educational point, I am an Emeritus Professor in the IU School of Medicine and continue to serve as a physician mentor for students at the Bloomington campus of the IU School of Medicine.
2. What is the role of the school board?
District 2
April Hennessey
The school board should lead alongside the superintendent, whom they are tasked with hiring, evaluating, and firing; they are not mere policy signers. The school board creates and defines a vision for the district that comes from its understanding of and relationship to the community. The superintendent implements and administers this vision from day-to-day. However, it is essential that the advisory relationship between the two entities—school board and superintendent—be reciprocal to ensure transparency and proper accountability, lest the balance of power falls too far astray.
As a matter of course, school boards tend to spend a great deal of time on operational issues, but they should be making more space for discussions, policy-making, and labor that results in better student outcomes and the continuous improvement of the district. This demands that the school board be data-savvy. What does our current data about the district say? It requires that the school board be willing to engage the community in conversation and listening sessions in ways that aren’t already pre-determined by existing agendas. And it relies on rigorous fiscal accounting.
Matthew Smith
To ensure the school system has the resources, infrastructure, rules and regulations, and educators to provide the students with the highest quality education we can.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
The MCCSC school board is the publicly elected governing body of our public school corporation. The board oversees the operation of the entire system with the following three duties: the hiring and firing of the Superintendent, the creation of policy which, in turn, demonstrates our priorities, and the adoption of a budget. In addition, I believe other important roles include: acting as a conduit of information between the community and the school corporation and providing oversight for the curricular and programmatic functions.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
The school board is elected to represent our community by helping to create the vision which the administration is expected to carry out. We create the goals for the district with our superintendent and community. We adopt policies and budgets. Our most important role is the hiring of a superintendent whose job it is to manage the district. Another part of our role is to highlight and celebrate all of the good that is happening in our public schools—and champion them when it comes to state/federal policy. We also inform the administration of concerns we or the community have regarding district programs or policies.
Marsha Lovejoy
A good school board provides guidance and accountability for the school system. The school board must listen to the concerns of the community and be a tireless advocate for all students and families, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
Since the founding days of the United States, education has been largely a local (or community) concern. The local school board is a uniquely American institution that has made public schools flexible and responsive to the needs of local communities. Your School Board functions as a policy-governance body whose principal employee is the MCCSC Superintendent. We should support our Superintendent broadly without micromanagement. The school board represents a continuing commitment to local citizen control and decision-making in education. Members focus on:
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
A good school board will take input from parents, students, teachers, and administrators, in order to provide leadership and governance oversight to the school corporation and community it serves.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
To provide a quality education for all students by supporting the Superintendent and administration of each of our schools. The board must encourage the hiring of excellent teachers and support them with up-to-date classroom technology and continued education. It is the role of the board to set policy as presented by the administration and to provide a safe and healthy environment for all students and teachers.
April Hennessey
The school board should lead alongside the superintendent, whom they are tasked with hiring, evaluating, and firing; they are not mere policy signers. The school board creates and defines a vision for the district that comes from its understanding of and relationship to the community. The superintendent implements and administers this vision from day-to-day. However, it is essential that the advisory relationship between the two entities—school board and superintendent—be reciprocal to ensure transparency and proper accountability, lest the balance of power falls too far astray.
As a matter of course, school boards tend to spend a great deal of time on operational issues, but they should be making more space for discussions, policy-making, and labor that results in better student outcomes and the continuous improvement of the district. This demands that the school board be data-savvy. What does our current data about the district say? It requires that the school board be willing to engage the community in conversation and listening sessions in ways that aren’t already pre-determined by existing agendas. And it relies on rigorous fiscal accounting.
Matthew Smith
To ensure the school system has the resources, infrastructure, rules and regulations, and educators to provide the students with the highest quality education we can.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
The MCCSC school board is the publicly elected governing body of our public school corporation. The board oversees the operation of the entire system with the following three duties: the hiring and firing of the Superintendent, the creation of policy which, in turn, demonstrates our priorities, and the adoption of a budget. In addition, I believe other important roles include: acting as a conduit of information between the community and the school corporation and providing oversight for the curricular and programmatic functions.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
The school board is elected to represent our community by helping to create the vision which the administration is expected to carry out. We create the goals for the district with our superintendent and community. We adopt policies and budgets. Our most important role is the hiring of a superintendent whose job it is to manage the district. Another part of our role is to highlight and celebrate all of the good that is happening in our public schools—and champion them when it comes to state/federal policy. We also inform the administration of concerns we or the community have regarding district programs or policies.
Marsha Lovejoy
A good school board provides guidance and accountability for the school system. The school board must listen to the concerns of the community and be a tireless advocate for all students and families, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
Since the founding days of the United States, education has been largely a local (or community) concern. The local school board is a uniquely American institution that has made public schools flexible and responsive to the needs of local communities. Your School Board functions as a policy-governance body whose principal employee is the MCCSC Superintendent. We should support our Superintendent broadly without micromanagement. The school board represents a continuing commitment to local citizen control and decision-making in education. Members focus on:
- Choose a new Superintendent, before the beginning of 2021, who has a solid background in school finance and ensuring a smooth and seamless transition to the new leadership.
- Give voice of our citizen constituents to the school Corporation;
- Advocate on behalf of students and faculty;
- Represent the school corporation to citizen constituents;
- Shape school district goals and adopt operating policies that support overarching goals;
- Ensure proper levels of funding from revenue sources and oversee financial affairs of the district in a fiscally prudent manner; Assuring systematic review and evaluation of all phases of the Corporation, particularly considering the current COVID pandemic.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
A good school board will take input from parents, students, teachers, and administrators, in order to provide leadership and governance oversight to the school corporation and community it serves.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
To provide a quality education for all students by supporting the Superintendent and administration of each of our schools. The board must encourage the hiring of excellent teachers and support them with up-to-date classroom technology and continued education. It is the role of the board to set policy as presented by the administration and to provide a safe and healthy environment for all students and teachers.
3. What skills and experiences will you bring to the board?
District 2
April Hennessey
As a teacher, I felt strongly that my voice was constrained by the various laws, policies, and structures of the district; we are seeing this very issue at work during the COVID-19 pandemic. While I do not speak for all teachers, I can speak to my experiences regarding classroom conditions, student populations, and district expectations of teachers. I can also speak from the perspective of a teacher of color. According to the Indiana Department of Education, 94.8% of MCCSC’s teachers are white, while the district’s collective student diversity is nearly 25%. Neither our current school board nor our classrooms yet represent the rich diversity of MCCSC and greater Bloomington.
I have both the insight and experience to understand the needs of students, parents, and various school system employees, as well as the patience, knowledge, and courage to tackle difficult problems and pressing challenges. Furthermore, as we are forced to consider what it means to learn in new modalities, my work as a Digital Learning Specialist building online learning courses for diverse global corporations has the potential to provide support and scaffolding for a more robust online educational experience for the approximately 30 percent of students and families who have elected to learn virtually this year.
Matthew Smith
I am a project manager for a commercial construction contractor, I have a BS in Business Administration, and I spent 12 years in the Indiana National Guard. I will bring knowledge and experience related to capital projects, maintenance budgeting, fiscal conservatism, and risk management & mitigation.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
My skills and experience include my past service on the MCCSC Board which has allowed me to learn and understand how to work on an elected governing body and work with a superintendent. I also have myriad experiences on boards and commissions; these experiences have added to my values and abilities, particularly in developing collaborative relationships with a variety of organizations and people in our community. I also have served as the president of the Girl Scouts of Tulip Trace Council and am currently a commissioner with the Bloomington Housing Authority. Most importantly, through my years of serving, I have learned the essence of a school board member and how to lead the MCCSC.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
I bring almost four years of experience but am still learning. I have participated in every Indiana School Boards Association conference, and webinars when I can, and am constantly learning about my role and the dynamics between this role and that of the superintendent, fellow board members, the school district as a whole, and the community at large. I have a strong understanding of the big picture for public education and having taught preschool, raised (raising) 4 children, and received a master’s level degree in education, a fairly good understanding of education and child development as a whole. I believe that I bring an ability to help the community connect the dots between policy and the classroom, the ability to be responsive to the public, and a lens that is deeply concerned with educational equity and the whole child. This is an intense role and I feel that I am grounded enough as a person to weigh decisions carefully, bring people together, be responsive, and, in doing so, keep our children, all of our children, centered in those decisions.
Marsha Lovejoy
I am a working parent of three young children and a full-time communications professional. I understand the unique challenges that come with juggling work and parenting responsibilities and will advocate for the needs of families.
Being a communications professional for over a decade, I will bring this expertise to the school board and help to build trust with our community to ensure a healthy future of public education in Monroe County.
As a first-generation college student, I understand the many barriers that can stand in a student’s way and the power of a high-quality education. I will be a tireless advocate working to ensure equitable opportunities for all students.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
I bring many strengths to the School Board that include:
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
As the incumbent candidate, I already have Board experience: I was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2020, and am so very pleased and honored to be serving the school district that has served my children so well and so comprehensively. As an arts educator, I bring my advocacy for the central role that art plays in education, and as a Black parent, I am very concerned with matters of equity in our school corporation.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
The experience of serving 12 years on the Carmel-Clay School Board and 12 years as an Indiana University trustee. The teaching experience and organizing skills from serving as the Ob/Gyn Residency Director at St. Vincent Hospital and as an Emeritus Professor in the IU School of Medicine. The leadership skills from serving as the Medical Director of Women & Children’s Services. In addition, the leadership skills demonstrated by my promotion to Brigadier General in the Indiana Guard Reserve as I created the 19th Medical Regiment which can respond to a community disaster in the State of Indiana.
April Hennessey
As a teacher, I felt strongly that my voice was constrained by the various laws, policies, and structures of the district; we are seeing this very issue at work during the COVID-19 pandemic. While I do not speak for all teachers, I can speak to my experiences regarding classroom conditions, student populations, and district expectations of teachers. I can also speak from the perspective of a teacher of color. According to the Indiana Department of Education, 94.8% of MCCSC’s teachers are white, while the district’s collective student diversity is nearly 25%. Neither our current school board nor our classrooms yet represent the rich diversity of MCCSC and greater Bloomington.
I have both the insight and experience to understand the needs of students, parents, and various school system employees, as well as the patience, knowledge, and courage to tackle difficult problems and pressing challenges. Furthermore, as we are forced to consider what it means to learn in new modalities, my work as a Digital Learning Specialist building online learning courses for diverse global corporations has the potential to provide support and scaffolding for a more robust online educational experience for the approximately 30 percent of students and families who have elected to learn virtually this year.
Matthew Smith
I am a project manager for a commercial construction contractor, I have a BS in Business Administration, and I spent 12 years in the Indiana National Guard. I will bring knowledge and experience related to capital projects, maintenance budgeting, fiscal conservatism, and risk management & mitigation.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
My skills and experience include my past service on the MCCSC Board which has allowed me to learn and understand how to work on an elected governing body and work with a superintendent. I also have myriad experiences on boards and commissions; these experiences have added to my values and abilities, particularly in developing collaborative relationships with a variety of organizations and people in our community. I also have served as the president of the Girl Scouts of Tulip Trace Council and am currently a commissioner with the Bloomington Housing Authority. Most importantly, through my years of serving, I have learned the essence of a school board member and how to lead the MCCSC.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
I bring almost four years of experience but am still learning. I have participated in every Indiana School Boards Association conference, and webinars when I can, and am constantly learning about my role and the dynamics between this role and that of the superintendent, fellow board members, the school district as a whole, and the community at large. I have a strong understanding of the big picture for public education and having taught preschool, raised (raising) 4 children, and received a master’s level degree in education, a fairly good understanding of education and child development as a whole. I believe that I bring an ability to help the community connect the dots between policy and the classroom, the ability to be responsive to the public, and a lens that is deeply concerned with educational equity and the whole child. This is an intense role and I feel that I am grounded enough as a person to weigh decisions carefully, bring people together, be responsive, and, in doing so, keep our children, all of our children, centered in those decisions.
Marsha Lovejoy
I am a working parent of three young children and a full-time communications professional. I understand the unique challenges that come with juggling work and parenting responsibilities and will advocate for the needs of families.
Being a communications professional for over a decade, I will bring this expertise to the school board and help to build trust with our community to ensure a healthy future of public education in Monroe County.
As a first-generation college student, I understand the many barriers that can stand in a student’s way and the power of a high-quality education. I will be a tireless advocate working to ensure equitable opportunities for all students.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
I bring many strengths to the School Board that include:
- Longtime community leader;
- Assistant professor in the community college (retired) who extensively interacted with MCCSC and other school systems to ensure educational opportunities to our citizens;
- Value education;
- Know the issues;
- Long experience working with children both in educational settings and outside organizations;
- Impartial with an ability to see multiple points of view;
- Excellent advocate for students, citizens, and the school corporation
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
As the incumbent candidate, I already have Board experience: I was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2020, and am so very pleased and honored to be serving the school district that has served my children so well and so comprehensively. As an arts educator, I bring my advocacy for the central role that art plays in education, and as a Black parent, I am very concerned with matters of equity in our school corporation.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
The experience of serving 12 years on the Carmel-Clay School Board and 12 years as an Indiana University trustee. The teaching experience and organizing skills from serving as the Ob/Gyn Residency Director at St. Vincent Hospital and as an Emeritus Professor in the IU School of Medicine. The leadership skills from serving as the Medical Director of Women & Children’s Services. In addition, the leadership skills demonstrated by my promotion to Brigadier General in the Indiana Guard Reserve as I created the 19th Medical Regiment which can respond to a community disaster in the State of Indiana.
4. What is the goal of a public education system?
District 2
April Hennessey
Education is a fundamental civil right. In the United States, the goal of the public education system is to provide equitable access to a high-quality education that maximizes each child’s potential and prepares them for the future. Every child in our school system should be healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. It is also the education system’s role to prepare children for making their way in the world as socially conscious and community-minded, informed adults.
Matthew Smith
To provide students with a quality education, so that they can go on to be good contributing members of society
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
Public education is the great equalizer in our society and is the basis of our democracy. When charters or private schools close, or fail our children in other ways, the local public education system is there for that child. All children are welcomed without discrimination; all students are served.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
The goal of the public school system is to educate and care for each and every child, to meet them where he/she/they are, and help them find their passions and reach their potential. This is done for the purpose of participating in our democracy. In an incredibly divisive time, we must continue to build a big tent where our kids can learn side-by-side with people who think differently, believe differently, come from different backgrounds and, in doing so, learn to respect and value those differences.
Marsha Lovejoy
The public education system should focus on developing the whole child. Children should graduate with strong academic skills. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, the public education system needs to produce children equipped with interpersonal skills, critical and analytical thinking, inclusivity, and innovative thinking, at their core. In our current environment, these are all critical to the success of our future generations.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
The role of public education depends largely on one's viewpoints. However, broadly speaking, public education should fulfill the following goals:
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
The history of public education in this country has never quite reached its aspirations, but the goal of a public education system should be to educate all children equally. The goal should also be to provide differentiation, such that each student’s needs are met, whether they are in special education classes or the gifted magnet program.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
To support and prepare our students to pursue a quality and meaningful career. To support and prepare our students pursuing a college education. To give all students a variety of extracurricular opportunities.
April Hennessey
Education is a fundamental civil right. In the United States, the goal of the public education system is to provide equitable access to a high-quality education that maximizes each child’s potential and prepares them for the future. Every child in our school system should be healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. It is also the education system’s role to prepare children for making their way in the world as socially conscious and community-minded, informed adults.
Matthew Smith
To provide students with a quality education, so that they can go on to be good contributing members of society
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
Public education is the great equalizer in our society and is the basis of our democracy. When charters or private schools close, or fail our children in other ways, the local public education system is there for that child. All children are welcomed without discrimination; all students are served.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
The goal of the public school system is to educate and care for each and every child, to meet them where he/she/they are, and help them find their passions and reach their potential. This is done for the purpose of participating in our democracy. In an incredibly divisive time, we must continue to build a big tent where our kids can learn side-by-side with people who think differently, believe differently, come from different backgrounds and, in doing so, learn to respect and value those differences.
Marsha Lovejoy
The public education system should focus on developing the whole child. Children should graduate with strong academic skills. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, the public education system needs to produce children equipped with interpersonal skills, critical and analytical thinking, inclusivity, and innovative thinking, at their core. In our current environment, these are all critical to the success of our future generations.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
The role of public education depends largely on one's viewpoints. However, broadly speaking, public education should fulfill the following goals:
- Provide basic education so that our citizens can actively be participative in the civic engagement of our locality, State, and nation. That is, our citizens should be able to be conversant in the controversies of our society, to be able to vote and to possess the critical thinking skills necessary to form conclusions from a variety of possibly divergent facts.
- Provide quality basic education that permits our graduates to enter the workforce affirmatively or to continue their education in technical schools and colleges necessary to achieve their career goals.
- To provide the basic education that permits our citizens to continue lifelong learning throughout their lives both for career fulfillment as well as achieving personal enrichment.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
The history of public education in this country has never quite reached its aspirations, but the goal of a public education system should be to educate all children equally. The goal should also be to provide differentiation, such that each student’s needs are met, whether they are in special education classes or the gifted magnet program.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
To support and prepare our students to pursue a quality and meaningful career. To support and prepare our students pursuing a college education. To give all students a variety of extracurricular opportunities.
5. What is the best way to evaluate our schools?
District 2
April Hennessey
We must see measurable improvement both in the lived experiences of our families and students that is evidenced through data. We must move beyond tracking, testing, and building grades as the sole measures of our district’s success. I believe that we need to develop clear metrics that will enable us to gauge impact and success that account for the following, to start:
Matthew Smith
Through a combination of testing, graduation rates, evaluating student improvements, and surveying parents & teachers.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
The evaluation of schools should not happen through state standardized tests which have proven not to be valid and are unreliable. An evaluation plan begins with the determination of WHAT we want to measure and WHAT determines success. In creating an evaluation system, it is important to involve assessment experts. A non-biased and research oriented organization such as Phi Delta Kappa, the national education honorary, or the Network for Public Education would both be good examples of national organizations that could assist with creating assessment tools for public education. We must also include our educators, our community and our students in the creation and implementation of any evaluation plan.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
As a parent, I have evaluated my children’s schools by how well cared for my kids are by the adults in the school, how happy they are in school, and how eager they are to learn. Standardized test scores are more a reflection of a child’s family’s economic and educational background than the effectiveness or strength of a school. We should evaluate our schools based on multiple measures which could be anywhere from how educated & prepared the teachers are and how well supported they are, the school climate and culture, and how well respected, how safe and how included all students feel, how wholistic the curriculum, including projects and child-directed work, how many offerings the school has for kids to connect and find their passion, etc.
Marsha Lovejoy
To best evaluate schools, we must rely on the expertise of those that have dedicated their lives to this subject. The MCCSC administration and staff are experts in their field.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
I believe that education is a team activity. That is, both the educational staff of the school system and the student must be actively engaged, supplemented with parental and outside stakeholder support. I also believe that the value of education is not known immediately by our students, but rather is appreciated over time. Likewise, evaluation of schools is not necessarily based on a single parameter nor a specific point in time. Thus, my vision of a perfect world would be to evaluate schools based upon goals similar to those found in question four and develop the necessary parameters to measure how capably our students enter the real world and contribute to society. As you could imagine, this will require recurring measurements taken over an extended period. The central question that we would seek to answer is how our graduates are contributing to society and how did the schools support these contributions. This will require a rethinking of our current systems of measurement and rethinking how school evaluations may be more relevant to our current environment.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
Ideally, testing would not be tied to funding, or teacher evaluations, because objective measures are always better than subjective ones. Unfortunately, states have corrupted the goals of such testing, such that objective measures have become punitive. It should be a legislative goal to remove the punitive nature of these measures.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
We should look at the graduation rate as well as the percentage of students pursuing a post high school education. The state has additional guidelines and measurements that allow us to compare with other comparable size schools.
April Hennessey
We must see measurable improvement both in the lived experiences of our families and students that is evidenced through data. We must move beyond tracking, testing, and building grades as the sole measures of our district’s success. I believe that we need to develop clear metrics that will enable us to gauge impact and success that account for the following, to start:
- Our district’s diversity is rarely reflected in our hiring actions. BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) representation among teachers must increase through deliberate and meaningful hiring policies and actions.
- We suffer from educational redlining and rely heavily on exclusionary discipline such as ISS (in-school suspension), suspension, and expulsion, which make students three times more likely to come into contact with the juvenile justice system. We call this the “school to prison pipeline.” Our district data demonstrates that students of color, LGBTQ students, and students with disabilities are disproportionately affected by these practices. Changes must be made to mitigate this and improve outcomes for all students.
- We must engage in community conversations that are inclusive, open, and honest both in the selection of the population and in the intention to listen. And we must be transparent when we fail and must communicate compassionately with families in the process of determining how best to move forward. What avenues have been created for this dialogue and discourse?
Matthew Smith
Through a combination of testing, graduation rates, evaluating student improvements, and surveying parents & teachers.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
The evaluation of schools should not happen through state standardized tests which have proven not to be valid and are unreliable. An evaluation plan begins with the determination of WHAT we want to measure and WHAT determines success. In creating an evaluation system, it is important to involve assessment experts. A non-biased and research oriented organization such as Phi Delta Kappa, the national education honorary, or the Network for Public Education would both be good examples of national organizations that could assist with creating assessment tools for public education. We must also include our educators, our community and our students in the creation and implementation of any evaluation plan.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
As a parent, I have evaluated my children’s schools by how well cared for my kids are by the adults in the school, how happy they are in school, and how eager they are to learn. Standardized test scores are more a reflection of a child’s family’s economic and educational background than the effectiveness or strength of a school. We should evaluate our schools based on multiple measures which could be anywhere from how educated & prepared the teachers are and how well supported they are, the school climate and culture, and how well respected, how safe and how included all students feel, how wholistic the curriculum, including projects and child-directed work, how many offerings the school has for kids to connect and find their passion, etc.
Marsha Lovejoy
To best evaluate schools, we must rely on the expertise of those that have dedicated their lives to this subject. The MCCSC administration and staff are experts in their field.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
I believe that education is a team activity. That is, both the educational staff of the school system and the student must be actively engaged, supplemented with parental and outside stakeholder support. I also believe that the value of education is not known immediately by our students, but rather is appreciated over time. Likewise, evaluation of schools is not necessarily based on a single parameter nor a specific point in time. Thus, my vision of a perfect world would be to evaluate schools based upon goals similar to those found in question four and develop the necessary parameters to measure how capably our students enter the real world and contribute to society. As you could imagine, this will require recurring measurements taken over an extended period. The central question that we would seek to answer is how our graduates are contributing to society and how did the schools support these contributions. This will require a rethinking of our current systems of measurement and rethinking how school evaluations may be more relevant to our current environment.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
Ideally, testing would not be tied to funding, or teacher evaluations, because objective measures are always better than subjective ones. Unfortunately, states have corrupted the goals of such testing, such that objective measures have become punitive. It should be a legislative goal to remove the punitive nature of these measures.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
We should look at the graduation rate as well as the percentage of students pursuing a post high school education. The state has additional guidelines and measurements that allow us to compare with other comparable size schools.
6. How can the school board support teachers?
District 2
April Hennessey
The school board could best support teachers by changing the structures that stifle communication and transparency between teachers and the school board. Because school board trustees often are not experts in K-12 classroom management and education, they must rely on the advice and experience not only of the superintendent when making decisions but of the teachers, as well. To this end, all teacher voices should be represented on committees--both union and non-union. While union members may still carry the majority voice, it’s essential to include non-union members and at least one teacher from a marginalized or underrepresented community on each committee. Often, the method of selection does not ensure that all teachers and students are being represented. As an example, all teachers who were selected for the recent re-entry committee were white.
As we have seen during this pandemic, our educators truly are front-line workers. We have asked them to grow and adapt at breakneck speed with the challenges to our educational systems, rapidly shifting state and national standards, and an ever-increasing shortage of teachers. We should provide them with the support, flexibility, and respect that they need to do their jobs, as well as an increase in pay to account for their growing duties.
Matthew Smith
Through communicating with the teachers and principals, to ensure teachers have the resources and facilities they need.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
I support teachers first and foremost by supporting our union and by providing the best salary possible under the budget allocated by the state of Indiana. Opposing tax funds going to vouchers and charters is one more way to support teachers and public education. My membership in organizations like Indiana Coalition for Public Education and the Network for Public Education is of value to me and the MCCSC because these organizations support greater taxpayer funding for public education while opposing taxpayer funds being diverted to charters and vouchers.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
I think we need to respect and support the teachers’ union as their voice, in addition to working with the superintendent to create policies that allow for teacher voices in decision-making. We need to respect and honor the fact that our teachers’ working conditions are our children’s learning conditions and do what we can to ensure they are the best possible conditions. Teachers are under tremendous strain right now at a time when their jobs were already under tremendous strain because our state has failed to fully fund public schools and pay them what they deserve. We need to continue to work to create a caring community where teachers feel respected and heard. In addition, the school board needs to support all of the people within the school district. Bus drivers, uncertified staff, maintenance and custodial staff, cafeteria and food service personnel, administrators, and the superintendent all work to create the “village” that helps us care for our children.
Marsha Lovejoy
It’s crucial that the school board work closely with the Monroe County Education Association. Clear communication and trust between the school board and MCEA is essential to supporting teachers in our community.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
Noted in question 2, communication is a key role for members of the school board. The school board must create a culture of support for our faculty, staff, and students. School board members are critical advocates for faculty. In turn, the school board provides valuable input from our constituent communities and stakeholders. The school board can provide invaluable support to ensure our faculty has the necessary academic freedom to meet the educational needs of our students, as well as ensure the necessary environment exists to achieve a maximum level of faculty retention.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
By listening to them, and acting accordingly. Teachers are any school system’s biggest asset, and MCCSC’s teachers are gold. In the midst of the pandemic, we have not done a great job of valuing their voices. Accordingly, we have lost some very good ones, and left others wondering whether they should leave the profession. This is not an atmosphere that is conducive to nurturing a school corporation.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
We should provide adequate teaching aids and modern technology resources. We should encourage and support continuing education opportunities. The board should support the obtainment of master’s degrees and work with the legislature to increase teachers’ salaries.
April Hennessey
The school board could best support teachers by changing the structures that stifle communication and transparency between teachers and the school board. Because school board trustees often are not experts in K-12 classroom management and education, they must rely on the advice and experience not only of the superintendent when making decisions but of the teachers, as well. To this end, all teacher voices should be represented on committees--both union and non-union. While union members may still carry the majority voice, it’s essential to include non-union members and at least one teacher from a marginalized or underrepresented community on each committee. Often, the method of selection does not ensure that all teachers and students are being represented. As an example, all teachers who were selected for the recent re-entry committee were white.
As we have seen during this pandemic, our educators truly are front-line workers. We have asked them to grow and adapt at breakneck speed with the challenges to our educational systems, rapidly shifting state and national standards, and an ever-increasing shortage of teachers. We should provide them with the support, flexibility, and respect that they need to do their jobs, as well as an increase in pay to account for their growing duties.
Matthew Smith
Through communicating with the teachers and principals, to ensure teachers have the resources and facilities they need.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
I support teachers first and foremost by supporting our union and by providing the best salary possible under the budget allocated by the state of Indiana. Opposing tax funds going to vouchers and charters is one more way to support teachers and public education. My membership in organizations like Indiana Coalition for Public Education and the Network for Public Education is of value to me and the MCCSC because these organizations support greater taxpayer funding for public education while opposing taxpayer funds being diverted to charters and vouchers.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
I think we need to respect and support the teachers’ union as their voice, in addition to working with the superintendent to create policies that allow for teacher voices in decision-making. We need to respect and honor the fact that our teachers’ working conditions are our children’s learning conditions and do what we can to ensure they are the best possible conditions. Teachers are under tremendous strain right now at a time when their jobs were already under tremendous strain because our state has failed to fully fund public schools and pay them what they deserve. We need to continue to work to create a caring community where teachers feel respected and heard. In addition, the school board needs to support all of the people within the school district. Bus drivers, uncertified staff, maintenance and custodial staff, cafeteria and food service personnel, administrators, and the superintendent all work to create the “village” that helps us care for our children.
Marsha Lovejoy
It’s crucial that the school board work closely with the Monroe County Education Association. Clear communication and trust between the school board and MCEA is essential to supporting teachers in our community.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
Noted in question 2, communication is a key role for members of the school board. The school board must create a culture of support for our faculty, staff, and students. School board members are critical advocates for faculty. In turn, the school board provides valuable input from our constituent communities and stakeholders. The school board can provide invaluable support to ensure our faculty has the necessary academic freedom to meet the educational needs of our students, as well as ensure the necessary environment exists to achieve a maximum level of faculty retention.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
By listening to them, and acting accordingly. Teachers are any school system’s biggest asset, and MCCSC’s teachers are gold. In the midst of the pandemic, we have not done a great job of valuing their voices. Accordingly, we have lost some very good ones, and left others wondering whether they should leave the profession. This is not an atmosphere that is conducive to nurturing a school corporation.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
We should provide adequate teaching aids and modern technology resources. We should encourage and support continuing education opportunities. The board should support the obtainment of master’s degrees and work with the legislature to increase teachers’ salaries.
7. What will you use to guide your thinking as MCCSC faces difficult decisions about reopening and closing schools during a pandemic?
District 2
April Hennessey
The MCCSC board should be led by sound data and endeavor to be transparent at all times. As a board member, I would value input from our teachers, staff, families, and community members while remaining flexible and keeping our eyes on student outcomes. After all, we cannot allow inequities to become further exacerbated. I believe that we have a duty to continue to provide access to education, wrap-around services, and accommodations for many. I also hope that we would be willing to find creative solutions for equitable and accessible learning that do not overburden our educators, staff, and systems, potentially leading lower teacher and student retention.
And while I understand the enormous fiscal pressures facing MCCSC and other districts across the nation, our decision to reopen and close schools should be based on the safety of our teachers, staff, students, and community. The board can continue to work productively and proactively with partners and organizations that are willing to help and must put systems in place that ease the burden for our educators rather than hindering their ability to reach students as the situation evolves in the coming year.
Matthew Smith
Public input, physician input, statistical analysis of the data available to us, risk analysis, and a rational, common sense approach to problem solving.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
I believe it is important to listen to all constituencies, including teachers and parents and to take into account their insights and experiences. Ultimately, my thinking is guided by the advice from our state and county heath departments. The state epidemiologist consults regularly with the superintendent. Not being a scientist or medical professional it is absolutely necessary that I listen to the health and medical experts, since they are the ones that collect and analyze the data.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
Until very recently, our state government failed to provide the metrics or indicators that would answer the question of where the tipping point is between the need for kids to be in school in person and concern for the health of teachers, kids, staff, and the community in this pandemic. Before the state released their metrics, we were forced to rely on local health experts and physicians to create our own-- and that is what we did through the Metrics Committee. We voted to accept their framework, brought about with the input of teachers through their union and teacher representatives, to answer that public health question and make decisions for school reentry. The county and state health departments are the authorities on determining what is safe with regards to the virus and what is not. The failure of leadership at the state and federal level meant that laypeople, school boards and superintendents, with little to no understanding of epidemiology, were forced to make these decisions. What the board has now done is entrust the authorities in public health and the experts from our Metrics Committee to work with the superintendent and administration to make these decisions.
Marsha Lovejoy
The board’s role in COVID-19 should be to understand the challenges that MCCSC is facing, listen to facts and data, work together and communicate clearly. We must rely on the education experts like the MCCSC administration, principals and teachers, to make decisions about education. Similarly, we need to rely on medical experts in the community for guidance on managing the pandemic. The school board should, as always, focus on representing the community while setting a high standard of educational quality for MCCSC.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
The social and economic effects of COVID-19 prove to be severe and touches every corner of the country, including MCCSC. As you know, MCCSC plays an incredibly important role during this period. Education is in the middle of a national emergency that requires our continuing support. The COVID-19 pandemic has complicated the schools’ operations in several important ways. Students and parents want safe in-school instruction. Equally important, they want vital services such as instruction that are difficult to provide in many cases outside of the school setting. The School Board and Corporation must be vigilant about such things as:
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
Our primary consideration should be safety. We find ourselves, unfortunately, in a situation where there is no centralized national leadership on beating the pandemic. We in the state of Indiana find ourselves in a situation where there’s no state leadership on beating the pandemic. Kentucky’s governor, for example, has kept schools closed until later this month; our governor has just flung us all back into the pandemic. In this leadership vacuum it was critical, on the local level, that we err on the side of caution. It is distressing to me as a parent, community member, and board member, that our metrics did not err on the side of such caution, and even more distressing to me that the county’s community transmission numbers have been seemingly ignored in a bid to keep schools open. We need more transparency about not only the metrics but the number of cases that are now showing up in our schools. As a Board member, I voted no on the metrics committee proposal. It not only uses numbers that are incredibly high to guide the reopening of schools (e.g., in New York and California, among other states, schools close if the community transmission rate is half what ours is), but leaves the interpretation of data up to the interpretation of five different metrics, with no real transparency about the weight being given to each. Even with these questionable metrics installed, however, it’s critical that we follow our own document. There is little transparency, currently, about how we are doing so.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
The State Board of Health through the Governor’s Office provides excellent information which can be used to give direction to our schools. As a physician, I understand and respect the information given by local physicians and other medical experts.
April Hennessey
The MCCSC board should be led by sound data and endeavor to be transparent at all times. As a board member, I would value input from our teachers, staff, families, and community members while remaining flexible and keeping our eyes on student outcomes. After all, we cannot allow inequities to become further exacerbated. I believe that we have a duty to continue to provide access to education, wrap-around services, and accommodations for many. I also hope that we would be willing to find creative solutions for equitable and accessible learning that do not overburden our educators, staff, and systems, potentially leading lower teacher and student retention.
And while I understand the enormous fiscal pressures facing MCCSC and other districts across the nation, our decision to reopen and close schools should be based on the safety of our teachers, staff, students, and community. The board can continue to work productively and proactively with partners and organizations that are willing to help and must put systems in place that ease the burden for our educators rather than hindering their ability to reach students as the situation evolves in the coming year.
Matthew Smith
Public input, physician input, statistical analysis of the data available to us, risk analysis, and a rational, common sense approach to problem solving.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
I believe it is important to listen to all constituencies, including teachers and parents and to take into account their insights and experiences. Ultimately, my thinking is guided by the advice from our state and county heath departments. The state epidemiologist consults regularly with the superintendent. Not being a scientist or medical professional it is absolutely necessary that I listen to the health and medical experts, since they are the ones that collect and analyze the data.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
Until very recently, our state government failed to provide the metrics or indicators that would answer the question of where the tipping point is between the need for kids to be in school in person and concern for the health of teachers, kids, staff, and the community in this pandemic. Before the state released their metrics, we were forced to rely on local health experts and physicians to create our own-- and that is what we did through the Metrics Committee. We voted to accept their framework, brought about with the input of teachers through their union and teacher representatives, to answer that public health question and make decisions for school reentry. The county and state health departments are the authorities on determining what is safe with regards to the virus and what is not. The failure of leadership at the state and federal level meant that laypeople, school boards and superintendents, with little to no understanding of epidemiology, were forced to make these decisions. What the board has now done is entrust the authorities in public health and the experts from our Metrics Committee to work with the superintendent and administration to make these decisions.
Marsha Lovejoy
The board’s role in COVID-19 should be to understand the challenges that MCCSC is facing, listen to facts and data, work together and communicate clearly. We must rely on the education experts like the MCCSC administration, principals and teachers, to make decisions about education. Similarly, we need to rely on medical experts in the community for guidance on managing the pandemic. The school board should, as always, focus on representing the community while setting a high standard of educational quality for MCCSC.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
The social and economic effects of COVID-19 prove to be severe and touches every corner of the country, including MCCSC. As you know, MCCSC plays an incredibly important role during this period. Education is in the middle of a national emergency that requires our continuing support. The COVID-19 pandemic has complicated the schools’ operations in several important ways. Students and parents want safe in-school instruction. Equally important, they want vital services such as instruction that are difficult to provide in many cases outside of the school setting. The School Board and Corporation must be vigilant about such things as:
- School opening and closing plans;
- Ensure our schools are properly maintained to limit the spread of infection, including adequate levels of personal protective equipment for students, faculty, and staff;
- Monitor both community and school infection rates and implement a range of operational adjustments given environmental conditions;
- Provide accurate education, information, and guidance on preventative measures to our stakeholders that include the community, faculty, staff, students, as well as our union representatives;
- Ensure the functionality and efficacy of our distributive educational processes;
- Ensure the proper level of food security even during extreme conditions of a school shutdown;
- Continue to monitor our funding sources to ensure that we have an adequate level of revenues to support our operations. This is particularly important given the depressed tax revenue to our local and State governments.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
Our primary consideration should be safety. We find ourselves, unfortunately, in a situation where there is no centralized national leadership on beating the pandemic. We in the state of Indiana find ourselves in a situation where there’s no state leadership on beating the pandemic. Kentucky’s governor, for example, has kept schools closed until later this month; our governor has just flung us all back into the pandemic. In this leadership vacuum it was critical, on the local level, that we err on the side of caution. It is distressing to me as a parent, community member, and board member, that our metrics did not err on the side of such caution, and even more distressing to me that the county’s community transmission numbers have been seemingly ignored in a bid to keep schools open. We need more transparency about not only the metrics but the number of cases that are now showing up in our schools. As a Board member, I voted no on the metrics committee proposal. It not only uses numbers that are incredibly high to guide the reopening of schools (e.g., in New York and California, among other states, schools close if the community transmission rate is half what ours is), but leaves the interpretation of data up to the interpretation of five different metrics, with no real transparency about the weight being given to each. Even with these questionable metrics installed, however, it’s critical that we follow our own document. There is little transparency, currently, about how we are doing so.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
The State Board of Health through the Governor’s Office provides excellent information which can be used to give direction to our schools. As a physician, I understand and respect the information given by local physicians and other medical experts.
8. A new law in Indiana allows public school districts to share money raised through a referendum with local charter schools. Would you support sharing referendum money with local charters? Why or why not?
District 2
April Hennessey
I do not support sharing money raised through local referenda with all local charter schools. Many, but certainly not all, Indiana charter schools have exclusionary admission policies or teach according to principles and values that do not align with those guiding the public school system. Discrimination of any kind, including against minority students and families, nonnative English speakers, and special education students violates federal civil rights law. Taxpayers should not be asked to pay for any school that does not align with principles of public education that must provide an equitable education for all.
Matthew Smith
Yes. Supporting our student's education is the main priority, even if it is a different school.With that said, I am not a fan of just adding referendums whenever the district wants to. I think a budget audit needs to be performed and any potential waste should be eliminated or efficiency increasing options should be performed, before new referendums are requested.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
I do not support sharing referendum money with charter or voucher schools. I also oppose the state practice of by first allocating funds to vouchers and charters prior to public schools. That in itself is unfair as it decreases the funds available for public schools which are then forced to divide the remaining money. If charters operated as originally intended as a part of an established school corporation with a specialized curriculum then it would make sense. But, as it is, charters chose to separate themselves from the public school system. As they voluntarily wanted a separate system they should, therefore, function as the independent schools they chose to be.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
I would not share our funds with the charter schools in our county because public funds belong in public schools. Charter schools are publicly funded, but they are privately run. They have different budgetary reporting requirements and don’t adhere to the same set of laws by which truly public schools must abide. Public schools have the vast majority of the population, must accept and educate all children—and do. They need the funding to provide a vibrant, resourced education for all children and, in the current climate of poorly funded public schools and a move to privatize, every dollar counts for every single child.
Marsha Lovejoy
I believe in public education. I also acknowledge that public schools aren’t the right fit for each student or family. One of my values in running for school board is children first. I want to ensure that students received a high-quality education in a setting that best meets their needs.
Recognizing that in many cases charter schools are meeting the needs of the families who choose to send their students there, I am in support of funding that child’s education.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
As you may be aware, this piece of legislation was approved during the closing days of the 2020 State Legislature. The quest for asking our taxpayers to approve referendums is a consequence of our State Government shifting school funding from property taxes to general fund sales tax in 2008. At the same time, the Great Recession of 2008 resulted in an overall budget reduction for schools. Referendums are the mechanism used by MCCSC and other school systems to close the budgetary deficits experienced because of state shortfalls in sales tax revenues. As you might imagine, the COVID-19 pandemic created another set of budgetary shortfalls for 2020 and 2021, at a minimum. Our school system would not be requesting approvals of referendums if we received adequate funding from the State. To date, our referendum requests have been and are based on the needs of MCCSC. I support a sharing of funds with charter schools to the extent that we can combine their needs with the requirements of MCCSC and request a combined about in a referendum request from our taxpayers.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
My primary experience with charter schools was in California, where I spent the better part of a year searching for a school that was meaningfully integrated, both racially and socioeconomically. Unsurprisingly, I was unable to find even one public school in Sacramento that fit the bill. (We must be honest: public schools historically do an incredibly poor job at racial integration. In some cities, even private schools are more integrated than public schools.) My daughter was admitted to a wonderful charter school that not only focused on the arts, but truly represented the diverse population of Sacramento, and as a Black parent, I valued that more than anything else. Charter schools do often fill that niche, and others. One of our local charters, as I understand it, is not all that racially integrated, but has nonetheless been a good place for a certain population of students to land. The other local charter is incredibly problematic, for a variety of reasons. The ideal is that public schools fill all niches. The reality is that sometimes, charter schools fill them when the public schools do not. But the nature of the lack of charter school regulation leaves a certain “wild card” landscape in terms of charters. One solution is to share the referendum money with charter schools that are working to become part of the MCCSC system.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
Charter and voucher schools are public schools that offer an alternative form of education for those students who have certain needs or are interested in a specific area of interest. They do serve a purpose, but they also take away money from MCCSC that could be used to support The Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship and the Bloomington Graduate School. So, no, I do not support sharing referendum money when MCCSC already provides excellent alternatives for education.
April Hennessey
I do not support sharing money raised through local referenda with all local charter schools. Many, but certainly not all, Indiana charter schools have exclusionary admission policies or teach according to principles and values that do not align with those guiding the public school system. Discrimination of any kind, including against minority students and families, nonnative English speakers, and special education students violates federal civil rights law. Taxpayers should not be asked to pay for any school that does not align with principles of public education that must provide an equitable education for all.
Matthew Smith
Yes. Supporting our student's education is the main priority, even if it is a different school.With that said, I am not a fan of just adding referendums whenever the district wants to. I think a budget audit needs to be performed and any potential waste should be eliminated or efficiency increasing options should be performed, before new referendums are requested.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
I do not support sharing referendum money with charter or voucher schools. I also oppose the state practice of by first allocating funds to vouchers and charters prior to public schools. That in itself is unfair as it decreases the funds available for public schools which are then forced to divide the remaining money. If charters operated as originally intended as a part of an established school corporation with a specialized curriculum then it would make sense. But, as it is, charters chose to separate themselves from the public school system. As they voluntarily wanted a separate system they should, therefore, function as the independent schools they chose to be.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
I would not share our funds with the charter schools in our county because public funds belong in public schools. Charter schools are publicly funded, but they are privately run. They have different budgetary reporting requirements and don’t adhere to the same set of laws by which truly public schools must abide. Public schools have the vast majority of the population, must accept and educate all children—and do. They need the funding to provide a vibrant, resourced education for all children and, in the current climate of poorly funded public schools and a move to privatize, every dollar counts for every single child.
Marsha Lovejoy
I believe in public education. I also acknowledge that public schools aren’t the right fit for each student or family. One of my values in running for school board is children first. I want to ensure that students received a high-quality education in a setting that best meets their needs.
Recognizing that in many cases charter schools are meeting the needs of the families who choose to send their students there, I am in support of funding that child’s education.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
As you may be aware, this piece of legislation was approved during the closing days of the 2020 State Legislature. The quest for asking our taxpayers to approve referendums is a consequence of our State Government shifting school funding from property taxes to general fund sales tax in 2008. At the same time, the Great Recession of 2008 resulted in an overall budget reduction for schools. Referendums are the mechanism used by MCCSC and other school systems to close the budgetary deficits experienced because of state shortfalls in sales tax revenues. As you might imagine, the COVID-19 pandemic created another set of budgetary shortfalls for 2020 and 2021, at a minimum. Our school system would not be requesting approvals of referendums if we received adequate funding from the State. To date, our referendum requests have been and are based on the needs of MCCSC. I support a sharing of funds with charter schools to the extent that we can combine their needs with the requirements of MCCSC and request a combined about in a referendum request from our taxpayers.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
My primary experience with charter schools was in California, where I spent the better part of a year searching for a school that was meaningfully integrated, both racially and socioeconomically. Unsurprisingly, I was unable to find even one public school in Sacramento that fit the bill. (We must be honest: public schools historically do an incredibly poor job at racial integration. In some cities, even private schools are more integrated than public schools.) My daughter was admitted to a wonderful charter school that not only focused on the arts, but truly represented the diverse population of Sacramento, and as a Black parent, I valued that more than anything else. Charter schools do often fill that niche, and others. One of our local charters, as I understand it, is not all that racially integrated, but has nonetheless been a good place for a certain population of students to land. The other local charter is incredibly problematic, for a variety of reasons. The ideal is that public schools fill all niches. The reality is that sometimes, charter schools fill them when the public schools do not. But the nature of the lack of charter school regulation leaves a certain “wild card” landscape in terms of charters. One solution is to share the referendum money with charter schools that are working to become part of the MCCSC system.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
Charter and voucher schools are public schools that offer an alternative form of education for those students who have certain needs or are interested in a specific area of interest. They do serve a purpose, but they also take away money from MCCSC that could be used to support The Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship and the Bloomington Graduate School. So, no, I do not support sharing referendum money when MCCSC already provides excellent alternatives for education.
9. What are steps that you would like to see MCCSC take to increase equity of opportunity and experiences across the district?
District 2
April Hennessey
I would like MCCSC to take four immediate steps toward increasing equity across the district:
Matthew Smith
I don't think any new steps need to be taken. There are programs already in place to help lower income, underprivileged families, to combat bullying, racism, or discrimination. We should be concentrating on providing the resources and education our students need and deserve, not worrying about political talking points.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
To achieve equity we first must assess where we are and what is lacking – a step which I have advocated for several years. We need a community and teacher audit to determine what is needed and what would be the ideal. Only then can we take steps to change our school corporation, considering such strategies as redistricting our attendance boundaries, changing our busing program, or increasing programmatic offerings and resources. Many times magnet schools or programs have been suggested and we need to explore the effects of that on our corporation and budget. Certainly we have attempted this to a smaller degree with specialized programs such as STEM, STEAM, Language immersion, International Baccalaureate, The Arts Program, multi-age classrooms and more. We need to find a way to attract students and families to these various programs; providing funding for transportation would help these efforts.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
We need to continue to work with caregivers of our students, particularly the most vulnerable, to create effective and open channels of communication (both ways) so that we can work together to create the best possible learning environments for our students during this pandemic. For bigger picture concerns, I would really like to work with the new superintendent to evaluate where we are as a district as a starting place. Maybe a climate survey that is broad and includes a lot of voices could be a beginning. Perhaps also working with our equity and inclusion director, along with the organization that already is helping us (Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center) to do our equity work, to do an equity audit. Once we get the data, we can do a strategic plan that centers equity for our schools. But our most immediate situation is likely to be an impending budget crisis and we will need to be very mindful in that painful work of reducing the budget, bringing community along with us, and focus on equity of opportunity and experiences, especially for our most vulnerable and historically marginalized students at the center of those decisions.
Marsha Lovejoy
I will not pretend to have the answer to this question. What I do know is that our community and world need to address inequitable systems and practices. As a candidate I have set forth principles that would guide my decision making as a board member. I would use these principles to advocate for equity.
Children first – Children will always be at the center of my decisions.
Equity for all students – I will be a tireless advocate working to ensure equitable opportunities for all students, especially the most vulnerable who have been hit particularly hard during COVID-19. All children should have access to high quality education.
Communicate clearly – Clear, transparent communication is the cornerstone of trust. Being a communications professional for over a decade, I will bring this expertise to the school board and help to build trust with our community.
Listen to understand – I will not only listen but I will listen to understand those in situations unlike my own. I will seek out feedback from those that haven’t had a voice or have had a difficult time being heard.
Rely on experts – Our community is fortunate to have experts across many fields, including education. The MCCSC teachers, administration and staff are experts in education. We must rely on their expertise to guide MCCSC. Likewise, as we continue to navigate this new environment, we must seek out and rely on experts in topics like health, infectious disease, and achieving equity for all children
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
Our district should continue to review policies, practices, and procedures to support academic fairness and inclusion. For the student, we must ensure that every child has the resources, teachers, interventions, and supports needed to be successful. As noted in the pandemic question, equity is giving specific resources and support to disadvantaged students to bring them up to similar opportunity levels as their peers, as needed. We need to review our data systems to ensure that we are identifying underserved students in MCCSC. Review our resource allocations to early childhood and basic schooling to ensure these students can achieve their learning potential. Ensure our faculty members are operating in a culturally competent manner and targeting faculty professional development that achieves effective teaching methodologies for a diversified student body. Also, strongly encourage strong parent-community-school ties with the targeted goal of influencing student achievement.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
MCCSC does better than an awful lot of districts in this country—it’s the primary reason I moved my children back here, that I didn't want to subject them to school segregation of the kind we were facing in California—but there is still an incredibly amount of inequity between MCCSC schools. A map of racial demographics and free/reduced lunch recipient demographics reveals some pretty stark disparities. Segregation of this kind is never, not ever, a good thing, not for any student who is subject to it. Black students at schools with wretchedly low diversity numbers are living the Ruby Bridges experience every day. It is psychologically traumatizing in a way few people recognize. I think we need to think about ways parents can opt into diversifying schools, whether through the kind of controlled choice that Jefferson County Public Schools has or otherwise. There are breathtaking racial disparities within schools, as well. Black students receive an exponentially higher number of disciplinary actions than White, Latinx or Asian students. Black students are over identified for special education and underidentified for ALPS. These are all things that need to have been remedied ages ago.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
All teachers in Charter schools should have the same qualifications and license requirement as in the MCCSC system. An annual review of our curriculum should assess the changing needs and educational requirements of society as it changes so rapidly.
April Hennessey
I would like MCCSC to take four immediate steps toward increasing equity across the district:
- Dismantle the school to prison pipeline that relies on exclusionary discipline and disproportionately affects students of color, LGBTQ students, and students with disabilities.
- Commit to the whole-child approach in deep and meaningful ways that extend beyond pre-packaged socio-emotional learning curriculum.
- Provide access to high ability testing for all students.
- Hire and retain teachers of color through a strong district commitment to anti-racism in our policies and in our classrooms.
Matthew Smith
I don't think any new steps need to be taken. There are programs already in place to help lower income, underprivileged families, to combat bullying, racism, or discrimination. We should be concentrating on providing the resources and education our students need and deserve, not worrying about political talking points.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
To achieve equity we first must assess where we are and what is lacking – a step which I have advocated for several years. We need a community and teacher audit to determine what is needed and what would be the ideal. Only then can we take steps to change our school corporation, considering such strategies as redistricting our attendance boundaries, changing our busing program, or increasing programmatic offerings and resources. Many times magnet schools or programs have been suggested and we need to explore the effects of that on our corporation and budget. Certainly we have attempted this to a smaller degree with specialized programs such as STEM, STEAM, Language immersion, International Baccalaureate, The Arts Program, multi-age classrooms and more. We need to find a way to attract students and families to these various programs; providing funding for transportation would help these efforts.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
We need to continue to work with caregivers of our students, particularly the most vulnerable, to create effective and open channels of communication (both ways) so that we can work together to create the best possible learning environments for our students during this pandemic. For bigger picture concerns, I would really like to work with the new superintendent to evaluate where we are as a district as a starting place. Maybe a climate survey that is broad and includes a lot of voices could be a beginning. Perhaps also working with our equity and inclusion director, along with the organization that already is helping us (Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center) to do our equity work, to do an equity audit. Once we get the data, we can do a strategic plan that centers equity for our schools. But our most immediate situation is likely to be an impending budget crisis and we will need to be very mindful in that painful work of reducing the budget, bringing community along with us, and focus on equity of opportunity and experiences, especially for our most vulnerable and historically marginalized students at the center of those decisions.
Marsha Lovejoy
I will not pretend to have the answer to this question. What I do know is that our community and world need to address inequitable systems and practices. As a candidate I have set forth principles that would guide my decision making as a board member. I would use these principles to advocate for equity.
Children first – Children will always be at the center of my decisions.
Equity for all students – I will be a tireless advocate working to ensure equitable opportunities for all students, especially the most vulnerable who have been hit particularly hard during COVID-19. All children should have access to high quality education.
Communicate clearly – Clear, transparent communication is the cornerstone of trust. Being a communications professional for over a decade, I will bring this expertise to the school board and help to build trust with our community.
Listen to understand – I will not only listen but I will listen to understand those in situations unlike my own. I will seek out feedback from those that haven’t had a voice or have had a difficult time being heard.
Rely on experts – Our community is fortunate to have experts across many fields, including education. The MCCSC teachers, administration and staff are experts in education. We must rely on their expertise to guide MCCSC. Likewise, as we continue to navigate this new environment, we must seek out and rely on experts in topics like health, infectious disease, and achieving equity for all children
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
Our district should continue to review policies, practices, and procedures to support academic fairness and inclusion. For the student, we must ensure that every child has the resources, teachers, interventions, and supports needed to be successful. As noted in the pandemic question, equity is giving specific resources and support to disadvantaged students to bring them up to similar opportunity levels as their peers, as needed. We need to review our data systems to ensure that we are identifying underserved students in MCCSC. Review our resource allocations to early childhood and basic schooling to ensure these students can achieve their learning potential. Ensure our faculty members are operating in a culturally competent manner and targeting faculty professional development that achieves effective teaching methodologies for a diversified student body. Also, strongly encourage strong parent-community-school ties with the targeted goal of influencing student achievement.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
MCCSC does better than an awful lot of districts in this country—it’s the primary reason I moved my children back here, that I didn't want to subject them to school segregation of the kind we were facing in California—but there is still an incredibly amount of inequity between MCCSC schools. A map of racial demographics and free/reduced lunch recipient demographics reveals some pretty stark disparities. Segregation of this kind is never, not ever, a good thing, not for any student who is subject to it. Black students at schools with wretchedly low diversity numbers are living the Ruby Bridges experience every day. It is psychologically traumatizing in a way few people recognize. I think we need to think about ways parents can opt into diversifying schools, whether through the kind of controlled choice that Jefferson County Public Schools has or otherwise. There are breathtaking racial disparities within schools, as well. Black students receive an exponentially higher number of disciplinary actions than White, Latinx or Asian students. Black students are over identified for special education and underidentified for ALPS. These are all things that need to have been remedied ages ago.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
All teachers in Charter schools should have the same qualifications and license requirement as in the MCCSC system. An annual review of our curriculum should assess the changing needs and educational requirements of society as it changes so rapidly.
10. Describe your position on public funding for charters and voucher schools.
District 2
April Hennessey
Public funding should only be provided to schools that espouse the guiding principles behind public education, which is to provide equitable and non-discriminatory educational opportunities for all families and children. I have two children at Bloomington High School North and one child at The Project School, a chartered public school, who will eventually be a student in MCCSC. As a parent who has many years left with school-aged children in my home, I want to ensure that the schools in our district empower families to feel that they, too, can have a seat at the table. Simply castigating families on the issue of funding will not get us to where we want to be. As a district, and as a school board, we must be willing to ask ourselves what we haven’t yet been able to offer the families of our community. If the public school umbrella is going to be enough to cover us all, we have to be brave enough to acknowledge that the one we’ve been using hasn’t yet offered everyone shelter and warmth. And then we need to do the hard work of building a community that truly welcomes and serves all. This means tending to the whole-child and the whole-community and closing the wealth disparity in our district schools due to inter-district school choice and educational redlining. It means prioritizing social-emotional learning and trauma-informed teaching at all K-12 levels. And it means bravely moving forward with anti-racist curricula and equity in mind for underrepresented, marginalized, and at-risk students.
Matthew Smith
I believe parents should have school choice and their tax money should go to the schools their children go to. I feel that traditionally, there are more pros vs cons to sending your children to public schools, versus sending them to charter/voucher schools. The reason for the surge in charter schools is that parents no longer feel that way. Our response should be to determine what the cause is in the loss of confidence in public schools and to rectify those problems. Defunding/removing school choice from parents isn't the correct action, resolving what is making them want to leave and enticing them to stay is the correct action.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
As a true public education candidate for school board, I oppose any funding for charters or vouchers and have since the State of Indiana first created this program. Even though originally it seemed like a minor intrusion into state budgets, funding for charters grew and then expanded to funding for vouchers for private schools. I firmly believe that citizen tax funds are meant for the public school corporations which accept all children, even when charters fail or students are not successful in that environment. The one constant in education is the public school corporation, governed by an elected school board which is accountable to the community. Charters and voucher programs do not have this same local accountability.
Anyone seeking an elected school board position should join me in opposing any taxpayer money being diverted from the public system into charters and vouchers.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
Public funding belongs in public schools. For the last decade or so, our state legislature has been diverting precious dollars to unaccountable, private hands through charters, vouchers, and “innovation” schools. It is an unsustainable practice to fund separate (but equal?) systems of education. “School choice” finds the schools choosing, not families. Voucher schools can openly discriminate against students. Charters can cap their students coming in, often require the parents to be engaged enough to seek an option, know enough English or be able to put their kids’ names on the waitlist, provide transportation, etc. They also often have more stringent discipline policies that allow them to retain the students they want and let the others go. It is financially irresponsible to continue on this path. Now that these policies and schools of “choice” are here, however, I think we must have a moratorium on them during this economic crisis, call for a study of how they are affecting our truly public schools, and demand accountability for the same requirements of budget transparency and for accepting all students. If you receive public funding, you should have to play by the same rules. Educational opportunity should not solely be about one’s personal “choice” when you are taking our tax dollars for it; it should be about all children and our collective responsibility as a society to educate each and every child.
Marsha Lovejoy
This issue is nuanced and requires an approach that focuses on the quality of the education received, considers the needs of students in charter, voucher and public schools and accounts for the quality of education delivered in all of these environments.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
The creating of charter and voucher schools is to promote school choice for our communities. However, Charter and Voucher schools must be subject to the same rules, guidelines, and reporting as public schools.
In principle, I favor any institution that provides students a positive learning environment. However, the data in educational literature is mixed.
While there are caveats, a review of the literature suggests voucher schools have a neutral or negative result in Indiana, especially in math testing over students in public schools. Similar research in charter schools shows that charters generally do no better and may often provide worse outcomes than public schools. There is generally no evidence that charters produce better long-term outcomes for students.
While there are exceptions to these findings, I favor public funding for our public school system.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
I have outlined my position on charters above, but to talk a little bit about vouchers: I am not in support of public funding for private school vouchers. I believe the state is now giving over $160 million in vouchers to private schools, which is a travesty, as private schools are free to discriminate against whomever they please (and often do). That is contrary to the goal of public education.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
Public funding for students attending charters and voucher schools takes away from necessary money for the MCCSC. They should have their own method of financial assistance.
April Hennessey
Public funding should only be provided to schools that espouse the guiding principles behind public education, which is to provide equitable and non-discriminatory educational opportunities for all families and children. I have two children at Bloomington High School North and one child at The Project School, a chartered public school, who will eventually be a student in MCCSC. As a parent who has many years left with school-aged children in my home, I want to ensure that the schools in our district empower families to feel that they, too, can have a seat at the table. Simply castigating families on the issue of funding will not get us to where we want to be. As a district, and as a school board, we must be willing to ask ourselves what we haven’t yet been able to offer the families of our community. If the public school umbrella is going to be enough to cover us all, we have to be brave enough to acknowledge that the one we’ve been using hasn’t yet offered everyone shelter and warmth. And then we need to do the hard work of building a community that truly welcomes and serves all. This means tending to the whole-child and the whole-community and closing the wealth disparity in our district schools due to inter-district school choice and educational redlining. It means prioritizing social-emotional learning and trauma-informed teaching at all K-12 levels. And it means bravely moving forward with anti-racist curricula and equity in mind for underrepresented, marginalized, and at-risk students.
Matthew Smith
I believe parents should have school choice and their tax money should go to the schools their children go to. I feel that traditionally, there are more pros vs cons to sending your children to public schools, versus sending them to charter/voucher schools. The reason for the surge in charter schools is that parents no longer feel that way. Our response should be to determine what the cause is in the loss of confidence in public schools and to rectify those problems. Defunding/removing school choice from parents isn't the correct action, resolving what is making them want to leave and enticing them to stay is the correct action.
Sue Wanzer (incumbent)
As a true public education candidate for school board, I oppose any funding for charters or vouchers and have since the State of Indiana first created this program. Even though originally it seemed like a minor intrusion into state budgets, funding for charters grew and then expanded to funding for vouchers for private schools. I firmly believe that citizen tax funds are meant for the public school corporations which accept all children, even when charters fail or students are not successful in that environment. The one constant in education is the public school corporation, governed by an elected school board which is accountable to the community. Charters and voucher programs do not have this same local accountability.
Anyone seeking an elected school board position should join me in opposing any taxpayer money being diverted from the public system into charters and vouchers.
District 4
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (incumbent)
Public funding belongs in public schools. For the last decade or so, our state legislature has been diverting precious dollars to unaccountable, private hands through charters, vouchers, and “innovation” schools. It is an unsustainable practice to fund separate (but equal?) systems of education. “School choice” finds the schools choosing, not families. Voucher schools can openly discriminate against students. Charters can cap their students coming in, often require the parents to be engaged enough to seek an option, know enough English or be able to put their kids’ names on the waitlist, provide transportation, etc. They also often have more stringent discipline policies that allow them to retain the students they want and let the others go. It is financially irresponsible to continue on this path. Now that these policies and schools of “choice” are here, however, I think we must have a moratorium on them during this economic crisis, call for a study of how they are affecting our truly public schools, and demand accountability for the same requirements of budget transparency and for accepting all students. If you receive public funding, you should have to play by the same rules. Educational opportunity should not solely be about one’s personal “choice” when you are taking our tax dollars for it; it should be about all children and our collective responsibility as a society to educate each and every child.
Marsha Lovejoy
This issue is nuanced and requires an approach that focuses on the quality of the education received, considers the needs of students in charter, voucher and public schools and accounts for the quality of education delivered in all of these environments.
District 5
Keith Klein (incumbent, unopposed)
The creating of charter and voucher schools is to promote school choice for our communities. However, Charter and Voucher schools must be subject to the same rules, guidelines, and reporting as public schools.
In principle, I favor any institution that provides students a positive learning environment. However, the data in educational literature is mixed.
While there are caveats, a review of the literature suggests voucher schools have a neutral or negative result in Indiana, especially in math testing over students in public schools. Similar research in charter schools shows that charters generally do no better and may often provide worse outcomes than public schools. There is generally no evidence that charters produce better long-term outcomes for students.
While there are exceptions to these findings, I favor public funding for our public school system.
District 6
Jacinda Townsend Gides (incumbent)
I have outlined my position on charters above, but to talk a little bit about vouchers: I am not in support of public funding for private school vouchers. I believe the state is now giving over $160 million in vouchers to private schools, which is a travesty, as private schools are free to discriminate against whomever they please (and often do). That is contrary to the goal of public education.
Philip N. Eskew, Jr.
Public funding for students attending charters and voucher schools takes away from necessary money for the MCCSC. They should have their own method of financial assistance.