WBEZ | vouchers

Hoosier lawmakers restrict collective bargaining for teachers; vouchers next

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:00:00 -0500

Indiana Republicans have made two big gains in education policy. On Thursday a majority of the Indiana Senate approved what could become one of the most expansive school voucher programs in the nation. That comes just a day after the governor signed a new law that restricts collective bargaining for public school teachers.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels visited Valparaiso Thursday to tout the momentum he and the Republican-controlled legislature have seen for their education agenda.

Speaking on the collective bargaining issue, Daniels, a Republican, deflected criticism of being anti-union. He said, under the new legislation, teachers still have the right to bargain over salaries and benefits; they are only losing out on bargaining over things that have nothing to do with educating children. He cited things such as the color of paint inside teachers’ lounges or the temperature inside of a school.

"This is the year we really transform Indiana for the better. I’m really very grateful for what the General Assembly has agreed to help us do," Daniels said before the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce at Strongbow Inn. "Now, we have to go and make that system work."

The restrictions on teachers’ collective bargaining take effect July 1.

Republican lawmakers are expected to enact more changes in education before the end of the legislation session, which ends next week. Several include changes Daniels laid out in his State of the State address in January.

Next on the list is the school voucher expansion, which the Senate approved Thursday. It could be taken up again by the Indiana House next week. The measure would allow some parents to use public money to send their children to a private school.

"Choice will no longer be limited to the well-to-do in our state. If you’re a moderate or low income family and you’ve tried the public schools for at least a year and you can’t find one that works for your child, you can direct the dollars we were going to spend on your child to the non-government school of your choice,” Daniels said during his visit to Valparaiso. “That’s a social justice issue to me."

Opponents worry vouchers would siphon money from public schools. The voucher issue is contentious; so much so that House Democrats referenced it when they bolted from the statehouse last month.

Another item in Daniels school overhaul initiative would impose a merit pay system on teachers. If it passes, the provision would tie raises in teacher salary to annual evaluations. Unions say that system could short-change teachers who work with students who are tough to teach.

Battle in Indiana over school vouchers begins today

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:37:00 -0600

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels got the voucher idea moving along when he spoke about it during last month’s State of the State address.

He wants residents who send their children to private schools to use public funds to help pay for that choice.

On Tuesday, Republicans are introducing a bill in the Indiana House that would make that possible.

Opponents are attacking the bill on many fronts.

They say, for one, vouchers can blur the line between church and state.

Another criticism they have is that private schools are less accountable than public schools.

The voucher idea is just one educational proposal that Daniels is pushing right now.

He also wants more money to expand charter schools. He would also eliminate certain collective bargaining rights for public school teachers.

Ask Me Why: National Day of Listening

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:04:00 -0600

In the years since the 2000 election normalized the concept of red and blue states, America has only become more politically and culturally polarized. We’re more likely to be friends with people who share our opinions, and listen to media outlets that reflect back to us our existing beliefs. Social media and new digital technologies have revolutionized the way we talk to one another and share our opinions, but they haven’t necessarily made us better at listening, or at disagreeing without shouting, debating, or itching to make our next point. We can text and we can Tweet, but can we have a conversation without maligning the other side? Can we actually listen to what the other side has to say?

WBEZ is proud to present Ask Me Why, a series of recorded conversations inspired by StoryCorps National Day of Listening. In collaboration with Illinois Humanities Council, we asked pairs of people who know each other and who disagree on an issue if we could record them having a conversation - with a bit of a twist. We told these pairs they couldn’t debate, argue or challenge each other. They could only take turns asking each other questions, and listening to the answers. Rather than argue point-counterpoint, the goal would be to better understand why the other person thinks the way they do: What personal experiences shaped their opinion on this issue? Did they always have this opinion and if not, what changed their mind? We wanted to present the idea that thoughtful deliberation and disagreement involves not just making your point, but listening to and working to understand those with whom you disagree.

For this first installment of Ask Me Why, we have an excerpt from a conversation that took place between Ann Hanson and Daniel Kreisman, two friends who met as graduate students studying education policy at the University of Chicago. Ann and Daniel have spent hours debating policy with one another, both as classmates and as friends. But until recently they had never asked how the other arrived at their beliefs.

For example, why do they feel differently about the issue of school vouchers, when they both read the same studies and took the same classes? Daniel, who taught at underperforming public schools in New Orleans, believes that public money should be given to parents to spend on private schools; while Ann, who grew up the daughter of public school teachers in Milwaukee, does not.

In the audio excerpt posted above, Daniel and Ann talk to each other and share the stories behind their beliefs, and surprisingly find some common ground.

Ask Me Why is made possible by generous support from The Boeing Company and is produced in partnership with the Illinois Humanities Council. Over the next few months we will bring you more installments in this series. If you would like to participate in the Ask Me Why series, you can download the nomination form here.