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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

administration

IU dean contests Senate bill concerning teachers

Dean Gerardo Gonzalez of the School of Education opposed Senate Bill 409 in the Indiana senate yesterday; the bill relates to the licensure of teachers. 

As the bill is worded now, it would change the licensing procedure so that all teachers would be licensed by the schools where they studied, rather than by the state. Some are worried this could result in new teachers not having to meet the same set of standards to get a license.

Gonzalez said as the bill is worded now, he does not support it.

“I objected to that bill because licensure is really a state responsibility,” Gonzalez said. “It would require every school of education to provide a department of licensing, which is not only expensive but ineffective.”

Gonzalez said if the bill passes as is, it would mean that licensing would be distributed across 47 different districts in Indiana. All of these districts could have varying requirements for their teachers, meaning that there would be no accountability for licensing standards.

“That needs to be a uniform set of standards which only the state can enforce,” Gonzalez said. “The bill will weaken accountability.”

Gonzalez said there is potential for negative long-term effects. He said no other state has a bureaucratic system like the one proposed in the bill, and it could make it difficult for students who pursue a teaching degree in Indiana to get jobs in other states.

As it stands now, there is some question among education students about whether the bill would allow people who are simply “experts in the field” to teach in schools without a background in teaching.

Because of this possibility, Jordan Pruis, a sophomore studying elementary education with a concentration in math, said she does not support the bill. She also said she thinks it could have a negative impact on the kids in the Indiana school systems.

“I think it could be detrimental to our kids, because those people might not have the pedagogical training,” Prius said. “I think a lot of people will see this with math teachers who are really knowledgable, but don’t know how to teach.”

Lauren Mark, a sophomore studying English education, said she’s worried the bill may affect her employment opportunities if requirements for licensure are relaxed.

“Teaching’s already kind of competitive so it would make it harder,” she said.

Gonzalez said he does not think the bill will pass without being reworded, and that he is not opposed to the idea of looking into education standards.

“One of the things I would recommend is the bill be amended to create a commission,” Gonzalez said.

He said he would like to see a commission of experts in the education field working together to create the set of standards. He also said he thinks IU can be a leader in educational standards in the state.

“We here in Indiana, particularly at Indiana University, can be a model for what should be incorporated in a strong teaching program,” he said.

If passed, the bill will go into effect in 2014.

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