Indiana School districts involved in insurance battle

The insurance battle between the Indiana State Teachers Association and state school districts has gained momentum with the Delphi and Caston school districts, from northern Indiana, joining the battle.

Millions of dollars are at stake, and now the National Education Association has been drawn into the dispute.

The problem began when the ISTA could no longer fund its health and disability insurance programs for teachers and administrators and fell $67 million in debt. The association appealed to the NEA to take over the debt, which is the first time a state teachers union has made such a request of the NEA.

After NEA’s takeover of the teacher union, NEA trustee Ed Sullivan assured school districts that they would be compensated for their losses.

According to a statement issued to the Indianapolis Star by superintendent of the Delphi Community School Corporation Ralph Walker, the ISTA has refused to tell the Delphi school district how much they are owed in insurance credits. Many school districts, still waiting for their money, are caught between the ISTA and the NEA.

The Oregon-Davis School Corporation has been involved in trying to resolve the situation with the teachers union since the beginning and is getting tired of not getting answers, said Dr. Steve Disney, superintendent of the Oregon-Davis School Corporation.

“We’re trying to get resolutions and we’re trying to get cooperation from NEA leadership,” Disney said. “They have not followed through with meetings. They have not answered our questions.”

Currently, the only district to make an official board statement has been Delphi, but there is anywhere from 25 to 40 school districts affected by the situation, Disney said.

“A lot of superintendents are hesitant to take the lead against something like this,” Disney said. “It’s like David against Goliath.”