Conflicting Values in Indiana Education

Tony Bennett, Indiana superintendent of public instruction, is a controversial figure in state politics.

Appointed by Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2009, Bennett has enacted sweeping education reforms that have changed the way public schools operate, students take tests, teachers teach and parents choose where to send their children.

Among these reforms are the proposed Rules for Educator Preparation and Accountability, or REPA II, which changes the requirements for teacher licensing in Indiana.

The law, in short, states that any college graduate with a 3.0 GPA or higher who wishes to become a licensed teacher simply must pass a test to do so, sans education degree or other previously valid qualifications.

We believe that even if this law comes with good intentions, is could have negative implications for the state of public education in our state and further the conversion of schools into entities that operate more like businesses than schools.

If all one must do to be a teacher is pass a test, why would anyone take the time to go through the rigorous process of attaining an education degree?

Here at IU, students in the School of Education must undergo multiple semesters of teacher shadowing and one semester of student teaching to receive their degrees.
One can easily see how these provide future teachers with valuable preparation and insight into their field before entering the workforce.

REPA II is especially disturbing when considering that a so-called walk-on teacher could become a special education teacher simply by taking a test, as special education is a particularly specific area that requires a very particular set of skills and characteristics.

REPA II is as confusing as it is shocking.

In 2010, Daniels passed a law mandating that future teachers major in the subjects they plan to teach, forcing education schools throughout the state to perform massive overhauls of their credit systems and class requirements.

This simple fact illustrates the double standards that have been a trend throughout Daniels and Bennett’s reforms.

Why should those who choose to prepare themselves for a specific career serving future generations be expected to meet remarkably higher standards than those that do not?

Public education is not just a tool for advancing our society and ensuring success for future generations.

It is a right ensured to every Hoosier through the Indiana Constitution.
It is not a business.

The goal of education is not to cut costs and maximize profits.

The men and women who choose to work in the field as well as the students they serve should not be treated as test subjects in the experiment that are the reforms of the last three years.