Gov. Eric Holcomb announced one of his priorities for the 2017 legislative session will be passing a bill to make Indiana’s superintendent of public schools a governor-appointed position rather than an elected one.
House Bill 1005 was written by House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, and referred to the Committee on Education on Jan. 10, according to the Indiana General Assembly website.
The bill doesn’t sit well with Rep. Melanie Wright, D-Yorktown, who also teaches at Daleville Community Schools. It would take away voting power from constituents.
“I think it’s very important it stays an elected position,” Wright said. “It’s important to have voter input — so important.”
Holcomb revealed the legislation as part of his five-part plan for the 2017 session.
If passed the governor would appoint a secretary of education beginning in 2021. The bill would allow current Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick to finish her four-year term.
“This is not about the person, me or the superintendent,” Holcomb said. “This is about the position and how they can be aligned to work truly together.”
In a statement released after Holcomb discussed his 2017 education agenda, McCormick said she values the voices of all constituents and acknowledges the decision will be a difficult one for legislators to make.
“I do not view this as a personal reflection of my ability or willingness to effectively work with the Governor,” McCormick said in the Jan. 5 release. “While I value the notion of a separation of powers between the Governor and state superintendent, I fully recognize that the governor and state superintendent must work collaboratively.”
This is not the first time the legislature has discussed changing the school chief position; clashes during former Superintendent Glenda Ritz’s tenure between the school chief and former Gov. Mike Pence began conversations about altering her role.
Pence promoted a bill in 2015 that would have stripped Ritz’s power leading the state board of education that same summer, but the bill the legislature ended up passing only allowed the state board of education to elect its own chair beginning in 2017. Previously the superintendent had been the default head of the board.
This decision did not affect Ritz’s position, though, as the incumbent lost her re-election bid in November .
Bosma hinted at past tensions in a statement responding to Holcomb’s agenda by saying the goal of the bill is “taking politics out of the process and ensuring consistency in education policy.”
“Democrats and Republicans have supported this reform in the past, and I’ve personally advocated this change for many years,” Bosma said in the Jan. 5 statement.
Ritz didn’t shy away from discussing the drama that surrounded much of her term. The tensions seemed constant — during one campaign night for re-election last fall, Ritz said Pence would never stop trying to thwart her.
Wright said this bill probably appears less controversial than the bill from 2015 because the legislators introducing it are of the same party as the superintendent. It doesn’t come off as an attempt to strip power.
Though a majority of states appoint their school chiefs rather than elect them, Wright said the legislature should continue to do what’s best for Indiana rather than following suit. What’s best in this case is for the position to remain an elected one, she said.
The legislature has hit teachers with too many changes in the past few years without seeking their input enough, which is how unforeseen problems crop up later on, Wright said.
Listening to teachers and constituents is vital to making good change, she said.
“I think any time we can give voters an opportunity to vote on anything, we’re getting their feedback,” Wright said. “And that’s what democracy is about.”
