Indiana’s school board elections moved closer to becoming partisan after the House of Representatives narrowly approved a bill requiring candidates to list political affiliations on ballots.
If enacted, candidates must declare a party affiliation, list themselves as independent or remain nonpartisan. Party-affiliated candidates would have their designation appear on ballots.
Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage, spent nine years on a school board and opposes the bill.
“The whole premise of this bill is there’s politics in the schools, let’s just put more politics in the schools,” Moseley pointed out. “You can choose to believe me or not believe me, but the fact of the matter is we kept politics out of that.”
Supporters argued school boards already operate along party lines and said voters should know candidates’ political leanings. The bill passed 54-40 with 14 Republicans joining 26 Democrats who voted no. It now returns to the Senate for final approval.
Opponents of Senate Bill 287 claimed the change would inject unnecessary partisanship into local education, making elections more divisive. Only Democrats spoke against the measure during debate, warning it would deepen political divides in schools.
Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, said school boards are already partisan.
“One party is saying it’s OK that biological males can compete with our daughters in sports; another party is pushing against that,” Lucas contended. “One party thinks it’s OK to sterilize and mutilate children; another party’s pushing against that.”
If the Senate approves the changes, Indiana will join a handful of states with fully partisan school board elections.
2 comments
Nothing has changed with the ability of schools to do their jobs since board members are elected rather than appointed by local politicians. At least when a dem mayor appointed a board member we all knew what policies that person was likely to espouse.
I don’t think knowing the political affiliation of a school board member will make much difference in how the schools operate.
I think there should be a law that bars all former teachers or union members from the school board. That is a conflict of interest. I will never vote for a board member that is from the union/teacher ranks.
I am so very thankful that nearly all of my grandchildren have been home schooled or attended a private Christian School.
I do strenuously object that 80% of my property tax is going to a failing school system, aren’t they all failing???? YES THEY ARE!
This should be tied to their voting history…because if asked libs will lie.