Editorial Roundup: Indiana
Anderson Herald Bulletin. February 16, 2022.
Editorial: '~Adjunct' teachers bill sidesteps primary issues
Legislation that would enable public school districts to use 'œadjunct'ť teachers is a Band-Aid approach to addressing Indiana's shortage of educators.
What Hoosier schools really need is a comprehensive and aggressive plan to bolster pay while liberating teachers to take ownership of their classrooms and providing them with adequate support.
Instead, Senate Bill 356 treats the symptoms, not the disease.
The Senate passed the bill Feb. 1, but the 31-18 vote indicated bipartisan concern. Eight of the 39 Republicans in the chamber's supermajority joined the 10 Senate Democrats in voting against the legislation. The bill is now in front of the House Education Committee.
State Sen. Shelli Yoder noted the state already has multiple pathways to teacher licensing, including the transition to teaching program for professionals. She expressed concern SB 356 would be yet another way to put people without practical experience as teachers in front of students.
'œThere is a difference between an expert chemist and being able to teach in the classroom,'ť the Democrat from Bloomington said. 'œThere are not enough guardrails here.'ť
Calling the bill a union-busting ploy, the Indiana State Teachers Association testified against it in front of a Senate committee. Under the legislation, adjunct teachers wouldn't qualify for state retirement benefits.
The author of the bill, Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger, countered that the legislation would give districts needed flexibility to cover classrooms.
'œA current shortage requires schools to rely on substitute teachers, (information technology) teachers and emergency permits to fill our classrooms - many with just a high school education,'ť Rogers said. 'œWe have to start thinking outside of the box when faced with critical issues like teacher shortages.'ť
Thinking of creative ways to address the teacher shortage isn't a bad approach, but the legislature's focus should be on reshaping the teaching experience in Indiana's public schools.
Often, young teachers who leave the profession and veterans who retire early are discouraged by low pay, an institutional focus on teaching to standardized tests, lack of support in the classroom and, most recently, legislation that would limit their discretion in use of source materials and creation of lesson plans.
In that vein, Senate Bill 356 doesn't offer anything substantial to deal with the core factors driving the teacher shortage, namely the recruitment and retention of professional teachers in Indiana public schools.
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Terre Haute Tribune-Star. February 11, 2022.
Editorial: Economic fortunes turn to the city's east side
The flow of economic activity in Terre Haute could soon shift directions, once again.
Churchill Downs has changed its intended location for its new Queen of Terre Haute Casino and Resort. The Louisville-based company filed an application to rezone 49 acres of land near Interstate 70 and Indiana 46 as the site of its $190-million casino complex. Churchill Downs originally targeted land along Honey Creek Drive near the I-70 exit onto U.S. 41.
The pace of development on the city's east side will quicken.
As the casino construction begins - assuming Vigo County Area Planning approves the rezoning request - the community should consider the future of the area left behind.
Terre Haute did not exercise such vision the last time its economy repositioned.
On the morning of Aug. 31, 1967, I-70 opened to traffic through Vigo County on a stretch from the Illinois state line to Indiana 46. Traffic on Wabash Avenue downtown almost immediately thinned to a trickle. Mayor Ralph Tucker noticed. Parking space on Wabash opened and the air quality downtown improved, Tucker told the Terre Haute Tribune. And, 'œfor the first time in a quarter-century, it was quiet Thursday night in the Poplar Street residential area.'ť
Those were not the only changes. The hub of Terre Haute's commercial and retail activity migrated from downtown to the I-70/U.S. 41 intersection. The downtown district struggled for decades before experiencing a gradual revival in the 21st century.
Now, the local economy's center of gravity could drift eastward. Churchill Downs' decision to relocate its casino site is not the lone force in that shift. Development has been steady in recent years in that region, involving new retail, businesses, restaurants, big-box grocery outlets, fuel stations, residential complexes, lodging and services. Infrastructure to accommodate that growth has followed, too. Traffic into the casino will further juice that expansion.
'œFor months, people from across West Central Indiana encouraged us to build the Queen of Terre Haute on the east side of town,'ť Jason Sauer, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for CDI, said in a company statement. 'œWe listened.'ť
Back on the city's southwest side, some what-ifs are appropriate, starting with, 'œWhat if Churchill Downs had followed through with a casino by the Haute City Center mall?'ť Perhaps all of the skepticism would have come true. Maybe the proximity of the city's wastewater treatment plant and the new Vigo County Jail would indeed spoil the attractiveness of the casino's rooftop patio lounge and pool. Maybe the activity would indeed overwhelm venerable little Indiana 63 as it hugs the riverfront area.
Or, maybe the presence of Churchill Downs' complex could have transformed the southwest side, spurring riverfront beautification efforts and sparking infrastructure improvements. Such transformations have happened in other old Hoosier river cities, such as Lawrenceburg.
During the debates over Vigo County officials' original plan to build a new jail on Prairieton Road, near the river, several advocates of that plan said a jail would not inhibit other development. And, city officials have also contended the modernization of the wastewater treatment plant had essentially eliminated 'œthe smell'ť that gave Terre Haute a bad reputation for decades. So, if the jail and wastewater plant indeed do now deter new business around those facilities, then what is ahead for that side of the city?
No doubt, the Queen of Terre Haute will become a popular attraction on an increasingly busier east side. The future of Terre Haute's longtime economic center around I-70 and U.S. 41 is less clear.
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South Bend Tribune. February 10, 2022.
Editorial: Address potential unintended consequences in Indiana's police log bill
On first glance, it's hard to argue with the premise of Senate Bill 117, which would protect records and personal information for minors under the age of 18 who are alleged victims of crimes.
The bill would 'œexempt the records and personal identifying information of minors on police logs for any public access,'ť the bill's author, Sen. Kyle Walker, R-Lawrence, said, noting that it's 'œsupported by a wide variety of cities and towns across the state, many law enforcement professionals.'ť
SB 117 received a hearing and an 11-0 vote of support from the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee on Tuesday.
But despite the honorable intentions cited by its supporters, the bill could have some unintended consequences, which legislators said they will address.
The Hoosier State Press Association, which represents Indiana newspapers, expressed its concerns at Tuesday's hearing. Steve Key, HSPA executive director and general counsel, said he is concerned the bill could limit reporting on court proceedings, where names of minors may need to be redacted from public records.
And Key cites the example of the police showing up at a scene where a mother is dead, with a father and son missing. Would this bill prevent the police from putting out a photo of the child, asking the public if they've seen him or her? 'œI don't think the intent was to tie the hands of law enforcement,'ť he said.
Committee chair Rep. Randy Frye asked that Walker, Rep. Steve Bartels, the bill's House sponsor, legislative services staff and Key work to fix any issues with the bill.
Key hopes for modifications that will give police some discretion on whether minors' names are included in police logs.
SB 117 has a local connection: A Tribune story has been named as an example of the problem of allowing police to identify crime victims who are juveniles. The April 13, 2021, story named a 16-year-old who was one of three people shot. He later died from his injuries in the hospital. The name was listed on the police log - a list of incidents that is critical in ensuring police are accountable to the public and that suspected crimes are docketed.
The Tribune received no complaints about the story after it was published.
Virtually all news organizations have standards on naming children involved in crimes, generally naming defendants only in cases where their cases are moved to adult court. When it comes to victims, The Tribune and other newspapers take into account a variety of considerations before printing names. Victims of sexual crimes, for example, are not named. Names will also be withheld if there are safety considerations, such as further danger to the victim.
We believe SB 117 is not needed, that the status quo protects the rights of victims and the public alike. But as the bill looks likely to win approval, we hope that changes are made to address the valid concerns raised.
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