There Is Power In Union
Friends and Constituents,
I hope you’re all well. I’m writing you this email shortly after Indianapolis Public Schools officially cancelled school for tomorrow (Monday, April 14th).
School was cancelled because so many rank-and-file teachers called in to use a sick day to go to the Statehouse and protest against a bill sitting on Governor Braun’s desk that would defund public education to the tune of $744 million.
While politicians and school board commissioners have been slow to react to this existential threat, ordinary people have stepped up and insisted that leaders must fight.
Even such unlikely political allies as Rob Kendall of WIBC have recognized that only working people standing together have the power to stop this bad bill. (Catch me on Rob’s show tomorrow morning!)
To combat the fatigue and confusion of a long Statehouse legislative session with constantly moving parts and complexities, I helped pen a letter calling for Governor Braun and all elected officials to abide by one simple principle: NO CUTS TO SCHOOLS.
Here is the letter in its entirety, along with most of the leaders and organizations who have signed it thus far:
At the Indiana General Assembly this year, dozens of bills related to education have been discussed and considered. The legislature has proposed amendment after amendment, seeking to complicate the issue with page after page of legal language.
At the end of the day, though, the financials are a simple matter: Indiana has $2.6 billion in state reserves, including a $421 million surplus last year alone.
All children in Indiana deserve every last dollar currently being spent on their education.
We, the undersigned, call on all political leaders in Indiana - from the Governor to our Mayors and our Legislators, across political lines, to unite behind this simple message:
No children in Indiana should suffer cuts to their education budgets - for any reason.
No matter the name of the bill, no matter the complex reasons being given, we say that cuts to public education are simply unacceptable. We demand Fully Funded, Fully Public education.
NO CUTS TO SCHOOLS!
Jesse Brown
Indianapolis City-County Councilor
Jared Evans
Indianapolis City-County Councilor
Ali Brown
Indianapolis City-County Councilor
Crista Carlino
Indianapolis City-County Councilor
Kristin Jones
Indianapolis City-County Councilor
Nick Roberts
Indianapolis City-County Councilor
Andy Nielsen
Indianapolis City-County Councilor
John Barth
Indianapolis City-County Councilor
Dan Boots
Indianapolis City-County Councilor
Keith Graves
Indianapolis City-County Councilor and Chair of the Education Committee
Dr. Gayle Cosby
Indianapolis Public Schools Commissioner
Alissa Impink
Indianapolis Public Schools Commissioner
Dr. Nicole Carey
Indianapolis Public Schools Commissioner
Dr. Wayne Moore
Pike Township School Commissioner
Will Pritchard
Former Indianapolis Public Schools Commissioner
Dr. David Greene
President, Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis
Andrea Hunley
Indiana State Senator
The Black Church Coalition
Dr. Russel Skiba
University Alliance of Racial Justice
Our coalition is collecting additional signatures from the public tomorrow, both online and in person at the Red for Ed / Indiana State Teachers Association day of action taking place from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm tomorrow.
A group will be marching with me to the Governor’s office in the Statehouse starting at about 1:30 pm to deliver copies of the letter.
Please sign the letter, share with everyone you know, and consider joining us tomorrow.
If you can’t make it to the Statehouse, consider joining our DSA Fully Funded, Fully Public committee meeting at 6:30 pm - there’s both a Zoom and an in-person option.
Together, regular people can insist on a politics that doesn’t rob from our children in order to pay our bills.
See you tomorrow!
In love and solidarity,
Jesse