Dant Chesser denounces partisan school boards

Today, March 31, the House passed Senate Bill 287 with a vote of 54 to 40. The bill makes Indiana’s school board elections partisan, requiring candidates to run as Democrat, Republican, Independent or with a blank space next to their name. Since the bill underwent changes in the House, it heads back to the Senate for a concurrence or dissent vote.

State Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser (D-Jeffersonville) released the following statement: 

“I’m sad that we took this vote today. Only 27% of families support partisan school boards. I can unequivocally say that our parents and teachers in Clark and Floyd Counties do not want partisan school boards. When I was elected to this position, no one asked me to bring more politics into our community. 

“Our public schools are excellent community unifiers. This weekend, the boys basketball team from Jeffersonville High School won the state championship, and close to 500 people welcomed our players home in the middle of the night. I would hate for this bill, which inserts politics into schools, to jeopardize that sense of community. 

“It’s about putting our kids and their futures before any party ideology or agenda. Our classrooms, where our children learn, shouldn’t be used for political posturing. Inviting politics into our elections will create more division, further dividing our communities. 

“It’s about serving our kids–not about serving a party.”