Miller condemns passage of partisan school board bill

Senate Bill 287 passed through the House of Representatives today by a vote of 54-40. 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. 

 State Rep. Kyle Miller (D-Fort Wayne) issued the following statement regarding the bill, which now heads to the governor's desk:

"The only thing this bill will accomplish is making our voters lazier and weakening our schools. With an 'R' or a 'D' next to a candidate's name, voters will have little incentive to research their backgrounds and viewpoints. As a parent, I'm more interested in knowing the people leading my children's school board have the expertise to do the job than I am knowing how they vote.

"Partisan politics have no place in our children's schools. Our focus should be on preparing kids for higher education or the workforce and setting them up for a lifetime of success by developing their critical thinking skills and ability to think for themselves."