Only in the public schools could you have a back to school evening with parents, students, and faculty that turns into a political convention. Complete with yelling and complaining.

That’s what happened at the Vigo County School meeting. State Sen Tim Skinner and Rep Clyde Kersey took their opportunity to tear down the Governor, State Superintendent Tony Bennett, and anyone else that would dare challenge the status quo in public education.

Keep in mind Vigo County Schools received an increase in funding, their teachers just received a pay raise, the State and Country is in a recession, and only 5 States in the Country could afford to increase spending on k-12. (Indiana being one of them!)

“The last session of the Indiana General Assembly wasn’t kind to education funding,” said state Sen. Tim Skinner, D-Terre Haute.

Did I mention they got an increase in spending?

Under the new state budget, funding for many school districts, including Vigo County, has been flatlined, Skinner said. Other districts — particularly those with steep enrollment declines — are seeing losses in the millions, he said.

That means no money for increases in insurance, utilities, transportation or teacher increments (automatic experience increases), he said. Cost-of-living increases now must be absorbed by corporations, resulting in layoffs and school closings in many districts across the state.

Never let facts stand in the way when you are trying to score political points.  What layoffs? What schools closed? What school came close to losing a million dollars?

Kersey said the new budget bill allows for more charter schools, a tax credit that benefits private schools and a virtual online school that he believes will encourage more home-schooling.

While overall funding for public schools does increase 1.1 percent the first year and 0.3 percent the second year, those increases “do not go to all schools across the board,” Kersey said.

They will go to the districts with growing enrollments, he said, including affluent suburban districts.

Clyde, I know it is a radical thought, but stay with me. Why would we not spend money on the student? Why should tax payers pay a school money for children they don’t have? Furthermore you do understand that charter schools are public schools. They offer parents a choice, which is the way it should be.

Cam Savage, spokesman for the state Department of Education, said Indiana is going to spend more money on public education this year than last year. About $6.5 billion will go toward public education, he said, or about half of all state spending.

Soak that number up for a second. We spend $6.5 billion dollars on public education. We have 1 million students in public schools in Indiana; do you believe they are getting short changed?

So now what is this radical agenda that Skinner and Kersey seem to think exist towards our public schools? Why do they think the world is against them? Look at what Tony Bennett says his goals are, is that radical?

As far as the administration’s agenda for public education, Bennett has established a goal of 90 percent of students passing ISTEP and 90 percent graduating from high school. Those are lofty goals, Savage said, and that will mean “doing some things differently.”

I guess it could be radical to expect that 90% of students pass the ISTEP, and that 90% of students actually graduate. Think of it this way. We spend $6.5 billion on public education. Don’t you think we should demand results like Tony Bennett wants?

Jane Jankowski, the governor’s press secretary, said that Indiana is one of only a few states in the country in which there is an increase in education funding.

“Most states are looking at drastic cuts or no increase at all,” she said. Public education has seen increases in funding every year that Daniels has been governor.

She also pointed out that the administration’s position on charter schools — which called for no cap on their growth — is in line with the push for education reform advocated by President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

I am now starting to remember why Governor Daniels got nearly 70% of the vote for re-election. The amazing thing is that President Obama even agrees with Daniels and Bennett when it comes to education. Now if we could just get the Democrats in Indy to come on board and make it about students, not the ISTA.