Legislation that would ban Gary teachers from collective bargaining and reduce local control of the Gary Community School Corporation is drawing backlash from local officials. Under House Bill 1187, all seven members of the school district's governing board would be appointed by the Indiana Secretary of Education, with the mayor and city council getting to make recommendations for two of them.
Officials discussed the issue for two hours during an emergency city council meeting Wednesday. Gary Teachers Union President GlenEva Dunham says some teachers would leave if the union goes away.
"It would be devastating. I always say that the children's learning conditions are the teachers' working conditions. So if I'm working in a room that's cold, the children are learning in a room that's cold, and so teachers have always been advocates for the students," Dunham told council members.
The bill also raises questions about who gets to control Gary's schools. Since 2017, the Gary Community School Corporation has been under state control since 2017. State Representative Ragen Hatcher (D-Gary) says the school district is on track to meet the state's fiscal benchmarks. She says changing the rules now reflects the "paternalistic mentality of Indianapolis to Gary."
"So now, because the city passed a referendum, because of COVID and the funds that came from COVID funds, we've gotten to this point. And so now, they're like, 'Uh oh. They made it. Now we have to pass something else,'" Hatcher said.
Former Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson calls the bill a travesty, not only for taking away teachers' right to collective bargaining but Gary residents' right to govern themselves.
"This is, by far, the most egregious, the most disrespectful, and the most predatory piece of legislation that I have seen directed towards the city and citizens of Gary," said the former mayor.
Council Member Clorius Lay, meanwhile, said it's probably the most significant fight the city has ever been in.
Hatcher says she'll continue to negotiate with bill author Tim Brown (R-Crawfordsville), noting that there probably aren't enough Democrats in the General Assembly to kill the measure entirely. Meanwhile, the Gary City Council plans to adopt a resolution voicing its opposition.
