If you watch politics right now, you are aware that finding something that Democrats and Republicans can agree on is nothing short of a miracle. When it comes to protecting Indiana students, a miracle is exactly what was needed. Indiana Republican Sen. Aaron Freeman from Beech Grove and House Democratic Rep. Carolyn Jackson from Hammond.
Teacher Misconduct:
Upping protections during the teacher shortage
Freeman authored Senate Bill 342 with hopes of closing dangerous loopholes that existed in Indiana’s code specific to teacher misconduct.
At the start of this year’s general assembly it was 100% legal for a teacher to have a substantiated DCS case for abuse and/or neglect, numerous convictions for Class A Misdemeanors, and a history of grooming students at previous schools. Teachers were able to be on active probation and serving incarceration on an intermittent basis. Meaning teachers that had been convicted of criminal offenses and received jail time to be served on weekends and vacations could leave school on Friday, check themselves into jail for the weekend, then leave jail and walk back into their classrooms full of vulnerable and unknowing students on Monday morning.
Due to employment laws and DCS confidentiality measures, criminals were able to hide behind laws that were meant to protect law-abiding teachers and vulnerable children. As advocate Ashley Nation shared, “Human Resources protect adults, they don’t protect children. In my case, one of my old teachers who suspected what was happening to me sent numerous messages to administration but there was nothing that could be done. Years later she brought me a HUGE stack of emails to show me how hard she had tried to stop my abuser. She felt awful that there was nothing more she could do as my teacher seeing this happen.”
SB 342 hasn’t received a single no vote in the entire 2023 session. This is a testament to how important it is to tighten up loopholes during the teacher shortage. The measure is heading to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk for signature in the upcoming weeks and should go into effect this summer, ensuring that Indiana students and law abiding teachers will be safer and school leaders will have more information to make decisions when school reopens in the fall of 2023.
Lead Contamination:
The pipeline to prison begins with lead
Representative Jackson authored House Bill 1138 as her fifth attempt to protect children from lead contamination in schools. The first version of the bill was introduced in 2019 and didn’t get a hearing. The second version of the bill was filed in 2020, again with no luck. The third version of the bill was filed in 2021 and there was no charm. The fourth version of the bill was filed in 2022 and it didn’t get a hearing.
The fifth version of the bill was filed this year as HB 1138 and has made it through overwhelmingly.
As a former probation officer, she fully understands the impact that lead can have on a community. She said, “As a probation officer I always felt like I was working backwards to address the pipeline to prison. So many of my cases needed mental health support and couldn’t read. I know schools are trying really hard to get kids back after COVID and the General Assembly has identified mental health as a priority. 1138 will provide support for schools to support both of these priorities.”
Research has shown that lead contamination, in even small doses, can drastically reduce a child’s cognitive skills and increase their behavior issues; the two leading indicators for special education placements.
Given the majority of Republicans needed to pass a bill introduced by a Democrat, working across the aisle was key. As Rep. Craig Haggard from Mooresville shared, “My oath means that I represent and work for all kids in Indiana. This is a great bill for several reasons. It’s an easy fix, we will see instant benefits and we don’t have to wait years to see if it works. We know it will. Additionally, it doesn’t blame anyone, it doesn’t attack businesses. It allows us to move forward with a tangible solution.”
HB 1138 has also received all yeas and not a single nay in the entire 2023 session. This is a testament to how important it is to offer real support for schools trying to combat lead contamination. After signed into law it will ensure that Indiana students and families will be healthier, and schools will have the critical information necessary to protect young Hoosiers from the dangers of lead contamination when school reopens in the fall of 2023.
Dr. Addie Angelov
Angelov is a former professor at the University of Indianapolis and served as Director of Research for the Indiana Department of Education. Currently she is Co-Founder and CEO of the Paramount Health Data Project.
