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MONROE COUNTY
COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION
MCCSC ENGAGE. EMPOWER. EDUCATE.
Indiana "A" School Corporation
2012,2013,2014,2015,2017
BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES
Mr. Kelly Smith. President
Or. Lois Sabo-Skelton. V1<:e President
Ms. Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer. Secretary
Mrs. Mar tha Street. Assistant Secretary
Or. Jeannine Butler. Member
Mr. Keith Klem. Member
Ms. Susan P. Wanzer. Member
ADMINISTRATION
Or. Judith A. OeMuth, Superintendent
Or. Andrea Mobley. Asst. Supenntendent for HR and Operations
0( Markay Winston. Asst. Superintendent for Curriculum and Instr uction
Or. Oeb Prenker t. 01rector of Bementary Education
Or. Katflleen Hugo. Orrector of Speaal Educauon
Mr. John Kenny, Director of Business Operations
Mr. Tim Pritchett. Orrector of Technology

January 25, 2018

Dear Governor Holcomb and Indiana General Assembly,

The Board of School Trustees of the Monroe County Community School Corporation stands in strong opposition
to HB1315; the bill that allows the state to take over financially distressed school districts, stripping them of their
local control and democratic governance. In particular, the recent amendment to that bill which would allow Ball
State University to take complete control of the Muncie Community Schools with no time-line for returning the
school corporation to the local control of their community is of great concern to us.

We, the elected school boards of our public schools, are what put the "public" in public education. We are the
ones who, however fallible, are elected (in almost all cases) to represent our community and help shape the
vision of our schools, which we then ask our administration to carry out. We are the ones who are accountable
to the community, feel pressure from our constituencies when we go awry, and who, ideally, should be
advocating for the best interests of all children. Charter schools and voucher schools can choose the students
who walk through their doors or who stay, while public schools are for a//.

We stand in support of the people of Muncie, Gary, and whichever district the state legislature may set their
sights on next. We demand that the legislature amend HB1315 to allow the voices of administrators, teachers,
citizens, and elected community school board members remain an integral part of the democratic process and
the public accountability inherent in true public education. We ask that the legislature create a time-line or
process of working with those just named and by which the control of the school system will rightfully return to
the hands of local control and the elected representatives where it belongs.

It is critical that the Indiana Legislature not, again, usurp local control of our public schools, recognizing that any
of our districts and elected positions could be next. Our public schools are the heart of our communities and it is
up to us to keep them beating.

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Kelly Smith, President Lois

CathyFu ec Martha Street, Assistant Secretary

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Keith Klein, Member
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Susan P. Wanzer, Member

315 E. North Drive. Bloomington. IN 47401 • Ph. (812) 330-7700 · Fax (812} 330-7813 www.mccsc.edu
OUR MISSION: Empowering students to maximize their educational success to become productive, responsible global citizens.