In Indiana, a legislative attempt to take over the Indianapolis school district is under way, and the Mind Trust has been fast and loose in deciding to speak for parents of color in the district. Amelia Pak-Harvey reports for Chalkbeat Indiana.
A coalition of Black community groups is accusing education reform organizations of misrepresenting opinions in the African American community in a bid to pass legislation that would significantly reduce the power of an elected Indianapolis Public Schools board.
“African Americans are not a monolith, but claims made by organizations and institutions with little or no authentic connection to the Black community do not reflect the public record and are deeply concerning,” said the statement released Wednesday by the African American Coalition of Indianapolis.
The statement reflects months of tension between lawmakers, reform groups, and residents over the future of Indianapolis Public Schools and comes as lawmakers are debating a governance overhaul. House Bill 1423, based on recommendations from the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance, would create a new corporation to oversee key aspects of district operations as well as the many charters within district borders. The elected school board would be left with much less authority.
A lead employee at the Mind Trust, a nonprofit that supports the bill and helped start many Indianapolis charter schools, told lawmakers last week that white parents opposed the controversial House Bill 1423 while parents of color supported it.
“You all heard from a number of parents who look like me and live in my neighborhood today — one even claimed to be from among the wealthiest — and they have opposed this bill,” said Kim Preston, the Mind Trust’s senior vice president of policy, who is white. “By comparison, I’ll point out that parents of color have shown up today and throughout the ILEA process to support this effort. Their voices matter and their students deserve our support.”
But the African American Coalition said it has expressed “serious concerns” about the bill, including removing the elected board from a district that primarily serves Black and brown students.
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