As the Indiana legislative session begins, Gary Common Council members are urging the community to speak out against a bill that impacts the Gary Community School Corporation.
“Please call down state immediately and voice your concerns,” Parliamentarian Linda Barnes-Caldwell, D-5th, said during the council’s Tuesday meeting. “Whatever you can do will help. Don’t be silent, please let your voice be heard.”
House Bill 1136, filed by Rep. Jake Teshka, R-North Liberty, calls for a school district to dissolve if more than half its students in the legal settlement area attend school elsewhere by the fall 2024 student count date, according to Post-Tribune archives.
“I authored this legislation to ensure school corporations are giving our children the best education possible and to find solutions in districts where the current governance is failing its students,” Teshka said in a statement.
In Gary’s settlement area, 35% of students attend Gary Community School Corp., according to state fall enrollment data.
The bill affects four other school districts, including Indianapolis Public Schools.
Nine Gary schools will be turned into charter schools if the bill is passed, including Jacques Marquette Elementary School, Gary Middle School and West Side Leadership Academy, Barnes-Caldwell said.
“If House Bill 1136 is passed, this will mean the end of the Gary Community School Corp.,” she added.
Gary has eight charter schools, two of which operate as dropout recovery schools. The city’s school district enrollment dropped 73% from 2007 to 2023, which is the highest amount lost in the state.
Councilman Darren Washington, D-At Large, made a motion to sponsor a resolution opposing the bill. It’s important for state legislators to know the council won’t stand for an attack on Gary schools, Washington added.
Council President Tai Adkins, D-4th, echoed Washington’s sentiments and asked him to draft the resolution for the body’s next meeting.
Washington looked at the other school districts included, two of which have less than 1,000 students, he said. He believes the bill targets Gary schools.
Gary Community Schools Corp. fell under Indiana control in 2017 after finance issues, and the district couldn’t pay bills or payrolls. The Distressed Unit Appeal Board released Gary from state control in July under the governance of an appointed school board.
“This type of legislation is unacceptable,” Washington said, “especially because the school district has gotten off probation and has managed its finances. To pull a trick move like this … is very unfair.”
Gary Superintendent Yvonne Stokes released a statement on the legislation Tuesday afternoon.
“It has only been 6 months since the Gary Community School Corporation was released from a 7-year state takeover,” Stokes wrote in an emailed statement. “During this 7-year time period, there was an exodus of thousands of students from the district. Since local control was re-instated, we have been laser-focused on increasing enrollment and maintaining financial solvency, while enhancing curriculum and improving the overall educational experience for children.
“The enrollment count, upon which Bill 1136 proposes to dissolve our district, only reflects 2 months of attendance recorded at the start of the 2024-25 school year. This count does reflect an increase of more than 200 students, which is an upward trend that we are working to continue. Our leadership team will work with staff, parents, families, scholars and stakeholders to educate the school community about this proposed legislation and then take necessary actions on what’s best for children.”
At the Tuesday meeting, council members also unanimously elected Adkins as president and Lori Latham, D-1st, as vice president. Councilman Dwight Williams, D-At Large, was absent from the reorganization, but he was present for the general meeting.
Gary City Clerk Suzette Raggs swore in both Adkins and Latham.
“It means something that I have unanimous support of my leadership,” Adkins told the council. “I was very nervous last year, and I hope that I have made you all proud for what I’ve attempted to do while leading our efforts.”
Adkins is one of the multiple candidates who have expressed interest in the Calumet Township trustee position. Washington is another candidate.
Candidates are vying to replace ex-Trustee Kim Robinson, who on Dec. 23 pleaded guilty in Hammond’s U.S. District Court, which can carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Federal prosecutors alleged she used $11,200 in township funds to pay rent.
Robinson resigned on Dec. 20 as part of her plea deal. If the deal is accepted, she will serve one year of probation and have to repay $11,200, plus an $8,700 fine, according to Post-Tribune archives.
If Adkins or Washington are elected in a Jan. 16 caucus, another caucus will have to be held to replace them on Gary’s council.
