“We understand and respect Glenda Ritz’s decision to seek re-election as Superintendent of Public Instruction. With her leadership at the Statehouse, Hoosier families can have the confidence that she and other Statehouse Democrats will work to solve the problems facing our state. Whether it is protecting public education, reducing child poverty, or fighting to keep education more accessible and affordable in our state – particularly by working to expand Pre-K education – Hoosier Democrats will lead the charge to send Indiana in a new direction for the future. We enthusiastically support Superintendent Ritz in her re-election efforts.”Ritz has been the target of both Republicans and Democrats since her election. Both parties have been taken over by a cabal of education profiteers who are using education reform as a ruse to implement various schemes to divert public education dollars into the pockets of charter school operators and other for-profit and non-profit education entities run by political insiders who are totally politicizing education for the purpose of profiteering. The quality of public education continues to deteriorate despite all of their reform schemes and increased public expenditures, but the changes have proven successful in fueling campaign contributions to the politicians who buy into these faux reform efforts.
Ritz' departure may not be good news for John Gregg. It appears that the Bayh faction of the Democratic Party is teaming up with a few wealthy power brokers like the Simons to launch a gubernatorial campaign bid by a former Bayh staffer, Tom Sugar, who is currently employed by Complete College America ("CCA"), which as far as I can ascertain is a bogus nonprofit established to provide Democratic Party hacks with high-paid six figure jobs.
Former state lawmaker, Bayh staffer and former higher education commission Stan Jones is paid about $350,000 a year to serve as president of the nonprofit. Sugar is pulling down about $250,000 for a make-work senior VP position. Blake Johnson, a former communications director for U.S. Rep. Andre Carson and Democratic candidate for the City-County Council seat now held by
Sugar's work as a Bayh staffer and this nonprofit hardly qualifies him to be governor of Indiana. If I were Mike Pence, I wouldn't be too concerned about a Sugar candidacy. It's got to really stick in John Gregg's craw though that these slimy Bayh folks would go behind his back to undermine his best laid plans for a re-match against Pence. Senate Minority Leader Karen Talian is also seeking the Democratic nomination, but her campaign has so far failed to catch fire among Democratic Party activists.
14 comments:
Quid Pro Quo? Dems given Mayor's office without any real opposition from MCGOP and Dems put up token effort against Pence?
I wouldn't consider Gregg a token candidate.
I wouldn't either but you know historically re-matches typically give the same result. Look at the 9th CD and the multiple Baron Hill vs. Mike Sodrel matchups.
Ritz just doesn't get it! The people of Indiana do not want a Superintendent of Public Instruction who is both divisive and behaves like a child. She has demonstrated a pattern of behavior such that she should not be The Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Allow me to refresh your recollection: (click this link for source)"
1. Board doesn't like Ritz's abusive rules. Ritz refused to recognize motions she said were 'out of order.' For months, the members complained she would not allow them to add items to meeting agendas, did not respond to their messages and missed deadlines.
2. Board forced to circumvent Ritz. Frustrated with a delay of A-F grades in November 2013, the 10 board members went around Ritz to ask lawmakers to have the Legislative Services Agency calculate school accountability grades.
3. Ritz filed a lawsuit against the other board members, accusing them of breaking Indiana's Open Door law by "meeting in secret" when they circulated emails to bypass her on A-F grade calculations. State Attorney General Greg Zoeller asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed, saying Ritz didn't have the authority to file it since he is supposed to represent state officials. A judge agreed and tossed the suit.
4. In an open letter, Ritz ripped into Republican Gov. Mike Pence for creating the Center for Education and Career Innovation, a government agency that she says takes power away from her department.
5. Fed up over a maneuver to have Pence's CECI examine new math and English standards alongside the Indiana Department of Education, Ritz walked out of a November 2013 state board meeting; the childish behavior lacks leadership and decorum of a public official.
6. The Governor brought in a mediator, yet Ritz (in usual form, wouldn't 'play well with others') Ritz railed against the state board and CECI for attempting to remake the rules to remove her as chair.
7. Indiana fell at risk of losing its federal waiver from No Child Left Behind in the spring of 2014. The Governor and the State Board criticized Ritz for her failing to meet the requirements.
8. Ritz cut with a testing company – and chafed over her not telling the State Board about it earlier. The State Board cited it as one more example of Ritz's poor communication.
9. Her own party members agree that Ritz is a problem. Fellow Democratic State Board member Gordon Hendry penned a letter saying Ritz insists on creating chaos.
10. In October 2014, the State Board was poised to approve annual A-F grades but pushed the vote back with scathing criticism of Ritz. Board members also seemed irked that the grades made it onto the meeting agenda before the Legislative Services Agency had completed its review of A-F grade calculations.
I don't defend all of Ritz' actions, and I don't agree with her on a number of police positions; however, I find myself completely at odds with the board members with whom she has to serve. Virtually every single one of them are doing the bidding of private education profiteers. Some of these board members are receiving financial benefits directly or indirectly to set policies that benefit only the education profiteers. It is a scandalous event happening in plain sight, but there's not one State House reporter willing to report on it because most of them have sold out to these profiteers. I don't know of any independent journalists left at the State House. If you know of one, please let me know because I can't find one.
We need to get rid of the RINO Pence
Let's go sugar free...
Anon 9:02. Pence is hadly a RINO but that said I couldn't care if he stays or goes. Don't see anyone in the wings who can do better, so......
Gary, I hear you on the board, but the OP is right about Ritz. She's divisive and only garners support from the perpetual screechers.
Annon 11:58,
You're right Pence is no RINO he's a DONKEY! Auf Wiedersein Pence!
Ben Hunters opponent is David Ray...Blake Johnson is candidate for Mary Moriarity's district.
Thanks for the correction, L Truth. Their districts adjoin on the east side.
What ever you personally think about the people who work there, the attacks on CCA as a partisan org don't make any sense. Do you know anything about what they do??
CCA works with 35 states (their governors, legislators, and higher ed leaders) to boost college completion and close attainment gaps...not really a partisan thing. Of those states, 21 are led by Republicans. In fact some of the biggest investments CCA has made have been in partnership with Republican governors, including their most recent investments in Indiana, Georgia, and Tennessee.
http://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/columnists/matthew-tully/2015/08/11/tully-plan-make-indiana-stronger-state/31455525/ A tuesday posting at the star would seem to indicate that the wind is being hired to fill Sugar's sails...
Leon, It was Sugar's turn to have his dick held by Tully. He's got to keep the circle going as politicians come and go.
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