The cold reality of race and class has governed elections for the Indianapolis Board of School Commissioners for decades in this city.
Despite the reduced population in both the “old city” of Indianapolis and IPS’ enrollment, these two imperatives remain today. And they’re rearing their heads in the upcoming IPS School Board election nine weeks from now on Nov. 4.
Indy’s movers and shakers have always wanted an outsized influence on who sits on the board of the largest school district in this county and state.
Years ago a smoke-filled room of white men would try to dictate who’d be on the IPS Board. Today, a small group of mostly white power brokers, many of whom don’t live in IPS neighborhoods, want to dictate who should govern a majority-minority school district with a majority-minority population. A school district that contains just 32.4 percent of the city/county’s total population; and teaches only 20.2 percent of the city/county’s public school students.
Ten individuals are running for three spots on the IPS School Board this November.
In IPS’ Northside District 3, which includes Butler-Tarkington, Meridian-Kessler, the Glendale, Meadows, Fairgrounds and Devon neighborhoods, Kelly Bentley, who left the board four years ago after her numerous battles with then Supt. Dr. Eugene White, is aiming for a comeback. She faces incumbent Samantha Adair-White who won the seat four years ago and newcomer James Turner.
In IPS’ District 5 serving downtown and the Westside areas, the longest serving member of the IPS Board, Rev. Michael Brown (no relation), faces off against relatively unknown Lanier Echols; a charter school principal.
In the district-wide IPS At Large seat, incumbent Annie Roof, who won four years ago, faces former State Representative Mary Ann Sullivan; former IPS employee and activist Dr. Ramon Batts; newcomer Josh Owens and senior pastor of Light of the World Church Dr. David Hampton.
Some have questioned a minister running for the IPS Board, but Rev. Landrum Shields, T.C. Lightfoot and Thomas Brown were ministers who’ve served with distinction in the past. So that’s not an issue!
There are six Black candidates – Adair-White, Brown, Batts, Echols, Hampton and Turner and four white candidates – Bentley, Owens, Roof and Sullivan.
Over the past 30 years, after the desegregation of IPS, the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce would endorse IPS board candidates after interviewing all the candidates.
This year, the Chamber reverted to a practice of the bad old days before desegregation. Of handpicking candidates before every potential candidate had filed for office.
Weeks before candidates filed their official paperwork to run; the Chamber decreed that Sullivan, Bentley and newcomer Echols were their anointed ones.
I asked the Chamber why they took this unusual action. Spokeswoman Molly Deuberry emailed, “Indy Chamber leadership believed a strong approach with new leadership on the IPS board was imperative to the district’s future.”
Deuberry added, “These candidates demonstrated a strong interest early and were proactively engaging the community regarding the future of IPS.”
Bentley’s been visible throughout IPS neighborhoods and Sullivan to a lesser extent. But Echols, the Chamber’s Black anointed one, has been virtually invisible to our Black community.
It was also insulting to the other five Black candidates in the race who were arbitrarily excluded by the Chamber from any consideration; including quality male candidates like Batts, Hampton and an experienced female, Samantha Adair-White.
Now back to the lack of diversity. In the IPS district, 30.6 percent of the under 18 population is white, non-Hispanic; while 69.4 percent are minorities. The overall population of the district is 46.1 percent white, non-Hispanic; 53.9 percent minority. Yet, two of the three Chamber anointed candidates are white.
And though Hispanics are the only population growing in the IPS area; there are no Hispanic IPS board candidates. Which should be of great concern to Hispanic leaders; but oddly isn’t.
Another problem with the Chamber’s anointing is what happened two years ago. Late in that campaign glossy, expensive, direct mail flooded mailboxes in IPS neighborhoods. It was the first indication that massive amounts of money – out of Indiana money – were being spent to buy IPS school board seats.
This year, there’s rumors the non-Hoosier big money is returning. Perhaps in support of the Chamber’s anointed ones.
Voters, parents and students in IPS don’t need Michael Bloomberg or other out-of-town fat cats to decide our school board election. Indianapolis voters and Indianapolis dollars and resources should decide who governs all of our city/county’s eleven school districts. Not out-of-town cash and meddlers like the Chamber’s Star Chamber selection committee.
What I’m Hearing in the Streets
In another charter mess, Andrew and Padua Academies, two former Catholic schools turned into public charters four years ago, will surrender their charters the end of the 2014/15 school year. ADI Schools, an organization loosely connected with the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, which operated the schools said Padua will revert back to a Catholic school; but Andrew will twist in the wind hoping another charter operator takes them over.
Padua is an 87.2 percent Hispanic school, while Andrew is 93.2 percent Black. In an interview last week on our WTLC-AM1310 “Afternoons with Amos” program, I asked why the Archdiocese is keeping the Hispanic school but eliminating the Black school.
Peggy Elson said Padua’s enrollment had been steady, while Andrews’ enrollment had been in decline. Plus, Elson said, “charter operators” were eyeing the Andrew Academy facility for a possible charter school.
Still it seems Black children on the Eastside should be given the opportunity for a Catholic education just as the Hispanic kids on the Westside are being allowed.
Danese Kenon, a talented photojournalist and photographer, who’s also African-American, has left the Indianapolis Star after eight years to work for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Kenyon was very visible in our African-American community, more than any other Star staffer, covering all kinds of events. And it’s a major blow for diversity at the Star.
See ‘ya next week!
You can email comments to Amos Brown at acbrown@aol.com.
