The 2012 legislative session is off and running. Below is a list of bills that MCCOY is following and that have either been heard in committee or are scheduled to be heard. Given the controversy surrounding the Right to Work bill, many bills are still on hold because the House cannot convene and many committee meetings have been rescheduled. To read the bill digests or the bills themselves, please visit http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2012&session=1&request=all and enter the bill number.
HB1019 Adoption history information. This bill has moved on to the Senate. It passed the third reading 94 Yes 0 No. The Senate sponsor is Senator Broden.
HB1150 Family friendly school designation. This was amended and passed in committee 11 Yes 0 No on 1/17/12
HB1189 Multiple ADM counts. This was amended and passed in committee 12 Yes 0 No on 1/17/12
HB1326 Various education matters. Committee hearing Friday January 20, 2012 8:30am COMPLETE TESTIMONY AND VOTE
HB1324 School accountability and turnaround academies. Committee hearing Friday January 20, 2012 8:30am
SB4 human trafficking. This bill has had a lot of process and support from both sides. This bill went quickly through the senate and passed 48 to 0. Rep. Steuerwald is the House sponsor, with Reps. Foley, L. Lawson, and Welch as the Cosponsors. Several Representatives from both parties were added as coauthors. It was referred to the Committee on Courts and Criminal Code and has aHouse Committee hearing Friday January 20, 2012 at 10:30am. It is moving so quickly, presumably, so it will be passed before the Superbowl. It is effective upon passage.
SB179 Virtual instruction course requirement. Senator Schneider added as coauthor on 1/19/12Heard in committee on 1/18/12
SB236 Various education matters. Heard in committee on 1/18/12
SB248 Referendum on use of balanced school calendar. Committee hearing Monday January 23, 2012 10am
SB265 School report card. Senator Yoder added as coauthor on 1/17/12Heard in committee on 1/18/12
SB267 Education concerning child abuse. Senator Kruse added as second author 1/17/12Heard in committee on 1/18/12
SB268 Advisory committee on early education. Senator Kruse added as second author 1/17/12Heard in committee on 1/18/12
Please stay tuned for more weekly updates as the session continues. If you have any questions, please e-mail Mindi Goodpaster.
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Friday, January 20, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Consequences of Child Sexual Abuse
FACT: If child sexual abuse left physical scars instead of emotional ones, people would be horrified. Sexual abuse can negatively impact every part of a victim’s life. The real tragedy is that it robs children of their potential, setting into motion a chain of events and decisions that follow the victim throughout his or her life.FACT: Emotional and mental health problems are often the first consequence and sign of child sexual abuse. However, it should be noted that some victims do not display emotional problems or any other immediate symptom in response to the abuse.
FACT: Sexual behavior problems and over-sexualized behavior are a very common consequence of child sexual abuse. These are signs of abuse that are not always included on "what to look for" lists, probably because many find it unpleasant to think about. However, age-inappropriate behavior can be a very important and telling sign that abuse is or has occurred.
FACT: Academic problems in childhood are common in children who are sexually abused. Victims perform at lower levels than their non-abused counterparts.
FACT: Substance abuse problems beginning in childhood or adolescence are one of the most common consequences of child sexual abuse.
FACT: Delinquency and crime, often resulting from substance abuse, is more prevalent in adolescents with a history of child sexual abuse.FACT: The risk of teen pregnancy is much higher for girls with a history of child sexual abuse. This is likely due to over-sexualized behavior, a common consequence of child sexual abuse.
If you are interested in attending a Stewards of Children training to learn how you can prevent the children in your life from becoming sexually abused please visit the MCCOY website to register for a training: http://www.mccoyouth.org/Intervention/stewards-of-children.html.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Help MCCOY Prevent Child Sexual Abuse!
One in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18. What does this mean for you as a community member?
It means…
• … that Indiana spends nearly $48 million for the direct and immediate costs of child sexual abuse
• … that the long-term costs and losses are over $500 million dollars annually.
Except for murder, child sexual abuse is the most expensive victim crime in the U.S.
Let’s stop child sexual abuse before it happens!
• It only costs $10.53 to train an adult to improve their child-protective behaviors.
• Research suggests that the average trained adult will better protect at least ten children from sexual abuse in the years after training.
• The money saved by preventing just one substantiated case of child sexual abuse would pay for prevention training for 1,362 adults.
• That training would result in 13,620 children better protected from abuse.
Please help MCCOY train 500 adults for FREE through Stewards of Children. Stewards of Children is a sexual abuse prevention program that educates adults to prevent, recognize, react responsibly and take courageous action against child sexual abuse.
If you are interested in attending a training, scheduling a training for your staff, clients, family members, church members, or other adults please contact Shanna Martin at shanna.martin@mccoyouth.org or 317-921-1233.
Here is what attendees have said about the training:
“Loved it! I think it was very informative. I learned a lot and plan to advocate to see this training done in my organization.”
“Very well done and I’m very thankful this was offered at no charge.”
“Great info. Very eye-opening.”
“I will use the tools and become even more of an advocate for children and be a resource for my staff as they work with children.”
** MCCOY has committed to being a "Partner in Prevention" by training 90% of our staff in Stewards of Children. Please contact Shanna to learn more about how you can become a "Partner in Prevention" site as well.**
Thursday, May 26, 2011
2011 General Assembly Recap
The 2011 legislative session is now over and the bills have been enacted. It was an incredibly interesting session to watch, especially for me as this is my first year getting involved in advocacy in Indiana. Some of the measures passed will do great things for youth and some will need to be watched to see what their full impact will be. Here is a brief summary of some of the bills that passed that MCCOY was following.
Education Reform
SEA 1 (P.L. 90-2011) Teacher evaluations and licensing - links the effectiveness of teachers, in addition to other factors, to student performance. Also has provisions defining "attend," policies outlining excused vs. unexcused absences, parent notification and reporting of habitually absent students to Juvenile Court or the Department of Child Services.
SEA85 (P.L. 142-2011) Education issues study committee - establishes an interim study committee to look at the causes of low graduation rates, best practices to increase graduation rates and the impact of school counselors, teachers, administrators and parents on grad. rates.
SB497 Higher education scholarship - inserted into the budget bill - provides a $4,000 Mitch Daniels Early Graduation Scholarship for high school students graduating earlier than senior year for an approved post-secondary education institution within Indiana.
HEA1002 (P.L. 91-2011) Charter schools - increases the number and types of entities that can sponsor charter schools, adds accountability measures and delineates that only 90% of teachers must possess a license.
HEA1003 (P.L. 92-2011) School scholarships - provides a $1,000 tax deduction for parents who home school their children or send them to a private school and provides scholarships to help cover private school tuition to students in families meeting certain financial requirements.
Full-day kindergarten funding - provides schools access to additional full-day kindergarten grants.
Prevention
SEA4 (P.L. 93-2011) Suicide prevention training for school personnel - provides that teachers should be trained in evidence-based suicide prevention and recognition of signs that a student may be considering suicide. After June 30, 2013, any person applying for a teaching license must be trained in suicide prevention.
HEA1083 (P.L. 180-2011) Various criminal law matters - provides that schools may offer classes, instruction or programs regarding the risks and consequences of "sexting." Also mandates that schools must include provisions against cyber-bullying in their discipline policies.
HEA1107 (P.L. 183-2011) Preventative programs for at-risk children - provides that a juvenile court may create a voluntary preventative program for at-risk children.
Over the next month, MCCOY will be watching the calendar of the Interim Study Committees and will post periodic updates as they progress. Please stay tuned. As always, if you have any questions or would like more information, please contact me. Thank you for your dedication to advocacy!
Education Reform
SEA 1 (P.L. 90-2011) Teacher evaluations and licensing - links the effectiveness of teachers, in addition to other factors, to student performance. Also has provisions defining "attend," policies outlining excused vs. unexcused absences, parent notification and reporting of habitually absent students to Juvenile Court or the Department of Child Services.
SEA85 (P.L. 142-2011) Education issues study committee - establishes an interim study committee to look at the causes of low graduation rates, best practices to increase graduation rates and the impact of school counselors, teachers, administrators and parents on grad. rates.
SB497 Higher education scholarship - inserted into the budget bill - provides a $4,000 Mitch Daniels Early Graduation Scholarship for high school students graduating earlier than senior year for an approved post-secondary education institution within Indiana.
HEA1002 (P.L. 91-2011) Charter schools - increases the number and types of entities that can sponsor charter schools, adds accountability measures and delineates that only 90% of teachers must possess a license.
HEA1003 (P.L. 92-2011) School scholarships - provides a $1,000 tax deduction for parents who home school their children or send them to a private school and provides scholarships to help cover private school tuition to students in families meeting certain financial requirements.
Full-day kindergarten funding - provides schools access to additional full-day kindergarten grants.
Prevention
SEA4 (P.L. 93-2011) Suicide prevention training for school personnel - provides that teachers should be trained in evidence-based suicide prevention and recognition of signs that a student may be considering suicide. After June 30, 2013, any person applying for a teaching license must be trained in suicide prevention.
HEA1083 (P.L. 180-2011) Various criminal law matters - provides that schools may offer classes, instruction or programs regarding the risks and consequences of "sexting." Also mandates that schools must include provisions against cyber-bullying in their discipline policies.
HEA1107 (P.L. 183-2011) Preventative programs for at-risk children - provides that a juvenile court may create a voluntary preventative program for at-risk children.
Over the next month, MCCOY will be watching the calendar of the Interim Study Committees and will post periodic updates as they progress. Please stay tuned. As always, if you have any questions or would like more information, please contact me. Thank you for your dedication to advocacy!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Breaking Down Barriers So You Can Share Your Story
Each day, you work hard - trying to do so much for the kids you serve. You care so much. So, it's surprising when others don't get it!
Your neighbors don't understand why you work such long hours. Your friends think you shouldn't be so emotionally involved. Your family wishes you would stop talking so much about your job.
You try to explain it. You rattle off the latest statistics about children raised in poverty. You share the intricate details about your new program about suicide prevention. You try to tell them just how important your work is!
May I suggest another approach? Empower others to tell your story for you!
Ask parents, volunteers, kids, board members, civic leaders, and community members for positive remarks. Who else can better sing your praises?!?
Write down their quotes verbatim, so their personality shines through. Even consider getting quick video interviews.
Remember to get their permission to use their words in promotional materials. Make it easy by including a release in the in-take process for your clients and in the orientation for volunteers.
How else can you better tell your story, so that others are interested in kids' issues? Please leave a comment with your idea!
Read more from Guest Blogger Jessica Journey on her blog about nonprofits, fundraising, and marketing: www.jessicajourney.com
Your neighbors don't understand why you work such long hours. Your friends think you shouldn't be so emotionally involved. Your family wishes you would stop talking so much about your job.
You try to explain it. You rattle off the latest statistics about children raised in poverty. You share the intricate details about your new program about suicide prevention. You try to tell them just how important your work is!
May I suggest another approach? Empower others to tell your story for you!
Ask parents, volunteers, kids, board members, civic leaders, and community members for positive remarks. Who else can better sing your praises?!?
Write down their quotes verbatim, so their personality shines through. Even consider getting quick video interviews.
Remember to get their permission to use their words in promotional materials. Make it easy by including a release in the in-take process for your clients and in the orientation for volunteers.
How else can you better tell your story, so that others are interested in kids' issues? Please leave a comment with your idea!
Read more from Guest Blogger Jessica Journey on her blog about nonprofits, fundraising, and marketing: www.jessicajourney.com
Friday, March 25, 2011
Legislative Update 3/25/11
Rather than post an update today about the little activity in the Statehouse, I thought instead that I would share an interesting column by Matthew Tully in today's Star. MCCOY shares his concern that all of the conversations currently occuring about education reform don't have much of a child-centered focus. Just some food for thought.
Tully: Children deserve serious debate on education reform
Being an optimist, I honestly and naively thought that by now the debate over education reform would have grown less divisive. After all, the goals of better schools and more opportunities for children should be the rare issue with the power to force a spirit of cooperation into the political debate.
No, I didn't expect the various factions involved to cave on their core issues. But with recent bipartisan federal education debates backing up my theory, I thought this could be one issue that was battled on a higher plane.
OK, so I was wrong.
The legislative debate has been underwhelming. That's largely because the House Democrats whose districts include many of the state's most endangered schools have not participated in the discussion, and because Republicans insisted on wasting time this session on wedge issues that were guaranteed from the start to pollute the Statehouse mood.
Additionally, the teachers unions have used their might to tarnish reformers and the sensible and much-needed changes they are proposing.
It's been disappointing.
But it's not too late.
Someday, I assume, Democrats will return from Illinois and the legislature will get around to finishing the session's education debate. Instead of more protests, poison pills and exaggerations, here's an idea: Let's have a debate that is worthy of the state's schoolchildren. Let's stop acting as if there are easy fixes, or that the status quo is even close to acceptable, and judge legislation on one question: whether it will lead to better classrooms and schools for Indiana's children.
Along the way, those pushing for reform need to make a stronger public case for bills they support -- bills that would, among other things, expand the network of charter schools, tie teacher and principal evaluations more to student performance and reduce the role seniority plays when it comes to layoffs and other teacher moves.
Legislative Democrats who insist they support these measures need to speak up now. If they don't, if they continue to shrink in fear of angering party bosses, they will have permanently lost their credibility on the issue of education reform.
Top Republicans, meanwhile, need to begin patching the massive rift between them and teachers. In a recent conversation, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett told me he is paying for the "flame throwing" ways he displayed during the first year of his term. He spends a lot of time talking to teachers these days but must convince more of them that while he is committed to increasing teacher quality, he is also on the side of the thousands of teachers who courageously do their jobs every day.
Parents and other taxpayers have a role to play, too. It's to pay attention to a debate that could help shape the future of the city and state -- and, most important, of many students.
House Democrats will return to work eventually. When they do, the debate over education reform will resume. Hopefully the second half of this debate will be more worthy of Indiana students than the first.
Tully: Children deserve serious debate on education reform
Being an optimist, I honestly and naively thought that by now the debate over education reform would have grown less divisive. After all, the goals of better schools and more opportunities for children should be the rare issue with the power to force a spirit of cooperation into the political debate.
No, I didn't expect the various factions involved to cave on their core issues. But with recent bipartisan federal education debates backing up my theory, I thought this could be one issue that was battled on a higher plane.
OK, so I was wrong.
The legislative debate has been underwhelming. That's largely because the House Democrats whose districts include many of the state's most endangered schools have not participated in the discussion, and because Republicans insisted on wasting time this session on wedge issues that were guaranteed from the start to pollute the Statehouse mood.
Additionally, the teachers unions have used their might to tarnish reformers and the sensible and much-needed changes they are proposing.
It's been disappointing.
But it's not too late.
Someday, I assume, Democrats will return from Illinois and the legislature will get around to finishing the session's education debate. Instead of more protests, poison pills and exaggerations, here's an idea: Let's have a debate that is worthy of the state's schoolchildren. Let's stop acting as if there are easy fixes, or that the status quo is even close to acceptable, and judge legislation on one question: whether it will lead to better classrooms and schools for Indiana's children.
Along the way, those pushing for reform need to make a stronger public case for bills they support -- bills that would, among other things, expand the network of charter schools, tie teacher and principal evaluations more to student performance and reduce the role seniority plays when it comes to layoffs and other teacher moves.
Legislative Democrats who insist they support these measures need to speak up now. If they don't, if they continue to shrink in fear of angering party bosses, they will have permanently lost their credibility on the issue of education reform.
Top Republicans, meanwhile, need to begin patching the massive rift between them and teachers. In a recent conversation, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett told me he is paying for the "flame throwing" ways he displayed during the first year of his term. He spends a lot of time talking to teachers these days but must convince more of them that while he is committed to increasing teacher quality, he is also on the side of the thousands of teachers who courageously do their jobs every day.
Parents and other taxpayers have a role to play, too. It's to pay attention to a debate that could help shape the future of the city and state -- and, most important, of many students.
House Democrats will return to work eventually. When they do, the debate over education reform will resume. Hopefully the second half of this debate will be more worthy of Indiana students than the first.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Legislative Update 2/25/11
Aside from the walkout by the House Democrats this week, there have been some interesting things happening at the Statehouse in the past two weeks. The controversial immigration bill passed the Senate and is on its way to the House, albeit with some changes. The equally controversial teacher evaluation and licensing bill has also moved on to the House and the unions are packing the Statehouse to protest the Right to Work legislation.
With regard to youth, there are some good and not so good things happening. First, SB 56 Child Care Regulation was not held for vote and is therefore dead for this session. Senator Miller explained that she has not heard enough "compelling" evidence to prove the need for state regulation of church-based childcare ministries. Also, SB538 Bullying Prevention was defeated in committee - a surprising move to most child advocates. Reasoning had to do with an already over-burdened education system and concern that the bill promoted gay rights.
Both SB 4 and HB 1019, dealing with youth suicide prevention, have crossed over to their respective houses. Given the support that both bills have seen, despite being amended, it is likely that this issue will have success in this session - a very positive outcome for our youth.
Finally, HB 1566 School Absenteeism and Dropouts (Porter) passed committee on Monday. This bill will:
With regard to youth, there are some good and not so good things happening. First, SB 56 Child Care Regulation was not held for vote and is therefore dead for this session. Senator Miller explained that she has not heard enough "compelling" evidence to prove the need for state regulation of church-based childcare ministries. Also, SB538 Bullying Prevention was defeated in committee - a surprising move to most child advocates. Reasoning had to do with an already over-burdened education system and concern that the bill promoted gay rights.
Both SB 4 and HB 1019, dealing with youth suicide prevention, have crossed over to their respective houses. Given the support that both bills have seen, despite being amended, it is likely that this issue will have success in this session - a very positive outcome for our youth.
Finally, HB 1566 School Absenteeism and Dropouts (Porter) passed committee on Monday. This bill will:
- Require schools to report chronic absenteeism to the DOE, identify contributing factors to absenteeism and develop chronic absenteeism reduction plans.
- Directs the education roundtable to study and make recommendations concerning early childhood education.
- Allows school corporations to contract with nonprofit entities to provide health care services in school-based clinics.
Let's hope for a peaceful solution to the standoff at the Statehouse so that we can get down to business and create some meaningful legislation that will help and not hurt the youth and families in our state.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Breaking Down Barriers So You Can Serve Kids
I am grateful to MCCOY for the invitation to serve as a guest blogger in 2011. My blog posts will focus on breaking down barriers.
In youth-serving nonprofits, we want the very best for the kids we help. Yet and still, we run into significant barriers for achieving positive impact in the lives of children.
It's our job to break down those barriers. We are the adults - capable of creating opportunities, cultivating support, and addressing challenges.
The kids? They are often stuck in circumstances, outside of their control. They are faced with challenges, well beyond their years.
It's our responsibility to help kids. Get the tools you need to serve kids both effectively and efficiently. Take advantage of the local resources available:
Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network
Indiana YouthPRO Association
Indiana Youth Institute
Marion County Commission on Youth
United Way's Nonprofit Training Center
What other resources can help you break down barriers to help kids? Please leave a comment with your favorite resource!
Read more from Guest Blogger Jessica Journey on her blog about nonprofits, fundraising, and marketing: www.jessicajourney.com
In youth-serving nonprofits, we want the very best for the kids we help. Yet and still, we run into significant barriers for achieving positive impact in the lives of children.
It's our job to break down those barriers. We are the adults - capable of creating opportunities, cultivating support, and addressing challenges.
The kids? They are often stuck in circumstances, outside of their control. They are faced with challenges, well beyond their years.
It's our responsibility to help kids. Get the tools you need to serve kids both effectively and efficiently. Take advantage of the local resources available:
Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network
Indiana YouthPRO Association
Indiana Youth Institute
Marion County Commission on Youth
United Way's Nonprofit Training Center
What other resources can help you break down barriers to help kids? Please leave a comment with your favorite resource!
Read more from Guest Blogger Jessica Journey on her blog about nonprofits, fundraising, and marketing: www.jessicajourney.com
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Keep an Eye on Education Reform
Education reform is at the forefront of legislative agendas for the upcoming year. The Governor's agenda includes giving parents the choice of which school to send their children and giving school superintendents more flexibility in evaluating teacher performance. Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) has announced the approval of a move to a year-round or "balanced" calendar to start next year. President Obama's 2011 budget looks to reform the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind) through increased investments in new innovative programs and school turnarounds. All of these initiatives need to be closely monitored because no change, whether positive or negative, comes without some cost.
Some positive news was announced by IPS last week - their graduation rates are improving. According to their data, their overall graduation rate improved by 7 percentage points, from 49 to 56 percent. That number may not sound acceptable - and it isn't - but it is an improvement nonetheless. It's an indication that somewhere along the line, something seems to be working.
Despite this good news, we know that we still have a lot of work to do - we cannot continue on the same course. Investing in education reform will mean allocating more money and resources to schools and community services, but how do we make those changes given the current state of the economy and the refusal to examine our current tax structure? Research and data show that investing a minimal amount now will yield greater outcomes in the future. If we increase the number of students who graduate, we will have a future workforce whose unemployment rate is less and who both increase the tax base and revenue streams. If we invest in quality early childhood education, we can improve children's long-term educational attainment and likelihood of graduating.
It's a tough decision that taxpayers and elected officials face. In these economic times, no one wants to hear that their taxes will increase, as evidenced by the recent approval of the state property tax caps in the November election. While the Governor and State legislature debate the budget this coming session, they will be looking to create reforms without increasing taxes. Republicans in Congress have just announced that they will be blocking all legislation until a decision is made to maintain the tax cuts that are set to expire December 31 - something that most Democrats do not support. Sure, I don't want my property taxes to go up anymore and I do enjoy the tax cuts and the increase in my take-home pay. However, at the same time, I am a supporter of public education and I don't want my children to have less opportunities in school than I enjoyed over 20 years ago.
Nevertheless, while these debates and stalemates go on, our children continue to attend schools that do not meet state and federal standards for academics and continue to drop out, creating financial burdens through increased unemployment and public assistance, reduced wages and decreased revenue. It's time to step back and reexamine our priorities as a whole, including the short-term and long-term impacts of our decisions.
Some positive news was announced by IPS last week - their graduation rates are improving. According to their data, their overall graduation rate improved by 7 percentage points, from 49 to 56 percent. That number may not sound acceptable - and it isn't - but it is an improvement nonetheless. It's an indication that somewhere along the line, something seems to be working.
Despite this good news, we know that we still have a lot of work to do - we cannot continue on the same course. Investing in education reform will mean allocating more money and resources to schools and community services, but how do we make those changes given the current state of the economy and the refusal to examine our current tax structure? Research and data show that investing a minimal amount now will yield greater outcomes in the future. If we increase the number of students who graduate, we will have a future workforce whose unemployment rate is less and who both increase the tax base and revenue streams. If we invest in quality early childhood education, we can improve children's long-term educational attainment and likelihood of graduating.
It's a tough decision that taxpayers and elected officials face. In these economic times, no one wants to hear that their taxes will increase, as evidenced by the recent approval of the state property tax caps in the November election. While the Governor and State legislature debate the budget this coming session, they will be looking to create reforms without increasing taxes. Republicans in Congress have just announced that they will be blocking all legislation until a decision is made to maintain the tax cuts that are set to expire December 31 - something that most Democrats do not support. Sure, I don't want my property taxes to go up anymore and I do enjoy the tax cuts and the increase in my take-home pay. However, at the same time, I am a supporter of public education and I don't want my children to have less opportunities in school than I enjoyed over 20 years ago.
Nevertheless, while these debates and stalemates go on, our children continue to attend schools that do not meet state and federal standards for academics and continue to drop out, creating financial burdens through increased unemployment and public assistance, reduced wages and decreased revenue. It's time to step back and reexamine our priorities as a whole, including the short-term and long-term impacts of our decisions.
Monday, May 10, 2010
The Libraries Need YOU Tonight and on the 12th!
Keeping libraries open should be a priority IndyStar.com The Indianapolis StarOrganized groups of Indianapolis citizens are determined to save six public libraries from closing. Stop Look Listen has created a website, Facebook and Twitter groups to rally citizens in support of postponing the decision on library closings (a vote currently slated for June 2010). Community organizers have also set up Facebook groups like Save the Spades Park Library and Save the Glendale Branch to attract and communicate with supporters.
If you agree that community gathering places, education and bridging the digital divide should be priorities in Indianapolis, ask our city leaders to postpone the vote on library closings and take time to find a creative solution to the library's estimated $3 million annual deficit (a deficit that could be avoided if every Indianapolis citizen donated as little as $3.00; a deficit created by proposed caps on property taxes that supply 80% of the library's budget).
Write letters to the Library Board of Trustees, the Library CEO, your City-County Councillors and the Mayor. Come out and meet your neighbors for the uplifting cause of saving one of our community's most important, positive assets.
Public hearings are scheduled for Monday May 10th and Wednesday May 12th at 6:30 p.m. at the Library Services Center, 2450 N. Meridian Street, Room 226. Citizen groups will rally in the parking lot at 5:30. Attend with friends and neighbors to voice your support.
SAMPLE LETTER for your use in emails, letters or phone calls to public officials:
Dear (INSERT NAME HERE):I am alarmed at the possible closure of six library branches in Indianapolis. The branches slated for potential closing are in neighborhoods that deserve and truly need their libraries and all the services the library has to offer.Libraries serve a vital social service by helping bridge the gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots," especially when it comes to literacy and computer skills training. Libraries offer services and products that level the intellectual playing field. The existence of libraries ensures that knowledge and technology are available to everyone, not just to those who can afford their own. This is more than charity work; this helps raise the education levels of society as a whole. Studies have shown that the presence of libraries is good for towns and cities; people and business owners find more value in areas that have libraries nearby. And they have rated libraries higher than other public services in professionally conducted polls.As a taxpaying citizen of Marion County, our community's libraries are a top priority. Please take the time to provide what support you can in helping us to keep our libraries open. Delay the final decision on closing the libraries. Renegotiate one-year leases of the libraries in jeopardy to provide additional time to asses other ways to shrink the deficit or raise capital, without shutting down any branches. By doing this, the library board (along with other city leaders and community members) will allow itself the time necessary to evaluate all current options—and brainstorm new methods—for stemming the library’s deficit.Thank you very much for your consideration.YOUR NAMEYOUR ADDRESSYOUR PHONE or EMAIL
****************************************************************
Direct your letters, phone calls and emails to the following power players:
Find your City-County Council district and contact your Councillor
via email, phone call or letter:
The Honorable or Councillor (Name)
241 City-County Building, 200 E.Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317- 327-4242
The Honorable or Councillor (Name)
241 City-County Building, 200 E.Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317- 327-4242
Thomas S. Shevlot, President, IMCPL Board of Trustees (& other board members)
Submit a letter to the editor of the Indianapolis Star or mail it to:
Letters to the Editor
The Indianapolis StarP.O. Box 145
Indianapolis, IN 46206-0145or fax it to: 1-317-444-6800.
Please include your name, address and phone number.
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