"Knowledge and learning, generally diffused throughout a community, being essential to the preservation of a free government; shall be the duty of the General Assembly, to encourage, by all suitable means, moral, intellectual, scientific, and agricultural improvement; and to provide by law, for a general and uniform system of Common Schools, wherein tuition shall be without charge, and equal open to all."

Indiana State Constitution (1851), Article 8:1.

 

Indiana Moral Mondays is committed to the values embedded in the state Constitution.  We believe that the state laws on charter schools and publicly funded private schools violate the Constitution.

FUNDING

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes that every Indiana public school should have the necessary and sufficient resources to develop each student's potential and interests to the fullest.  

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes that every child born and/or raised in the state of Indiana has the right and should have the opportunity to attend a financially well-supported public school from pre-kindergarten through university free of charge.

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes that it is the responsibility of the Legislature to fund adequately and fully the public schools, and therefore we oppose the privatization of public education.

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes that the Legislature is morally obligated to fund public education though school funding formulas that are appropriate, and that it is immoral and discriminatory to use special laws and/or the tax code to confer special status on a segment of public education.

 

DEMOCRACY

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes that citizens of the state of Indiana, including parents, teachers, and students be represented on all education panels, boards, committees, etc. in the executive branch of government.

 

PURPOSE AND CURRICULUM

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes that the intellectual, moral, social, and civic development of each child is the goal of every school system.  Consequently, the importance and frequency of high stakes testing must be reduced, for such testing is injurious to our children.

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes  that a strong curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences must be offered to all students in the public schools.

 

Indiana Moral Mondays is concerned  that vocational tracking of our young people will put the demands of business and industry ahead of the needs and wishes of our students and that such tracking will be influenced by prevailing assumptions about the poor, minorities, and girls.  Therefore, Indiana Moral Mondays believes that school counselors involved the parents or guardians, as well as the students, at each step of students' academic planning and career counseling.

 

GOVERNANCE

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes that public school boards must assure competent leadership, supervision, and management in all schools under their control.

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes that teaching is a profession, that Indiana public schools require well-educated, trained, and licensed teachers, and that our teachers are entitled to respect and to the representation, compensation, and benefits of professional associations.

 

TRANSPARENCY

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes that code words such as "reform," "school choice," "freedom to teach," "teacher incentive bonuses," "education efficiency," and other such phrases are used to disguise the privatization of our public schools, denigrate the profession of teaching and teachers, and destroy of public schools.

 

Indiana Moral Mondays demands that all data collected on students be shared with parents or guardians, that policies regarding the use and dissemination of that data be explained to them, and that students' privacy rights be maintained.

 

EQUITY

 

Indiana Moral Mondays believes that school disciplinary policies must be reviewed, that disciplinary practices which support a nurturing environment  for students be employed and that suspension and expulsion be considered only as a last resort.

 

Since Indiana Moral Mondays holds dear  the educational values and aims articulated in our state Constitution, we demand that these concerns be addressed to fulfill the state's pledge to all its children.