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Roncalli-inspired school funding proposal that bans LGBT discrimination rejected by lawmakers


Muda69

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https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2019/02/15/roncalli-inspired-school-funding-proposal-bans-lgbtq-discrimination-rejected/2875189002/

Quote

Following a tense exchange over the role of public money in religious education, lawmakers this week rejected a proposal to block taxpayer dollars from flowing to private schools that discriminate against LGBT employees and students.

The debate centering on the state’s private school voucher program has been brewing for months, since Roncalli High School came under fire for suspending a guidance counselor because of her same-sex marriage.

Shelly Fitzgerald has accused the Catholic school and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis of discrimination. The school, which has received more than $6.5 million in public funds in the past five years through the voucher program, has said she violated her employment contract.

That debate boiled over Thursday when Rep. Dan Forestal, D-Indianapolis, proposed an amendment on the House floor that would have put strings on that money.

Forestal, a Roncalli graduate, wants to prevent taxpayer dollars from going to public charter or private-voucher schools that discriminate against their students or employees. Public charter schools are already prohibited from discriminating based on things like race and religion, but the law is silent on LGBT status. There are currently no such strings on voucher schools.

“Shelly Fitzgerald’s tax dollars shouldn’t be taken and then turned around and used to discriminate against her,” said Forestal. “There’s something very wrong in that.”

The House's Republican majority disagreed. The amendment failed on a largely party-line vote, 32-63. Rep. Sean Eberhart of Shelbyville was the lone Republican to vote in favor of it.

Thursday's hearing featured one of the most heated exchanges of the 2019 General Assembly when one lawmaker accused Forestal of trying to curtail the rights of religious institutions.

"What gives you the right to impose your beliefs on private, religious schools?" asked Rep. Timothy Wesco, R-Elkhart.

Forestal, who has been promising to make this proposal for months, said he's not trying to mandate anything. He said he's giving private, religious schools a choice.

"They can continue to discriminate or receive voucher dollars," he said. "It's one or the other. Public tax dollars should not go toward discrimination."

Forestal said he plans to lobby his Republican colleagues to support the measure with hopes of getting it passed later this session by amending it into the budget bill.

The provision has the backing of the Indiana Department of Education. Superintendent Jennifer McCormick, a Republican, made it one of her legislative priorities for the year. Forestal said he's hoping the department's support and pressure from sympathetic constituents might result in a different vote later this session.

Sen. J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis, has filed similar legislation. Senate Bill 344 would prohibit discrimination against a staff member based on traits such as race, religion, gender, gender identity or expression or sexual orientation. The determination would be left up to the Indiana Department of Education, and a school found in violation would be ineligible for voucher funds the next year. Ford is the first openly gay state lawmaker in Indiana.

Fitzgerald is one of two Roncalli guidance counselors who has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claiming discrimination because of her sexual orientation. The Archdiocese has denied these charges.

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I expect this fight isn't over.  

 

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