Editor,
Indiana House Bill 1182 proposes to make school board elections partisan, indicating on the ballot whether candidates are Republican, Democrat or independent. The bill’s author, (State) Rep. J.D. Prescott, has been quoted stating that knowing a school board candidate’s political party could “tell the difference between financial responsibility and moral character, in some cases.”
I’m familiar with the stereotype that Democrats are “tax and spend,” which he is apparently promoting with his “financial responsibility” comment. I was, however, quite surprised that he feels political party affiliation denotes “in some cases” moral character. I believe that school board elections should be focused on individual candidate qualifications (and character) and not on political party affiliation stereotypes and generalizations.
The bias shown in Rep. Prescott’s quote supports why HB1182, and similar bills, should fail.
Stephen Ring, Carmel
