By Larry W. Grau, DFER Indiana State Director
When I was growing up, I recall my parents pulling us around the kitchen table when there was a difficult issue to work through. It was the old “family meeting” that all of us kids typically dreaded. But looking back on those experiences, the discussions generally had a positive impact because we were all able to air our differences and find common ground.
With the 2011 legislative sessions starting to appear in the rearview mirror, it seems the Democrats in my home state of Indiana, along with several other states, could benefit from one of these “family” meetings. As a party, we need to work through some difficult issues and re-establish some common ground on what I believe is the most critical topic facing our states and the nation–education.
As the leader of the Indiana Democrats for Education Reform (IN-DFER), I believe some of my fellow Democrats here missed an opportunity to help shape, and perhaps lead, the aggressive education reform agenda laid out by Governor Mitch Daniels, much of which came straight from the education playbook of the nation’s top Democrat–President Barack Obama.
Unfortunately, instead of stepping up to lead or to at least take a seat at the table, many Democrats are speaking out against foundational elements of President Obama’s education agenda that have strong support from both rank and file Democratic voters and independents, including an expansion of public charter school options and efforts to ensure every child has an effective teacher. This scenario has enabled several Republican governors to grab center stage, and their party to steal the headlines when it comes to reforming education.