State Senator Eddie Melton announced recently that Indiana State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jennifer McCormick will be joining Senator Melton on his statewide listening tour and participating in his “Hoosier Community Conversations” town halls to discuss the state of education in Indiana.
Melton, who in June announced the formation of a gubernatorial exploratory committee, has been holding town halls to listen to the priorities of Hoosiers as he discusses the need to invest in education, create economic opportunity, raise the minimum wage, and restore faith in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“I am excited that Dr. McCormick will be joining our Hoosier Community Conversations and sharing her expertise and passion about education across the state with me,” said Melton. “It is an honor to share this platform with Dr. McCormick, who has been an advocate for Indiana’s students and families.”
“Indiana needs more statewide leaders who value the voices of practitioners and community stakeholders, as demonstrated by Sen. Eddie Melton,” said Dr. Jennifer McCormick. “As State Superintendent of Public Instruction, I am optimistic that a potential 2020 gubernatorial candidate has the foresight and the willingness to elevate educational issues and work collaboratively. This next election will direct the future of our state for generations to come. Decisions regarding the education of our children must be at the very heart of that future.”
A nationally-recognized educator and innovator, Dr. McCormick has served at all levels of the K-12 education system. She has been a secondary special education and language arts teacher, elementary principal, assistant superintendent, and served as superintendent for seven and a half years. She is an advocate for children, dedicated to using her experience to improve educational outcomes for Hoosier students.
“Indiana is at a crossroads,” Melton continued, “We can either make the investments needed to innovate and shape our future, or continue to remain in neutral as we refuse to transition into the new global economy and continue to politicize our education system.”
The office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction was abolished as a democratically elected position this year by Governor Eric Holcomb and the Republican supermajority in the state legislature. The resulting effect is that politicians, not Hoosier parents, now decide who develops Indiana’s education policies.
