ANDERSON — The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) made a stop in Anderson Wednesday night, highlighting the importance of the upcoming mid-term election. They're on a 20-day nationwide, Get-Out-the-Vote tour leading up to November 8.
"You go back and think about the best teacher you ever had," Fedrick Ingram, AFT's Secretary & Treasurer, said to the crowd gathered at the UAW Hall.
On the tour, AFT is highlighting what they believe kids and communities need in their elected leaders.
"Somebody who cares, you have to have the heart for education. You have to know what it takes to educate kids," Ingram said. "Our public schools have been politicized, so our power lies in the ballot box. We've got to elect officials that support our public schools."
WRTV has reported extensively on the national group Free to Learn Coalition creating deceptive school board candidate websites, with partisan information, for certain districts in our area. While it's not happening in Anderson, local AFT President Randy Harrison, says the same political rhetoric has found its way into their school board races.
"I call it the CRT boogeyman. The stick figures. The accusations that our public's schools are teaching things that that we're not," Harrison said.
He teaches senior government classes. Harrison used the misinformation flying around as a teaching moment for his kids, posing this question to them.
"Raise your hands if a teacher in Anderson Community Schools has taught you how to be gay or any of the horrible things this false information says about us? Not one hand went up," Harrison said.
The problem, Harrison fears, will come if community members believe partisan claims about school board candidates.
"If they make those misconceptions about us and win, then tell us we can't teacher the truth about slavery, the 3/5 Compromise or other things not comfortable in our past and we don't teach it anymore, we'll forget that and go backwards. That's my concern," Harrison said.
-
More than 12 arrests made during drug raids across Central Indiana
A series of raids led by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) led to the arrest of more than 12 people Wednesday morning.
Try this pass to explore holiday attractions in Marion, Hamilton Counties
There’s so much to see and do here in Central Indiana this holiday season. Visit Indy and Visit Hamilton County launched the Holiday Adventure Pass to encourage you to experience it all.
Thanksgiving meals expected to be cheaper in 2024 as turkey prices drop
Believe it or not, Thanksgiving dinners are expected to be more affordable for the second straight year. Learn why.
IFD responds to fire at former Golden Corral on Indy's far east side
Firefighters responded to a fire at a closed Golden Corral near Washington Square mall early Wednesday morning.
