INDIANAPOLIS — Pike Township officials are banding together to oppose Indiana House Bill 1136, a controversial measure that seeks to abolish Indianapolis Public Schools along with four other districts.
The proposed measure would eliminate the elected IPS School Board and replace it with appointed officials, raising concerns about the integrity of public education in the area.
WATCH | Proposed bill would disband 5 Indiana school districts including Indianapolis Public Schools
The coalition includes Pike Township Board Members Demetrice Hicks and Kenya Perkins, along with Pike School Board Members Dr. Wayne Moore and Toni A. Wilson. Hicks emphasized the importance of maintaining elected representation: “This bill represents a slippery slope for public education.”
If passed, HB 1136 would dissolve any school corporation where over 50 percent of students attend non-district schools, effectively turning all district public schools into charter schools. Dr. Moore warned, “A simple amendment could spread the bill’s impact to Marion County’s township schools.”
Perkins, an IPS alumnus, and Wilson, a Pike Township teacher, both expressed alarm over the implications for parental choice and accountability in education. “We cannot let the state’s largest public school system be dissolved,” Wilson said. “Many families chose IPS for their neighborhood schools.”
The bill is currently under review by the Indiana House Education Committee, as Pike Township officials continue to advocate for the preservation of elected school boards and public education.
