Members Of State Board Of Education Push For Procedural Changes

After months of arguments and disputes State Board of Education members say they want to change how they conduct meetings to avoid future conflicts with Superintendent Glenda Ritz. 

The arguments between members of the board and Ritz ranged from when the board received information from the Department of Education to Ritz’s lawsuit against the board about conducting a meeting without her.

Because of all this, board members drafted a resolution requesting changes to some board procedures. Those include board members having a larger role in planning meetings, when and how a board member can appeal a motion by Ritz, and a new section on how to resolve a dispute during a meeting.

The Indiana State Teachers Association wrote on its blog the resolution is an attempt to strip Ritz of her powers as the board’s chair. But the state Constitution does not give the board’s chair any more power than other board members.

Board member Brad Oliver says, if adopted, the amendments will make meetings more efficient so the board can focus on education policy issues.

Superintendent Ritz declined to comment for this story.