Summary:
In August 2013, Pence signed an executive order creating the Center for Education and Career Innovation, which he said was to “improve collaboration among Indiana’s public, private and nonprofit education and workforce partners by aligning education and career and workforce training efforts.” Pence did not include the elected Democratic Superintendent Glenda Ritz in the creation of the agency, and appointed somebody else, Claire Fiddian-Green, to head it. Local editorials blasted the move by Pence, calling it a “brazen power grab,” “making mischief,” and an expansion of government that Pence usually railed against.
Amongst the political bickering, Pence dissolved the agency in December 2014. Pence said his dissolution of the agency was a concession to try to work with Ritz. At the same time, however, Pence pushed for allowing the State Board of Education to select their own chairman. The implication was that Pence would control education, as he appointed members to the State Board of Education. Local editorials criticized Pence’s “concession,” saying it really was not a concession as he said it was. The move was described as a way to marginalize and circumvent Ritz’s policy role in education to the point of “irrelevancy.”
August 2013: Pence Signed An Executive Order Creating The Center For Education And Career Innovation To Unite The Administration’s Goals For Workforce Development And Education. According to the Evansville Courier & Press, “Gov. Mike Pence on Friday signed an executive order creating the Center for Education and Career Innovation to unite the administration’s goals for workforce development and education. The center is meant to ‘improve collaboration among Indiana’s public, private and nonprofit education and workforce partners by aligning education and career and workforce training efforts,’ Pence said. The Indiana Career Council, the Indiana Works Councils, the Education Roundtable and the State Board of Education, though functioning independently, will exist as part of the new agency. The budgets for those groups will also be directed through the new center. ‘All of these disparate entities that have grown up over different years and have different responsibilities in terms of policy innovation have a place to come together, to think together,’ Pence said.” [Evansville Courier & Press, 8/24/13]
Pence Did Not Include The Democratic Education Superintendent In The Creation Of The Center For Education And Career Innovation. According to the Times Of Munster, “Pence has spoken often of aligning career and workforce training efforts, so his involvement in creating this new agency should not have come as a surprise, but it definitely should not have surprised Ritz. Ritz’s spokesman, Daniel Altman, spoke volumes about the relationship between Ritz and Pence. ‘Unfortunately, Superintendent Ritz learned about the creation of this new agency through news reports rather than from Gov. Pence,’ Altman said.” [Times Of Munster, 9/4/13]
Instead, Pence Appointed “Lifelong Democrat” Claire Fiddian-Green As Co-Director Of The Center For Education And Career Innovation. In a Journal and Courier op-ed By, Mike Pence wrote, “The Center for Education and Career Innovation has hired distinguished education and workforce experts, some of whom worked for the superintendent and some of whom worked for her predecessor. The co-director, Claire Fiddian-Green, is a lifelong Democrat whose strong background in bipartisan education reform reflects my commitment to take politics out of the development of education policy in Indiana.” [Journal and Courier, 11/13/13]
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Editorial: “Two Dueling Departments Of Education Cannot Function Efficiently And Wisely. A New Education Agency Created By Gov. Mike Pence Is Making Mischief In State School Policy.” According to an editorial published by the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, “At the heart of the dispute between state Superintendent Glenda Ritz and the appointed State Board of Education is this: Two dueling departments of education cannot function efficiently and wisely. A new education agency created by Gov. Mike Pence is making mischief in state school policy. Any democratic process falters without clear lines of authority and responsibility. Those lines have been muddied by the new Center for Education and Career Innovation.” [Editorial – Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 11/15/13]
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Editorial: Creation Of The Center For Education And Career Education Was A “Brazen Power Grab.” According to an editorial published by theFort Wayne Journal Gazette, “The Center for Education and Career Innovation is the source of the strife. The agency is the creation of Gov. Mike Pence. It was not authorized by the General Assembly or vetted by voters in the 2012 election. While its stated mission was to integrate education and workforce training, its full-time pursuit has been to hamper the Department of Education’s work and to lessen Ritz’s effectiveness in the public’s eye. […] As voters begin to consider candidates for the Nov. 4 election, Republican leaders should be prepared to explain why they haven’t questioned the brazen power grab exercised by Pence and his new agency. Nearly a dozen educators are running for legislative seats in districts won by Ritz in 2012. If they tap into the same anger voters displayed in the superintendent’s election, Republican leaders might finally have to explain why they have ceded control of education spending and policy to the governor.” [Editorial – Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 8/1/14]
December 2014: Pence Dissolved The Center For Education And Career Innovation In Order To “Get Politics Out Of Indiana” And “Fix What Is Broken.” In a Journal and Courier op-ed By, Mike Pence wrote, “Fifth, in order for us to fund excellence and increase choices for families, we need to fix what is broken. I have proposed that we get politics out of education in Indiana and begin fixing the overly complicated way that we oversee education policy in Indiana. I have chosen to dissolve the Center for Education and Career Innovation as a first step. I have also called on the General Assembly to allow the State Board of Education to elect its own chairman, a common practice among state boards in Indiana.” [Journal and Courier, 12/19/14]
Pence Called For An Overhaul To The Indiana State Board Of Education, Saying He Would Like To Have His Appointees To The State Board Of Education Select Their Own Chairman. According to the Associated Press State & Local, “Gov. Mike Pence’s call to overhaul the State Board of Education won the support of the two top legislative leaders Thursday, setting up what could be one of the most acrimonious education fights the state has seen. Pence announced Thursday that he would like to have his appointees to the State Board of Education select their own chairman, a move that places Democratic Schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz in danger of losing the chairmanship. Pence won the backing of House Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate President Pro Tem David Long shortly after his announcement. The backing of both Republican leaders, who preside over supermajorities in both chambers of the General Assembly, makes the overhaul all but certain.” [Associated Press State & Local, 12/4/14]
Cathy Fuentes-Rowher Op-Ed: Pence Disbanded The Center To Circumvent Voters And The Democratic Process. In a Fort Wayne Journal Gazette op-ed Cathy Fuentes-Rowher wrote, “Our governor has shown that he clearly has no respect for the democratic process or for democracy as a whole.” [Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 12/18/14]
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Editorial: Pence Sought To Marginalize Democrat Superintendent Of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz Policy Role. In an editorial Fort Wayne Journal Gazette wrote, “Its occasional meetings are scarcely noted today, as Pence seeks to marginalize Ritz’s policy role. He can change the tone. Pence should return the roundtable to its original prominence and allow it to resume its good work. The governor will benefit; Indiana will benefit.” [Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 12/12/14]
Cathy Fuentes-Rowher Op-Ed: Pence Said That He Disbanded The Center So That His Appointed State Board Members Could Election Their Own Chairman Unseating The Elected Ritz. In a Fort Wayne Journal Gazette op-ed Cathy Fuentes-Rowher wrote, “Claiming this was ‘in the interest of restoring trust and harmony,’ Pence then announced his intention to allow his appointed state board members to elect their own chairman, unseating Ritz. If the governor were truly concerned with trust and harmony, he would trust Ritz to represent the people of Indiana. He should remember why Indiana voters chose her.” [Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 12/18/14]