An Indianapolis Public Schools board member is warning about a misleading text message that was sent out widely last week.
Commissioner Gayle Cosby and two parents whose comments appeared in the text message say the message has been deceptively edited and their words were taken out of context.
The message was critical of IPS leadership and went out to people in the Indianapolis area on the evening of March 18. Its origins and sender are unknown.
Multiple calls to the number affiliated with the text were met with a dial tone and no one replied to a text sent that same evening. Spokespeople for three nonprofits supportive of Indianapolis charter schools also say they’re not responsible for the message.
Cosby said during an IPS board meeting days later that she thinks the text is a campaign designed to discredit IPS leadership during an already fraught time.
IPS and charter school leaders have been at odds in recent weeks as state lawmakers consider changes in funding that could shift some property tax dollars away from the district and into nearby charter schools.
“It’s important we stay discerning of any misinformation that would seek to sow division amongst our community,” Cosby said during the March 20 meeting. “Check your sources and let’s work together to combat any misinformation — intentional or unintentional.”
IPS parents say their words are being misused
The message takes aim at IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson’s salary and says “families across Indianapolis are growing increasingly frustrated by the failures of IPS leadership.”
It also pairs these claims with a video compilation of several speeches given during the public comment portion of IPS’ January school board meeting. The 62-second video features comments from seven different speakers, each clipped to just a fraction of their full comments which can be viewed on IPS’ Youtube page.
Though some voiced frustration with legislation and campaign contributions accepted by sitting board members, most speakers featured in the video showed support in their full comments for IPS educators. None specifically mentioned the superintendent or called for changes in administrative leadership.
Multiple parents who appeared in the video felt the need to set the record straight during the school board’s March 20 meeting.
“I’m very passionate about public education as a product of public education myself,” said one of the parents, Doris Jones. “And I also definitely stand by fully funded, fully public schools.”
Another one of the parents, Mark Latta, spoke about how his comments in January — raising concern over a recent decision to split elementary arts teachers’ time between schools — were misinterpreted as an attack against the superintendent.
“That was never my intent,” Latta said during the March 20 meeting, “and I do not consent to that use.”
Messages amid funding debate
The text comes as tensions in Indianapolis rise over funding proposals that could see millions of dollars diverted away from IPS to area charter schools.
An IPS advocate, Christina Smith, was arrested March 17 after a clash between separate groups rallying at the Statehouse on the same day. And, the Indianapolis Education Association, representing IPS teachers, recently called on district leaders to enter no new partnerships with nearby charter schools.
The district currently supports about two dozen charters, known as innovation schools, with services that include transportation, facility maintenance and breakfast and lunch programs.
“We need to stand up and say that we believe in supporting the students that we currently serve,” IEA’s Monica Shellhamer told the IPS board during its March 20 meeting. “We need you to enact a moratorium on new charter contracts to ensure the financial stability of our district so that more students can see the benefit of IPS.”
Spokespeople for two charter-friendly groups — The Mind Trust and RISE INDY — said they did not send the text that went out last week, and they don’t know who did.
A representative for a third group, Stand for Children Indiana, said that though some of its advocates are featured as speakers in the video accompanying the text, they also don’t know who sent the message.
The text comes from the same number of a similar message sent out in late January. That message characterized the district’s finances as being in crisis and suggested that the state would take over IPS schools.
It’s unclear exactly what the text meant by its call to action: “STOP STATE TAKEOVER!” However, many parents found its message to also be misleading.
“I’m not sure exactly where these texts are originating from, and I’m not sure who or what entity would be intent on spreading misinformation,” Cosby said during last week’s meeting. “But, the truth of the matter is this board, as far as I experienced it, has heard overwhelmingly pro-public, pro-IPS commentary.”
Have a tip about texts sent to Indianapolis residents? Contact K-12 education reporter Carley Lanich at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org.
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