Glenda Ritz says movement afoot to oust her as ed board chairwoman
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| State Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz speaks during the Indiana State Board of Education meeting at the Indiana Government Center South, Wednesday, November 13, 2013. The State Board of Education voted Wednesday to shift Indiana's A-F grading system to one that's more similar to the way students are evaluated, but the testing and other data used to determine the grades are still to be determined. Kelly Wilkinson / The Star |
The tension in the room was evident earlier today when members of the state board of education met with a national mediator to try to settle their differences.
The public orientation session aimed to outline roles and responsibilities for Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, a Democrat who chairs the board, and other members appointed to the board by Republican governors.
But as discussions got underway, issues in the ongoing squabble surfaced again.
Ritz said she has a document showing the Gov. Mike Pence's newly created Center for Education and Career Innovation is trying to remove her as chairwoman of the board of education through possible legislation.
A CECI spokesman said there is no such plan.
Earlier this fall, Ritz sued board members, accusing them of having an improper private meeting without her. The lawsuit was later thrown out. She also walked out of a recent board meeting.
The National Association of State Boards of Education, at the suggestion of Pence, facilitated the discussion on board procedures and operation.
This story will be updated.