Lawmaker wants to block public dollars from schools with discriminatory policies

By Shelby Mullis
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana lawmaker is attempting to block state dollars from going toward any Indiana school with discriminatory policies after an Indianapolis Catholic high school suspended an employee for her same-sex marriage.

Rep. Dan Forestal, D-Indianapolis, submitted language to the Indiana legislature’s drafting officials Wednesday in response to the recent suspension of Shelly Fitzgerald, a counselor at Roncalli High School.

“Roncalli should not be rewarded with state dollars if they choose to discriminate against employees simply based on who they love,” Forestal said in a statement. Forestal is a Roncalli alumnus.

Fitzgerald, who has worked at Roncalli for 15 years, was placed on paid administrative leave Sunday after news surfaced of her 2014 marriage to her partner of more than 20 years. The school defended its decision in a Facebook post Sunday, which has since been removed, saying it requires teachers to uphold the beliefs of the Catholic church, including a marriage “between a man and a woman.”

But Forestal said Roncalli’s actions against the counselor are contrary to the ideals he learned as a student.

“We were taught to love and accept everyone regardless of our differences,” Forestal said the statement. “Roncalli should practice what they preach and reinstate Shelly Fitzgerald immediately and without any further consequences. And in the meantime, I will work to ensure that Hoosier tax dollars no longer fund these discriminatory actions.”

Under current law, school vouchers can be used at private and religious schools for students to offset the cost of tuition. These vouchers are funded by the state’s school funding formula.

The school has received more than $6.5 million in public money over the last five years through the state’s school voucher program.

Forestal wants to prohibit those vouchers from getting into the hands of institutions that engage in discriminatory practices and punish employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

He plans to officially file a bill when the legislative session resumes in January.

Footnote: Shelby Mullis is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.