TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS — House Republicans defeated a Democrat lawmaker’s effort to take away state funding from nonpublic schools that discriminate against employees or students on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and other characteristics.

Rep. Dan Forestal, D-Indianapolis, crafted the amendment to House Bill 1641 that would make the process quicker for a charter school to lease or buy unused buildings from public school corporations.

Forestal is a graduate of Roncalli High School, a private Catholic school where administrators made a decision to suspend longtime guidance counselor Shelley Fitzgerald after learning of her marriage to a woman. He noted that Roncalli has received more than $6 million in taxpayer funds as part of the state’s voucher program.

He said in order to receive publicly funded vouchers, all nonpublic schools should have to adhere to the same nondiscriminatory policies public schools already have to follow. As a student at Roncalli, he said he watched as many school faculty members were forced to hide their sexual orientation.

“Public funds should not go to someone who discriminates,” Forestal said. “I’m ashamed with my school and the way it’s behaved.”

Republican representatives expressed concern that the amendment would infringe on the religious freedom of the nonpublic institutions. Rep. Tim Wesco, R-Osceola, pointed out that Fitzgerald signed a contract to abide by the school’s and the Catholic church’s religious beliefs on marriage, which prohibit same-sex marriage.

Wesco and Forestal engaged in a heated debate on the House floor that required an intervention from House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, who told the lawmakers to stop interrupting each other.

“Is it discriminatory for Christian congregations to live out their sincerely held moral beliefs that they have held for thousands of years? ”Wesco said, his voice rising.

Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, said who faculty sleeps with is “none of their danged business.”

“Are we going to support the choice to discriminate?” he asked. “What is the message we’re sending to our children?”

Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, addressing the Delaney, asked why tax dollars even have to go to religious-based schools and said the General Assembly is entangling the state with the church.

“This is a textbook example of why it was ill-advised to provide tax funds to religious-based schools,” Pierce said.

The amendment failed in 32-63 roll call vote along party lines, and Bosma said after session that Indiana has a policy that states the General Assembly will provide public funding to nonpublic schools while honoring the school’s religious instruction and activities.

Another amendment, proposed by DeLaney, would have required a charter school to pay fair market value for a building being vacated by a school corporation. Under current law, charter schools can acquire a vacant school for $1 while the school corporation retains any debt on the property.

Author of the bill, Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, said DeLaney’s amendment is against families’ rights to school choice. DeLaney said lawmakers have to stop using the word “choice” to dissolve arguments against charter schools and added that they should support public schools instead of voting for a “fantasy.”

“How long is this joke going to go on?” DeLaney said. “These school districts are our responsibility. We fund the school districts.”

DeLaney’s amendment was defeated 33-60. The bill now goes to the House for a final vote.

FOOTNOTE: Emily Ketterer is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.