Staff report
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS – Gov. Mike Pence visited Cedar Elementary School in Avon on Friday to announce more than $9 million in grants to districts for safety measures.

The Indiana Secured School Safety Board approved the grants.

“These grants will allow our public schools and school corporations to add resources that will help secure our schools so they can focus on educating our students,” Pence said in a prepared statement.

The General Assembly created the grant program last year to give schools matching money to hire a school resource officer, conduct a threat assessment or purchase equipment to restrict access to the school or expedite the notification of first responders.

School corporations, charter schools, or coalitions with enrollments of at least 1,000 students could apply grants up to $50,000 per year. Those with fewer students could ask for up to $35,000.

Below is the county and school or district breakdown of the grant funding amount and purpose of those funds.

Adams

·         Adams Central School Corporation received $38,450 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         North Adams Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         South Adams Schools received $21,600 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Allen

·         East Allen County Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Fort Wayne Community Schools received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

·         MSD Southwest Allen County Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Northwest Allen County Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Bartholomew

·         Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation received $50,000 to employ two SROs.

·         Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation received $11,475 for school security equipment.

Benton

·         Benton Community School Corporation received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

Blackford

·         Blackford County Schools received $50,000 to employ two SROs.

Boone

·         Lebanon Community School Corporation received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Western Boone County Community School District received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Zionsville Community Schools received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

Brown

·         Brown County School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Carroll

·         Carroll Consolidated School Corporation received $29,230.40 for school security equipment.

·         Delphi Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Cass

·         Logansport Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Pioneer Regional School Corporation received $12,500 for school security equipment.

·         Southeastern School Corporation $43,152 for school security equipment.

Clark

·         Clarksville Community School Corporation received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Greater Clark County Schools received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

Clinton

·         Clinton Central School Corporation received $40,000 for school security equipment.

·         Clinton Prairie School Corporation received $38,400 for school security equipment.

·         Community Schools of Frankfort received $370 for school security equipment.

·         Rossville Consolidated School District received $35,000 for school security equipment.

Crawford

·         Crawford County Community School Corporation received $21,501.52 for school security equipment.

Daviess

·         Barr-Reeve Community Schools received $15,000 for school security equipment.

·         North Daviess Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Washington Community Schools received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

Dearborn

·         Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         South Dearborn Community School Corporation received $48,000 for school security equipment

·         Sunman Dearborn Community School Corporation received $49,694.50 for school security equipment.

Decatur

·         Decatur County Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Greensburg Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

DeKalb

·         DeKalb County Central United School District received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Garrett-Keyser-Butler Community School District received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Delaware

·         Cowan Community School Corporation received $20,000 for school security equipment.

·         Daleville Community Schools received $35,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Delaware Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Liberty-Perry Community School Corporation received $15,037.18 for school security equipment and a threat assessment.

·         Muncie Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ two SROs.

·         Yorktown Community School Corporation received $27,500 to employ an SRO.

Dubois

·         Northeast Dubois County School Corporation received $14,650 for school security equipment.

·         Southeast Dubois County School Corporation received $9,710.50 for school security equipment.

·         Southwest Dubois County School Corporation received $15,000 for school security equipment.

Elkhart

·         Concord Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Elkhart Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Fairfield Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment

·         Goshen Community Schools received $49,995 for school security equipment.

·         Middlebury Community Schools received $2,800 for school security equipment.

·         Wa-Nee Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Fayette

·         Fayette County School Corporation received $25,000 to employ an SRO.

Fountain

·         Attica Consolidated School Corporation received $50,000 for a threat assessment and to employ an SRO.

·         Covington Community School Corporation received $34,900 for school security equipment.

Franklin

·         Franklin County Community School Corporation received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

Fulton

·         Rochester Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Gibson

·         East Gibson School Corporation received $10,602 to employ an SRO.

·         North Gibson School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         South Gibson School Corporation received $49,600 for school security equipment and to employ three SROs.

Greene

·         Bloomfield School District received $35,000 for school security equipment.

·         MSD of Shakamak received $15,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         White River Valley School District received $10,000 to employ an SRO.

Hamilton

·         Carmel Clay Schools received $50,000 to employ two SROs.

·         Hamilton Heights School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment

·         Hamilton Southeastern Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ two SROs.

·         Noblesville Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Sheridan Community School Corporation received $39,820 to employ an SRO.

·         Westfield-Washington Schools received $40,000 for school security equipment.

Hancock

·         Community School Corporation of Eastern Hancock County received $30,741 for school security equipment.

·         Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Southern Hancock County Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Harrison

·         South Harrison Community School Corporation received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

Hendricks

·         Avon Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment

·         Brownsburg Community School Corporation received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Danville Community School Corporation received $35,250 for school security equipment.

·         Mill Creek Community School Corporation received $32,500 for school security equipment

·         North West Hendricks Schools received $41,000 to employ an SRO.

Henry

·         Blue River Valley Schools received $31,000 for school security equipment, and to employ an SRO.

·         Charles A. Beard Memorial School Corporation received $11,525 for school security equipment and grant administration costs.

·         New Castle Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment, a threat assessment, and to employ an SRO.

·         South Henry School Corporation received $17,200 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Howard

·         Eastern Howard School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Kokomo School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Taylor Community School Corporation received $7,500 for school security equipment

·         Western School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Huntington

·         Huntington County Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Jackson

·         Brownstown Central Community School Corporation received $49,400 to employ an SRO.

·         Crothersville Community Schools received $17,800 for school security equipment.

·         Seymour Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment, a threat assessment, and to employ an SRO.

Jasper

·         Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools received $15,469.41 for school security equipment.

·         Kankakee Valley School Corporation received $25,235.75 to employ an SRO.

·         Rensselaer Central School Corporation $25,401 to employ an SRO.

Jay

·         Jay School Corporation received $38,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Jefferson

·         Madison Consolidated Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ two SROs.

·         Southwestern-Jefferson County Consolidated School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Jennings

·         Jennings County School Corporation received $36,763 to employ two SROs.

Johnson

·         Center Grove Community School Corporation received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Clark Pleasant Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Edinburgh Community School Corporation received $35,000 for school security equipment.

·         Franklin Community School Corporation received $13,250 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson United School Corporation received $18,320 for school security equipment.

Knox

·         North Knox School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment, and to employ an SRO.

·         Vincennes Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Kosciusko

·         Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Warsaw Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Wawasee Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Whitko Community School Corporation received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

Lake

·         Aspire Charter Academy received $12,718 for school security equipment.

·         Crown Point Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Gary Community School Corporation received $25,000 for school security equipment.

·         Hanover Community School Corporation received $27,687.76 to employ an SRO.

·         Lake Central School Corporation received $39,463.50 for school security equipment.

·         Lake Ridge Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment, a threat assessment, and to employ an SRO.

·         Lake Station Community Schools received $40,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Merrillville Community Schools received $30,170 for school security equipment.

·         River Forest Community School Corporation received $7,100 for school security equipment.

·         School Town of Highland received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         School Town of Munster received $30,298.60 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Thea Bowman Leadership Academy received $15,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Tri-Creek School Corporation received $49,316 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Whiting School City received $50,000 for school security equipment, a threat assessment, and to employ an SRO.

LaPorte

·         LaPorte Community School Corporation received $44,530.71 to employ an SRO.

·         Michigan City Area Schools received $49,974 for school security equipment.

·         MSD of New Durham Township Received $14,000 to employ an SRO.

·         South Central Community School Corporation received $17,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Lawrence

·         North Lawrence Community Schools received $49,968.20 for school security equipment.

Madison

·         Anderson Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Anderson Preparatory Academy received $31,890 for school security equipment.

·         Elwood Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         South Madison Community School Corporation received $45,000 for school security equipment and to employ two SROs.

Marion

·         Andrew J. Brown Academy received $6,880 for school security equipment.

·         Beech Grove City Schools received $35,000 for school security equipment.

·         Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School received $10,000 for school security equipment, a threat assessment, and to employ an SRO.

·         Damar Charter Academy received $35,000 for school security equipment, a threat assessment, and to employ an SRO.

·         EdPower Arlington received $35,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Emma Donnan Middle School (CSUSA Donnan) received $25,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Herron High School received $35,000 for school security equipment.

·         Indiana School for the Deaf received $35,000 for school security equipment.

·         Irvington Community School received $34,300 for school security equipment and a threat assessment.

·         KIPP Indianapolis College Preparatory received $25,000 for school security equipment.

·         MSD Decatur Township received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         MSD Perry Township received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         MSD Warren Township received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         MSD Washington Township received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

·         MSD Wayne Township received $23,134.03 to employ an SRO.

·         Padua Academy Charter School Received $17,504 for school security equipment.

·         Paramount School of Excellence received $17,500 for school security equipment.

·         School Town of Speedway received $44,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Southeast Neighborhood School of Excellence received $20,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Thomas Carr Howe Community High School (CSUSA Howe) received $30,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Tindley Collegiate Academy received $10,000 for school security equipment, a threat assessment, and to employ an SRO.

·         Tindley Preparatory Academy received $10,000 for school security equipment, a threat assessment, and to employ an SRO.

·         Tindley Renaissance Academy received $10,000 for school security equipment, a threat assessment, and to employ an SRO.

Marshall

·         Bremen Public Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Culver Community Schools received $15,000 for school security equipment.

·         Plymouth Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Triton Community School Corporation received $25,000 for school security equipment.

Martin

·         Loogootee Community Schools received $25,000 for school security equipment.

·         Shoals Community School Corporation Received $29,903 for school security equipment.

Miami

·         Maconaquah School Corporation received $25,000 to employ an SRO.

·         North Miami Community Schools received $35,000 for school security equipment.

·         Oak Hill United School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Peru Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Monroe

·         Monroe County Community School Corporation received $30,940 to employ an SRO.

·         Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

Montgomery

·         Crawfordsville Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         North Montgomery Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         South Montgomery School Corporation received $28,838.38 to employ an SRO.

Morgan

·         Monroe-Gregg School District received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         MSD Martinsville Schools received $49,612.80 for school security equipment.

Newton

·         South Newton School Corporation received $35,000 for school security equipment.

Noble

·         Central Noble Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         East Noble School Corporation received $25,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         West Noble School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Ohio

·         Rising Sun-Ohio County Community School Corporation received $20,000 to employ an SRO.

Orange

·         Orleans Community Schools received $7,076.47 for school security equipment.

·         Paoli Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Springs Valley Community School Corporation received $8,130 for school security equipment.

Owen

·         Spencer-Owen Community Schools received $30,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Parke

·         North Central Parke Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Southwest Parke Community School Corporation received $35,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Perry

·         Perry Central Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Tell City-Troy Township School Corporation received $21,000 for school security equipment.

Porter

·         Duneland School Corporation received $35,000 for school security equipment.

·         East Porter County School Corporation received $49,549.50 for school security equipment.

·         Neighbors’ New Vistas High School received $35,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Portage Township Schools received $49,658.09 for school security equipment.

·         Porter Township School Corporation received $45,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Posey

·         MSD of Mt. Vernon received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         MSD of North Posey County received $20,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Pulaski

·         Eastern Pulaski Community School Corporation received $17,915 for school security equipment.

·         West Central School Corporation received $26,574 for school security equipment.

Putnam

·         Greencastle Community School Corporation received $32,783.98 for school security equipment.

Ripley

·         Batesville Community School Corporation received $39,421.39 for school security equipment.

·         Jac-Cen-Del Community School Corporation received $35,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         South Ripley Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Rush

·         Rush County Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Scott

·         Scott County School District 1 received $41,730.80 for school security equipment and a threat assessment.

·         Scott County School District 2 received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Shelby

·         Northwestern School Corporation received $47,430 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Shelbyville Central Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Southwestern Consolidated School District of Shelby County received $35,000 for school security equipment.

Spencer

·         North Spencer County School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         South Spencer County School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

St. Joseph

·         Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation received $31,102 for school security equipment.

·         School City of Mishawaka received $25,000 to employ an SRO.

·         South Bend Community School Corporation received $47,480 for school security equipment.

·         Union-North United School Corporation received $25,000 for school security equipment.

Starke

·         Knox Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Oregon-Davis School Corporation received $30,000 to employ an SRO.

Steuben

·         Fremont Community Schools received $34,500 for school security equipment.

·         Hamilton Community Schools received $35,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         MSD Steuben County received $43,200 to employ an SRO.

Sullivan

·         Rural Community Academy received $3,169.50 for school security equipment.

·         Southwest School Corporation received $40,000 for school security equipment.

Switzerland

·         Switzerland County School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Tippecanoe

·         Lafayette School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Tippecanoe School Corporation received $49,385.70 to employ an SRO.

·         West Lafayette Community School Corporation received $23,016 for school security equipment.

Union

·         Union County College Corner Joint School District received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Vanderburgh

·         Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Vigo

·         Vigo County School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

Wabash

·         Manchester Community Schools received $25,000 to employ an SRO.

·         MSD of Wabash County received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Wabash City Schools received $18,200 to employ an SRO.

Warren

·         MSD of Warren County received $20,650 to employ an SRO.

Washington

·         East Washington School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Salem Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment, a threat assessment, and to employ an SRO.

·         West Washington School Corporation received $30,226.50 for school security equipment.

Wayne

·         Centerville-Abington Community School Corporation received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Northeastern Wayne Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Richmond Community Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

·         Western Wayne Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

Wells

·         MSD Bluffton-Harrison received $39,890.55 for school security equipment.

·         Northern Wells Community Schools received $50,000 to employ an SRO.

·         Southern Wells Community Schools received $28,128.45 for school security equipment.

Whitley

·         Smith-Green Community Schools received $20,411.60 for school security equipment and to employ an SRO.

·         Whitley County Consolidated Schools received $50,000 for school security equipment.

By Jessica Wray
SHFWire

WASHINGTON – Former Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard argued Tuesday about the importance of keeping campaign money and strategies out of judicial elections.

Former Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard says Indiana has largely been spared from highly politicized judicial elections. To combat misleading and distorted attack ads, he said, voters need to be educated about what makes a good judge. SHFWire photo by Jessica Wray

The Evansville native stepped down from the bench last year after 25 years as chief justice, but he has been busy in his retirement.

Shepard became a board member with Justice at Stake, which works to keep courts fair and impartial. He spoke at a news conference in Washington about the release of a Justice at Stake report, The New Politics of Judicial Elections 2011-2012.

The report says special interest groups and political parties spent more than $24 million in state judicial races in the 2011-2012 election cycle – an increase of more than $11 million from four years earlier.

A total of $56.4 million was spent in state high-court races, with a majority of that money going to television ads. Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida and North Carolina had the most expensive judicial elections.

Bert Brandenburg, executive director of Justice at Stake, said the judicial system was created in part to keep conflicts of interest out of the courtroom.

He said that goal “is being worn away steadily a year at a time by a relentless campaign of big money spending and political bullying.”

Marsha Ternus, former Iowa Supreme Court chief justice, describes how large national special interest groups poured money into a campaign against her in a retention election. Ternus and two other justices were voted out of office because of their decision to strike down a same-sex marriage ban. SHFWire photo by Jessica Wray

Former Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus was one of the justices targeted by national special interest groups such as the National Organization for Marriage and other local groups to prevent her retention on the bench. That came after the court struck down Iowa’s gay marriage ban.

Ternus and two of her former colleagues received the 2012 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award after being removed from office because of their unpopular but principled votes.

She said the amount of outside dollars pouring into judicial elections is politicizing the judicial system and creating a hostile environment for judges trying to make impartial decisions.

She said that, in situations like hers, that kind of interest from outside groups can be intimidating for other judges across the country. They’re trying to send a message, she said, to other judges not to vote a certain way or fear political retribution.

States have various ways to choose supreme court justices. Some use different procedures for other courts. Fourteen states, including Kentucky and Georgia, have nonpartisan general elections, but sometimes candidates run with party endorsements. Seven states have contested elections for supreme court justices, when the judges declare a party and run on the party ticket. In Indiana and 16 other states, judges are appointed and later face uncontested retention elections. The remaining states grant life tenure or use a reappointment of some type.

Shepard said taking the financial reins from outside special-interest groups and giving them back to the local committee parties and candidates could reduce some of the extreme hostility and negativity in ads.

“But money finds whatever crevice it can, and flows into groups which are less transparent and less accountable,” Shepard said.

With political parties and candidate committees, Shepard said it’s easier for the public to track where the money is changing hands.

“You know where a party got its money,” he said. “There is a kind of responsibility that flows from being the person who has to say his or her name as party treasurer down at the bottom of the ad.”

Indiana, he said, has for the most part stayed out of the judicial political arena.

“Indiana has had a pretty satisfactory experience with merit selection at the state level and in some of the urban courts,” Shepard said. “We have thus been spared these big-dollar money contests. But that vineyard requires tending; you have to work at that.”

Indiana has a system of merit-based nomination. The governor chooses justices from a list provided by a merit committee. After two years they stand for retention. After that, the justices come up for retention votes every 10 years. The Indiana Supreme Court says justices may not “campaign or solicit public support or campaign funds unless there is organized opposition to their retention.”

Shepard said taking a look at recusal laws could be a good place for states to start reforming their judicial election processes. Those laws allow judges to recuse themselves – or remove themselves from a case – or for other  parties to ask them to do so in cases involving a person or group who supported the judges financially.

The report was put together by the Brennan Center for Justice, Justice at Stake and the National Institute on Money in State Politics.

Reach reporter Jessica Wray at jessica.wray@shns.com or 202-326-9865. SHFWire stories are free to any news organization that gives the reporter a byline and credits the SHFWire.