By Sheryl Swingley—
MUNCIE, IN—A representative of the Indiana Coalition for Public Education will be the guest speaker for a meeting jointly sponsored by the Muncie Branch of the American Association of University Women, the League of Women Voters of Muncie-Delaware County and Experienced Educators of East Central Indiana.
The meeting is open to the public, and there is no admission fee.
The meeting will start at 10 a.m. and wrap up no later than noon on Saturday, Jan. 25, at Motivate Our Minds Learning Center, 2023 E. Highland Ave., Muncie.
The topic of the discussion is “The State of Public Education in the 2026 Indiana Legislative Session.”
“One area of concern that will be discussed is the state legislature’s ongoing actions to decrease financial support for the operations of public schools, which are free and open to all students regardless of ability and no matter a family’s income and background,” said Sheryl Swingley, president of the AAUW Muncie Branch. “ Also, no child is prevented from attending a public school based on his or her race, ethnicity, religion or national origin.”
The speaker is Joel D. Hand, who is the attorney and lobbyist for ICPE. In Hand’s private practice, he has lobbied on behalf of the ICPE at the Indiana State House since 2011. He also handles K-12 special education due process matters, student discipline hearings and appeals, as well as hearings and appeals for suspension or revocation of teacher licenses.
Hand previously held an Indiana teacher’s license and worked for Dr. Suellen Reed, a former Indiana Department of Education superintendent of public instruction, as legal counsel and later as Reed’s director of legislative and governmental relations.
Questions about the meeting or how to join one or all the sponsoring organizations may be directed to Swingley, sswingley@bsu.edu.
