public schools

A who’s who of Indianapolis community and education leaders gathered Tuesday at the Shepherd Community Center for a campaign kickoff event in support of a tax referendum to raise money for the city’s public schools.

The Indiana Senate advanced SB 442 Tuesday. It would require school boards or charter authorizers to approve all instruction materials related to human sexuality and post those materials to the school’s website by July 1.

SB 523 says chaplains who work in schools would provide secular support and advice to staff and students. It specifies that they could only provide religious or spiritual guidance to minors with explicit parental permission.

Religious chaplains would be allowed to serve as public school counselors in a bill approved by a Senate committee, wetlands protections are further eroded in legislation clearing the House, and debate begins on raising highway speed limits.