Charter schools bill reading in Indiana House prompts LGBTQ debate

The Thursday debate between Rep. Timothy Wesco, R-Osceola, and Rep. Dan Forestal, D-Indianapolis, came after Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, introduced his 51-page House Bill 1641 for second reading.

Under the bill, which would add numerous provisions to the state's existing charter school laws, a school corporation would be required to sell a vacant building to a charter or neighboring school corporation for $1. 

If the school corporation failed to make such a sale, then the price it eventually received would be deposited in the state's Charter and Innovation Network School Program Grant, which awarded $15 million last year based on enrollment figures.

The bill faces a third reading in the House before being sent to the Senate.

Charter schools currently can’t expel or suspend a student on the basis of disability, race, color, gender, national origin, religion or ancestry. That provision is still in Behning’s bill.

In an amendment, Forestal attempted to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the classifications.

The amendment was rejected, 63-32.

Forestal is a graduate of Roncalli High School, which has been rocked by the suspension of a female guidance counselor who is married to a woman and by the suspension of a priest, who was a chaplain at Roncalli, over allegations of sexual abuse of a minor.

The guidance counselor, Shelly Fitzgerald, has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

"There is fundamental principle here," Forestal said before the full chamber. "Public funds should not go towards institutions that choose to discriminate based on something that a court has deemed illegal."

Opposed to the amendment, Wesco, who is a Baptist pastor, said, "Is it discriminatory for Christian congregations to live out their sincerely held moral beliefs, which they have held for thousands of years?" 

The two legislators ventured into Roman Catholic teaching that marriage should be between a man and woman, with Forestal quoting Pope Francis' conciliatory tone toward the LGBTQ community.

Wesco asked, "You're claiming that the Catholic Church and the Pope supports your amendment?"

Forestal answered, "I'm saying that Roncalli is out of step with the Pope's teaching. God's emissary on earth has preached kindness toward the LGBTQ community, and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis has chosen to go against that teaching."

Opponents of the amendment said it would have allowed state interference with the internal operation of a faith-based or charter institution. House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, was among those who voted against the amendment.

"It's not our place in the General Assembly to tell churches and church-related schools, faith institutions, what their internal policies are," Bosma said.

Following the debate, Forestal issued a statement saying he had worked with the Indiana Department of Education in drafting language for his amendment.

He added, "As lawmakers, we should stand together and prevent institutions that receive public dollars from discriminating against their faculty, staff and students."