GOSHEN — Despite opposition from some of the public, the Elkhart County Council appropriated $100,000 to Horizon Education Alliance Saturday morning in a 5-2 vote.
Two other nonprofits were also awarded $100,000 each: Center for Community Justice and Council on Aging.
HEA was the only one of the three that drew any opposition.
However, it appeared from the room-capacity crowd that gathered in the council chambers that there may have been just as many or more people in support of the HEA funding. Supporters organized themselves, wore buttons and made signs.
Councilman Tom Stump said council members received 15 to 20 emails from both sides, so they were all aware of what the concerns were and of the support.
The crux of the argument against HEA lies in the social and emotional learning aspects from the Comprehensive Counseling Collaborative of Elkhart County, part of HEA. One of the opponents, Pam Keyser of Middlebury, said the goal of SEL is to brainwash children into believing collectivism vs. individualism, indoctrinate them into critical race theory and contribute to the sexualization of children.
“It looks innocent, but it’s not,” she told the council. She urged them to follow the money and see where it leads and to not give money to HEA. Others also expressed similar concerns.
Jim Montgomery of Elkhart also disagreed with the funding. He’s concerned about the path America is taking, especially with its children, and believes children are being indoctrinated at a young age into believing America is a bad place to be.
He said just because the state mandates social-emotional learning doesn’t mean the county needs to support it.
Supporters, on the other hand, pointed out that the state mandate, if not filled by HEA, would be filled by another organization.
Goshen College President Rebecca Stoltzfus explained that through HEA students learn how to behave in the workplace and what is expected of them. It also allows people to be able to engage in civil discourse.
She also added that HEA is important in showing that Elkhart County has a dynamic, contemporary and vibrant workforce. And because of HEA, Goshen College was able to reach out to Goshen Health and Ivy Tech on a nursing initiative.
Stoltzfus also pointed out that the public show of support from the county gives leverage when HEA is applying for other grants.
Goshen Health’s CEO Randy Christophel expressed his support as well, saying HEA is needed for the future of the local workforce.
Goshen Health employs about 2,000 people — all who work in teams and need to be able to resolve conflicts. The skills learned in HEA help with that, he said. Job pathways are developed, opening up areas of interests youth might not have known before.
“We help develop their skills,” he said.
HEA also helps with the question: is college the right path or are certifications? Christophel said.
Ivy Tech Chancellor David Balkin added his support, saying HEA is critical to Ivy Tech and has opened their eyes to having course work in Spanish.
“Employers are looking for skills,” Sarah Metzler, Goshen, and vice president of Foundations of Learning with HEA. She explained that the goal is to help youth prepare for beyond high school.
One way, she and others who spoke said, is connecting students with employers, creating apprenticeships, letting students see what job opportunities are out there and creating the skills they need to get and keep those jobs.
Metzler pointed out that the skills they are learning now will prepare them well for the future in work and in the home.
Bianca Jimenez Ortiz is a paralegal apprentice at the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office and she told the council the opportunity through HEA has transformed her life. She now understands what it’s like to work in a professional setting and how to behave.
Several people spoke on the importance of another HEA initiative, Triple P Parenting classes, to the community.
Hannah Sawatsky, Goshen, who works with HEA, said that Triple P instills the values parents choose to have for their children. She said parents choose the strategies and how they will be used.
After hearing from both sides, councilman Stump said he appreciated what everyone said and that he came into the meeting intending to support the funding, and he still tended to support it. “Workforce development is a big part for me,” he said. However, he did have some concerns about SEL and would review that when it comes up again next year.
Councilman Adam Bujalski suggested more people engage with school boards if they do not like the direction of student instruction. He feels more indoctrination is going on at a college level, and that HEA is allowing students to develop skills needed for the workforce.
Voting for the funding were Stump, Bujalski, Tina Wenger, Dave Hess and Randy Yohn. Voting against the funding were Doug Graham and Darryl Riegsecker. Riegsecker stated at the onset of the funding consideration that his vote did not deal in any way with the nonprofits and instead was based on the county using landfill money to make the appropriations. He also voted against the funding of the other two nonprofits.
CENSUS DATA
Elkhart County Clerk Chris Anderson said Elkhart County now has a population of 207,047.
Due to equalization requirements for districts, some changes will be coming to district lines.
Anderson explained that the equalization of school districts, the spread of deviation between the largest district and smallest district should be 15%.
Elkhart Community Schools falls under that at 13%, but Goshen Community Schools exceeds it at 19%. Some lines will need to be redrawn there.
However, the biggest difference is in Middlebury Schools, he said.
Middlebury is based on townships and depending on how the numbers are figured, the spread deviation is 41% or 65%.
“They must do something,” Anderson said, adding that they have a “very good plan in place” but discussions will be taking place with school attorneys Warrick & Boyne to figure out the situation.
Currently, there are two school board members from Jefferson Township, one from Middlebury Township inside Middlebury, one from Middlebury Township outside of the town and one from York Township. They are voted on by everyone in the district.
Jefferson Township is large with 11,000 people just inside that one area.
“That’s why it’s difficult,” Anderson said.
State elections will also be affected.
Anderson explained that Elkhart County sits within five statehouse districts and that number is now four.
The three senate districts will remain — 9, 11 and 12 — but those have been redrawn.