INDIANAPOLIS—On Tuesday, State Senator Eddie Melton (D-Gary) released the following statement on the passage of Senate Bill 327:

“While this legislation has improved and moved closer to the local governing model that my community supports, I still chose to vote against it. Unfortunately, SB 327 doesn’t provide my community with the full local control we desire. It doesn’t allow members of Gary to play an active role in supporting students’ academic success—which has not improved under the management of MGT although there have been fiscal improvements.

“I’ve talked to the residents of my district, and more than anything, there’s a desire to have real input in the future of our community. Gary residents simply want local control of our school district and the right to lead decisions surrounding the education of our children. We want the same rights as other parents and residents in districts across the state. There are passionate and capable people in Gary who are ready and willing to serve our school district, uplift our students and work toward the collective best interest of the Gary Schools system. I introduced legislation this session that was in line with what the people of my district wanted, and I’m disappointed that it failed to even receive a committee hearing. I will continue to fight alongside members of my community for legislative action that truly provides our district with the local involvement we deserve in our school system.”