When I moved to Fishers after marrying Jane in May, 1991, I knew I was moving into a small suburban town of just over 7,500, but growing fast.  One thing most people in the area knew was this – Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools served Fishers and it was a school district with an outstanding reputation.

As I settled into my new Fishers home, I often heard and read officials in Fishers praising the school district.  Once I began writing this local Fishers news blog in 2012, I heard the message time and time again – Fishers and a quality public school system are synonymous.

Scott Fadness, as Town Manager & Mayor of Fishers, has often spoken of how the HSE Schools have, to a large extent, fueled the growth of Fishers.  The city helps the school district in a number of ways, something you do not see often in Indiana.

Creating and maintaining a quality school district means a number of ingredients must work together and ensure quality.  That includes the school board, administrators and teachers.

The way it is supposed to work is as follows:  The board hires and evaluates the superintendent, the superintendent leads the school administration and the teachers can then be supported and do the most important job, instruct students in the classrooms.

I have always admired the way HSE Schools were able to keep academic standards high while taking-in tremendous growth in the student population, basically from the time I moved to Fishers in 1991 up to the present time.  Current projections show student population is leveling off, mainly due to demographic changes.

I retell this information because something is going wrong with HSE Schools, and I refer to recent stories published by Indianapolis media.

The first was from WFYI statehouse education reporter Rachelle Fradette.  She wrote a piece published June 14th on an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) filed by the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA), the union representing HSE School District teachers. (Available at this link, no paywall).

Ms. Fradette’s story documents what is alleged in the ULP complaint.  Abby Taylor, HSEA President, makes several assertions.  Here is part of the WFYI story:

“Taylor alleges Murphy created a hostile work environment through ‘aggressive’ messaging and a warning he may claim ghost employment against Taylor, among other allegations. Taylor said she ‘felt unsafe and intimidated’ by Murphy during a May meeting with other staff, according to the complaint.”

Reporter Fradette also cites documents detailing a contentious issue between HSE HR Chief Brian Murphy and Taylor, over teacher staffing in grades K-6.  According to the documents cited in the story, Murphy contacted the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA), asking that Taylor be fired and threatened to involve Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, who represents the east side of Fishers.

The entire matter will go before a hearing examiner from the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board for review.

Caroline Beck of the Indianapolis Star also published a piece on this issue June 18th, and is available at this link, (You may need to be a Star subscriber to access this story)

When the teachers’ union feels there is a “hostile work environment” to the extent it files a ULP, it is a way of revealing your dirty laundry to the public and state education officials.  I would hope every Fishers resident, and the wider geographic area served by HSE Schools, is taking notice.

Although the school board and administration have the legal authority over these decisions, I would ask that all public officials, privately or publicly, find a way to encourage settling these issues between HSE Schools and the teachers’ union.

I only write a small. local, mostly volunteer news blog here in Fishers.  All I can do is call it the way I see it, as someone having lived in Fishers 33 years and in my 13th year of writing a local news blog and covering HSE Schools.  We cannot let this public controversy continue.

Bottom line, let’s not kill the goose that laid the golden egg.  HSE Schools and its teaching staff are our golden goose.  I call on everyone that cares about this community to ask those involved in this dispute to dial down the vitriol and settle the differences.