Learn from teachers, students, and activists in a film that grapples with school choice.

Indiana’s Choice features voices from the front lines of an education policy experiment.

School choice has had troubling consequences for the Indiana K-12 public school system. Indiana’s Choice brings forward the voices of teachers, students, administrators, and parents to examine how school choice enables segregation of students and discrimination against students, families, and school employees.

Through their eyes, we learn how charter and voucher schools, paid for with public tax dollars, evade accountability by elected officials and the public. Choice policies are hurting our public schools—and our democracy.

Testimonials

If you have not understood the history, fabric and problems of a state-wide school choice program, this film will clarify it all. The film shows in stark, clear terms how Indiana’s choice system threatens the promise of public education and erodes protection from discrimination, even the fabric of democracy itself. While the film is specific to Indiana, there is much for residents of other states to learn from it.

Peter Greene, Curmudgucation and Forbes contributor

“Indiana’s Choice is a thorough look at the damage school choice and voucher programs can do to the public education system. Founded on the roots of segregation and discrimination, ‘school choice’ allows for legal discrimination and segregation for our kids. As a pastor, I am deeply saddened that Kentucky is creating a space that is not safe and welcoming to all of our children. Christ has called us to inclusive love and care of ALL our neighbors. School choice says that our love and care should be selective. “

Rev. Justin Sizemore, member of Pastors for Kentucky Children

“A wake-up call and a warning, Indiana’s Choice documents the dangers of treating a public education as just another consumer good. Whatever state you call home, the education policy experiment that has done such damage to Indiana and its schools is headed your way. If you care about the future of public education—and our democracy—watch this film.”

Jennifer C. Berkshire, co-author, A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door

“Indiana’s Choice is a good introduction into the problems with educational vouchers—not just their fiscal effect on public education, but their role in dividing the American public. (Benjamin Barber once wrote that public schools are “constitutive of a public”—vouchers are a weapon aimed squarely at that function.)

Sheila Seuss Kennedy, J.D., Professor Emerita, Law & Public Policy, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis

“This video is a well-laid out explanation of the harm caused to public education by the ‘school choice’ movement. Step by step, it shows how these sorts of laws take away from society’s ability to provide great education for all children by draining away money and resources from the public school system. It is especially sad to me to see the way faith is used as a weapon to deny equal rights to all kids. Hopefully Indiana will be able to avoid the kind of damage that is happening in Kentucky as we have recently had lawmakers give away public funding to private schools and cut benefits for our public school teachers. Our children deserve better.”

Tim Schindler, member of Pastors for Kentucky Children

Trailer

Watch the Film

Enter your contact information to receive a link to view the film. The film is hosted on Vimeo.

You can also watch on YouTube.

Group Showings and Past Events

High Resolution

A high resolution version suitable for showing in theaters will be available on request. Please email us at indianaschoice@keepeducationpublic.org if you are interested in arranging a public screening. If you wish to host a facilitated Zoom event, please reach out to us.

Facilitator’s Guide

The facilitator’s guide is designed to be used in association with the documentary, Indiana’s Choice. It offers suggestions for encouraging workshop participants to interact with and expand upon the content of the video.

Past Events

May 10th, 2021 on WFHB’s Bring It On!

“Hosts Clarence Boone and Roberta Radovich examine the issue of school choice, which is explored in the documentary, Indiana’s Choice. The film was produced by the Indiana Coalition for Public Education-Monroe County (ICPE–Monroe County) which is a non-partisan group of parents, grandparents, teachers, and community members that believe in a well-funded equitable public education system.”

You can also access Bring It On! on Apple Podcasts as well.