♪♪ >> A LONG-AWAITED OUTSIDE REVIEW >> A LONG-AWAITED OUTSIDE REVIEW OF INDIANA LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THE STATE SUPREME COURT TRIES TO HELP PREVENT EVICTIONS.

PLUS, STUDENT ABSENCES DURING THE PANDEMIC AND MORE ON INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 29TH, 2021.

>>> INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORTERS OF INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS, AND BY ICE MILLER, A FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM COMMITTED TO REPRESENTING CLIENTS BUILD, GROW, AND PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS.

MORE AT ICEMILLER.COM.

>> THIS WEEK, SOME OF INDIANA'S LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE CHANGING THE WAY THEY OPERATE BASED ON AN OUTSIDE REVIEW OF THE STATE'S POLICING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

GOVERNOR ERIC HOLCOMB ORDERED THE THIRD PARTY REVIEW MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, AS PART OF HIS PLAN FOR GREATER DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN STATE GOVERNMENT.

>> THE INDIANA STATE POLICE HAS ALREADY IMPLEMENTED SOME OF ITS RECOMMENDATIONS.

THAT INCLUDES OUTFITTING EVERY FRONTLINE TROOPER WITH A BODY CAMERA, SOMETHING HOLCOMB ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR.

THE STATE POLICE HAVE ALSO COMMITTED TO TRACKING INCIDENTS WHERE TROOPERS USE FORCE, TO REVIEW AND ANALYZE THEM.

OTHER AGENCIES HAVE PLEDGED TO IMPLEMENT REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING THE STATE TRAINING ACADEMY AND BOARD.

THE ACADEMY WILL DEVELOP DE-ESCALATION TRAINING, SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.

IT ALSO SAYS IT WILL PUT TOGETHER A “WORK GROUP” TO “REEVALUATE” TRAINING METHODS, POTENTIALLY INCLUDING IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING.

THE REPORT RECOMMENDS MANDATING IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING.

THE TRAINING BOARD SAYS IT WILL SUPPORT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT ADD CIVILIANS AS VOTING MEMBERS.

>> HOW IMPACTFUL WILL THIS OUTSIDE REPORT BE?

IT'S THE FIRST QUESTION FOR OUR INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW PANEL DEMOCRAT ELISE SHROCK.

REPUBLICAN MIKE O'BRIEN.

JON SCHWANTES, HOST OF INDIANA LAWMAKERS.

AND NIKI KELLY, STATEHOUSE REPORTER FOR THE FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE.

I'M INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATEHOUSE REPORTER BRANDON SMITH.

ELISE SHROCK, THE BLACK CAUCUS THIS WEEK SAID THEY WERE PLEASED WITH WHAT THEY'VE SEEN SO FAR.

ARE THEY RIGHT - SHOULD HOOSIERS BE PLEASED?

>> THEY ARE PLEASED TO SEE WHAT HAS OCCURRED SO FAR.

AND THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING COMMITTED ACTION.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT HOOSIERS ARE LOOKING FOR.

THIS STUDY, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM THAT WAS PASSED IN THE LAST SESSION, I'M NOT DIMINISHING ANY OF IT, I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT IS ONLY PART OF WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

WE ARE UNWINDING CENTURIES OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND SYSTEMS THAT HAVE EVOLVED OVER TIME.

SO THIS IS THE START.

IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO SEE THE BLACK CAUCUS PUSH FOR MANY OF THESE POLICIES.

THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE BEHIND A LOT OF THE PUSHES THAT HAVE CREATED THIS TYPE OF ACTION THAT WE'RE SEEING FROM THE GOVERNOR, AND FROM THE STATEHOUSE.

BUT THIS IS ONE OF A FEW STEPS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN AS WE KEEP MOVING FORWARD.

AND I THINK HOOSIERS HAVE EXPECTATIONS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

>> MIKE O'BRIEN, SO FAR GOVERNOR HOLCOMB IS GETTING A THUMBS UP FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ADVOCATES ON HOW HE'S IMPLEMENTED ALREADY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS THIRD-PARTY REPORT.

HOW MUCH LONGER DOES HE KEEP GETTING THAT THUMBS UP?

SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NEXT TO CONTINUE GETTING THOSE HIGH MARKS?

>> WELL, A COUPLE THINGS IMPLEMENTING THESE CHANGES AT AN ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.

ALSO WHATEVER LEGISLATIVE CHANGES NEED TO TAKE PLACE.

ELISE REFERENCED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS THAT TOOK PLACE LAST SESSION.

I THINK WHEN THEY WERE PASSED ON A BRAD BIPARTISAN BASIS -- I THINK ONE THING THAT INDIANA, AND THIS IS BIPARTISAN.

I THINK ALL OF THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT.

IF YOU LOOK AT HOW POLARIZED FROM THE RIOT OF THE SUMMER OF 2020.

THERE ARE PLACES WHERE REPUBLICANS ON THE FAR RIGHT THAT WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE AT ALL THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM.

THERE ARE STAUNCH DEFENDERS, BLACK AND WHITE, SO TO SPEAK, OF THE POLICE, IT WON'T ALLOW FOR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS SYSTEMIC ISSUES.

ON THE OTHER END OF THE POLITICAL SPRURJS YOU HAVE A COMPLETE DEFUND THE POLICE.

INDIANA IS TAKING A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH, DEMOCRATS INITIALLY CRITICIZED GOVERNOR HOLCOMB FOR HOW LONG THIS PROCESS WAS GOING TO TAKE, THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE A YEAR.

AS ELISE POINTED OUT, WE'RE TRYING TO BEND YOUR INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT INSTITUTIONS TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE THE SYSTEMIC BIASES WHEN THEY TAKE PLACE AND COME UP WITH STRATEGIES, NEW TRAINING METHOD TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION AND THE FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THAT IN SOCIETY.

AND THIS TOOK TIME, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE TIME.

BUT THE HOLCOMB ADMINISTRATION, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE ARE CLEARLY COMMITTED TO IT >> NIKI KELLY, THERE IS POTENTIAL MORE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES INCLUDED IN THE REPORT.

THE REPORT SUGGESTIONS PUTTING CIVILIANS AS VOTING MEMBERS ON THE INDIANA LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING BOARD, WHICH THE BOARD SAYS IT WILL SUPPORT.

I DON'T KNOW IF SUPPORT IS THE SAME AS PUSH FOR.

BUT, IT WILL SUPPORT THAT CHANGE.

BUT HOW LIKELY IS IT, DO YOU THINK, THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL DIVE DEEPLY INTO ANY FURTHER POLICE REFORMS AT LEAST IN 2022.

>> IT'S A SHORT SESSION.

AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS ON THEIR RADAR.

SO I'M NOT SURE.

A LOT OF THIS -- I MEAN, THE REPORT WAS FULL OF INTERESTING TIDBITS.

THERE WERE NO WHAT I WOULD CALL STUNNING REVELATIONS, BUT THERE WERE INTERESTING ISSUES.

FOR INSTANCE, WE TRACK EXCESSIVE FORCE INCIDENTS.

BUT WE DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH THEM.

NOTHING IN THE SYSTEM EVEN IDENTIFIES PATTERNS SUCH AS AN OFFICER WHO HAS REPRESENTATIVE INCIDENTS.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE HANDLED IN ALGORITHMS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

ALSO, I THINK A KEY THING, AND THE LEGISLATURE MIGHT HAVE TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS A LITTLE.

WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ACADEMY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SATELLITE ACADEMY.

AND THEY -- NONE -- THERE IS NO BASELINE CURRICULUM THAT THEY ALL AGREE ON.

SO THEY'RE ALL SORT OF TEACHING AROUND THE SAME TOPICS, AND MUCH OF THE SAME STUFF.

BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR SORT OF A BASELINE LEVEL.

AND THEN LOCAL ACADEMIES CAN LOCAL A LITTLE MORE INDEPTH IF THEY CHOOSE >> JON SCHWANTES, THE SAME QUESTION, SORT OF, DO YOU THINK LAWMAKERS WILL SORT OF NIBBLE AROUND THE EDGES OF THIS REPORT AND PICK OFF ANYTHING THEY THINK MIGHT BE EASY AND RELATIVELY UNCONTROVERSIAL, OR DO THEY GET A LITTLE DEEPER?

>> I THINK THE NIBBLE AROUND THE EDGES BRANDON IS AN APT WAY TO PUT IT.

WHEN YOU LOOK BACK, DIAL BACK THE CLOCK A YEAR AT THIS POINT, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE EFFORT LED BY GREG -- REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE CHAIR WHO WAS BASICALLY THE ARCHITECT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM THAT ULTIMATELY PASSED WITH BROAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

THAT WAS A HEAVY LIFT.

THERE WAS ULTIMATELY IT WAS SUPPORTED BY BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

BUT, I MEAN, JUST THE INFORMATION GATHERING, THE HEARINGS, THE LEG WORK THAT WAS DONE PRIOR TO THAT, IT WAS MPRESSIVE.

MPRESSIVE.

AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT OTHER STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY SHOULD TAKE NOTE HOW WELL INDIANA DID IT.

SO RIGHT NOW I THINK A LOT OF LAWMAKERS FEEL THAT WE WERE A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF THE GAME.

WE DON'T NEED TO OPEN THIS ALL UP AND KIND OF START FROM SCRATCH, WE'RE ALREADY AHEAD OF MOST STATES IN TERMS OF THE REFORMS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE, WHICH GETS US BACK, BRANDON, TO NIBBLE AROUND THE EDGES.

IF THERE ARE SOME THINGS THERE THAT COULD BE DONE THAT WERE ILLUMINATED BY THIS REPORT, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN.

BUT, AGAIN, THE SENSE THAT I THINK IS -- PERVADES THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RIGHT NOW, WE DID SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF OTHER STATES SHOULD HAVE DONE, WE DID IT WELL.

WE'RE NOT DONE COMPLETELY, BUT LET'S KIND OF SIT BACK AND SEE WHERE THIS LEADS US.

>> YEAH, YOU MENTIONED GREG -- HE AND BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR OF HOUSE BILL 1006 HAILED AROUND THE STATE AND COUNTRY.

WE'LL SEE IF THEY CAN CONJURE UP SOME MAGIC IN 2022, IF THERE IS AN APPETITE FOR THAT.

INDIANA HOUSING ADVOCATES FEAR THE STATE SUPREME COURT'S EFFORT TO HELP CURB EVICTIONS WON'T BE VERY EFFECTIVE.

THE COURT'S ORDER REQUIRES JUDGES TO TELL LANDLORDS AND TENANTS IN AN EVICTION HEARING ABOUT AVAILABLE RESOURCES - EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE, LEGAL HELP AND A STATE LANDLORD-TENANT SETTLEMENT PROGRAM.

>> PROSPERITY INDIANA'S ANDREW BRADLEY SAYS THE ORDER IS A GOOD START.

BUT HE SAYS THE STATE'S POLICY LANDSCAPE IS STILL A MAJOR PROBLEM.

>> ANDREW BRADLEY: WE HAVEN'T DONE THINGS LIKE MAKE A SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE REQUIRED OR THAT WE DON'T HAVE SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTION THAT WOULD REQUIRE PROVIDERS TO ACCEPT MONEY THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED, SUCH AS THIS EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

>> THE COURT'S ORDER DOESN'T REQUIRE LANDLORDS TO WORK WITH TENANTS TO USE THOSE RESOURCES AND AVOID EVICTIONS.

AND BRADLEY NOTES THAT THE SUPREME COURT TASK FORCE THAT RECOMMENDED THE ORDER DIDN'T INCLUDE MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH HOOSIERS GOING THROUGH EVICTIONS.

>> MIKE O'BRIEN, DOES A PROGRAM LIKE THIS ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING IF NOTHING IS MANDATORY?

>> I THINK IT DOES.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU'RE POOR OR WHEN YOU'RE HOUSING OR FOOD INSECURE, SAYING TO SOMEONE, WELL AREN'T YOU AWARE OF THE FEDERAL PREEVICTION RESOURCES?

YOU MIGHT AS WELL SPEAK THAT IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, IT IS HARD TO DO EVERYTHING WHEN YOU'RE IN THAT SITUATION, SOME KIND OF LIKE STATE GOVERNMENT THAT ISN'T HELPING YOU CONNECT THE DOTS.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS HELPS DO WHEN YOU'RE IN THAT SITUATION, AND THE COURT CAN GUIDE AND DIRECT THOSE RESOURCES.

I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WE DO VILIFY THESE LANDLORDS IN THESE SITUATIONS, NOT PUTTING IN SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTION WAS REFERENCED.

IT'S MAYBE INTUITIVE TO THINK WHY WOULDN'T THEY JUST TAKE THE MONEY AND MOVE ON.

THE ANSWER IS MOST OF THE TIME THESE ARE LIKE CONGLOMERATE CORPORATIONS THAT OWN THESE RENTAL UNITS, PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEIR LIVELIHOOD OR RETIREMENT OR ALL OF THEIR NET WORTH TIED UP IN THESE FACILITIES AND THEY NEED CONSISTENT SOURCES OF INCOME AND NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN THEY'RE DECIDING HOW TO MOVE FORWARD, AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE ABLE -- THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING RUINED IN THE PROCESS.

SO IT'S COMPLICATED.

IT HAS TO BE -- THAT ALL SAID, IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT COULD BE EASIER TO GET THIS MONEY TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT.

YOU LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY AND TOO MUCH OF THIS MONEY IS SITTING STILL WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUT A LONG TIME AGO >> ELISE SHROCK, ESSENTIALLY THE SAME QUESTION.

NOBODY IS EXPECTING THIS TO BE THE SILVER BULLET.

NOBODY IS SUGGESTING THAT, IS IT GOING TO MAKE ENOUGH OF A DIFFERENCE IF YOU'RE JUST TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT IT?

>> I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, IN A RESEARCH STUDY DONE BY A COUPLE OF INDYSTAR REPORTERS, THEY DID FIND THAT MANY OF THESE EVICTIONS HAPPENING TO HOOSIERS ARE FROM CORPORATE LANDLORDS, AND SOME FROM OUT OF STATE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

WE ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE GREATER CONTEXT OF THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS TENANTS IN INDIANA.

IN 2020, WE SAW -- FEDERAL ACT 148 -- IT DIDN'T JUST TIP THE SCALES IN THE FAVOR OF LANDLORDS, IT REALLY RIPPED A LOT OF RIGHT OUT OF THE HANDS OF TENANT.

AND THAT HAPPENED IN 2020, WE SAW A PANDEMIC, WE WERE TOLD THERE WOULD BE AN EVICTION CRISIS LIKELY TO HAPPEN.

AND THEN THE STATEHOUSE REPUBLICANS DOUBLED DOWN AND OVERRODE THE VIDEO OF THAT BILL.

WE'RE WORKING IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE HAVE TAKEN AWAY A LOT OF RIGHTS FROM TENANTS.

SO WHEN THEY DO GET THIS HELP THAT THEY'RE BEING TOLD THEY CAN SEE SOME LANDLORDS AREN'T EVEN TAKING IT.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF UNDERLYING ISSUES, AND THEY DIDN'T JUST START WITH THE PANDEMIC.

THEY STARTED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WITH THE TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT THAT WE SET UP FOR TENANTS, AND THE WAY WE TREAT THEM.

>> JON SCHWANTES, MIKE O'BRIEN MENTIONED THAT A LOT OF STATES, INDIANA INCLUDED, ARE SITTING ON A LOT OF THIS EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE MONEY, THEY CAN'T CONNECT IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.

IS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THERE THAT THE LANDLORD HAS TO AGREE TO IT FIRST?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS WHY THESE FUNDS ARE NOT GETTING DISBURSED AS QUICKLY AS CERTAINLY RENTERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE, OR AS QUICKLY AS LANDLORDS WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

BUT THAT IS ONE ISSUE.

ONCE A FEW STATES HAVE MADE A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS, I DON'T THINK ANY STATE IS SAYING, WOW, WE KNOCKED THIS OUT OF THE PARK, WE'VE GIVEN ALL THE FUNDS OUT, EVERYBODY IS HAPPY.

THAT'S NOT -- I DON'T KNOW OF THAT -- BUT SOME STATES HAVE TEAMED UP WITH COURTS, AND TO TARGET THE LANDLORDS WHERE THEY SENSE THEIR RECORDS INDICATE THERE ARE MULTIPLE TENANTS IN ARREARS.

AND THEY WILL GO TO THE LANDLORDS, AND SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE X NUMBER OF UNITS THAT HAVE FALLEN BEHIND, LET'S DO THIS NOT PIECEMEAL, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO THIS AS A PACKAGE.

AGAIN, EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

AND IT'S HAD A MODICUM OF SUCCESS.

BUT NOT THE KIND OF CURE-ALL THAT WILL SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND MAKE PEOPLE WHOLE, ON EITHER SIDE OF THE EQUATION, BECAUSE AS MIKE SAYS, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DEPEND ON THIS CASH THAT ARE LANDLORDS, THERE IS NO WAY TO WRITE REGULATION THAT SAYS IF YOU'RE A BIG CORPORATE, MEAN, OGRE FROM OUT OF STATE, YOU KNOW, WE TREAT YOU ONE WAY, BUT IF YOU'RE A RETIRED COUPLE THAT DEPENDS ON THIS, WE TREAT YOU ANOTHER.

I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU WOULD WRITE THAT REGULATION THAT WOULD STAND UP IN COURT >> NIKI KELLY, A VERSION, I GUESS, OF THE QUESTION I ASKED YOU ON THE LAST TOPIC, DO YOU FORESEE ANY SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATION IN THE 2022 SESSION DEALING WITH THE EVICTION ISSUE?

>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, IT'S A REALLY HARD BALANCE, PART OF THE PROBLEM, WE MENTIONED THAT SOME LANDLORDS DON'T WANT TO ACCEPT THE MONEY.

SOME OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS HAVE GOTTEN REALLY SOUR BETWEEN TENANTS AND LANDLORDS, AND GOING OUT FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION FROM MAYBE A ONE-TIME CATCH-UP, VERSUS A TOTALLY NEW SITUATION.

EVEN IF YOU CATCH THAT LANDLORD UP FOR A LITTLE BIT, WHO SAYS WE'RE NOT IN THE SAME POSITION AGAIN IN THREE MONTHS.

SO THEY'RE HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS KIND OF ON THAT, I MYSELF AM A LANDLORD, I HAVE ONE TENANT.

BUT SO OBVIOUSLY NOT A CORPORATE PERSON, AND WE'VE WORKED WITH HER OVER THE YEARS.

AND WE WILL DO ANYTHING TO KEEP HER.

BUT SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION.

>> ALL RIGHT.

TIME NOW FOR VIEWER FEEDBACK.

EACH WEEK WE POSE AN UNSCIENTIFIC, ONLINE POLL QUESTION IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR ICEMILLER E-MAIL AND TEXT ALERTS.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: SHOULD INDIANA LANDLORDS BE REQUIRED TO TAKE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS BEFORE THEY CAN EVICT SOMEONE?

A, YES, OR B, NO.

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION: SHOULD THE STATE TRY TO MEASURE STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS BESIDES TEST SCORES, SUCH AS COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND WORK ETHIC?

44% OF YOU SAY YES, 56% SAY NO, THE STATE SHOULD NOT BE GETTING INTO THAT.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THE POLL GO TO WFYI.ORG/IWIR AND LOOK FOR THE POLL.

NEARLY ONE IN FIVE INDIANA STUDENTS MISSED SO MUCH SCHOOL LAST YEAR THEY WERE CONSIDERED CHRONICALLY ABSENT BY THE STATE.

FROM INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, DYLAN PEERS MCCOY REPORTS THE INCREASE WAS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT FOR BLACK STUDENTS.

>> LAST YEAR WAS CHAOTIC FOR ALL INDIANA STUDENTS AS SCHOOL FLIPPED BETWEEN IN PERSON AND ONLINE CLASSES.

BUT FOR SOME CHILDREN THE DISRUPTIONS WERE A LOT MORE SEVERE.

NEW DATA FROM THE INDIANA EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SHOWS THAT ALMOST FORTY PERCENT OF BLACK STUDENTS WERE CHRONICALLY ABSENT.

THAT MEANS THEY MISSED 10 PERCENT OR MORE OF SCHOOL DAYS.

GWEN KELLEY IS AN EDUCATION CONSULTANT.

SHE SAYS THE HIGHER RATE OF ABSENTEEISM FOR BLACK STUDENTS EXPOSES INEQUITIES THAT EXISTED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

>> GWEN KELLEY: IT'S APPALLING—- NOT SURPRISING.

WE HAD A CRISIS IN CHILDCARE, WE HAD A CRISIS IN INTERNET SERVICE, WE HAD A CRISIS IN HEALTH.

>> SCHOOLS SAY ATTENDANCE PROBLEMS WERE WORSE FOR STUDENTS WHO WERE LEARNING REMOTELY.

THEY HOPE MORE CONSISTENT IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION THIS YEAR WILL IMPROVE ATTENDANCE.

JON SCHWANTES, IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE HAD TO SHRUG OFF SO MANY THINGS ABOUT LAST SCHOOL YEAR.

CAN WE SHRUG THIS ONE OFF?

>> NO.

YOU CAN'T SHRUG A LARGE SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION OFF, YOUNG PEOPLE, AND SAY, WELL, THAT'S COVID.

YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT COVID LONG HAULERS, AND WE TALK ABOUT WHETHER IT'S THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON OUR RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS, OUR HEART, OR COGNITIVE FUNCTION.

THE ULTIMATE LONG HAULERS, IF I CAN USE A METAPHOR ARE THE KIDS CAUGHT IN THIS SITUATION.

AND IF WE DON'T TAKE STEPS TO REMEDY THAT, IT'S A LIFE-LONG DISADVANTAGE.

OTHER EMPLOYERS, THEY CAN GET FUNDS BACK.

SMALL BUSINESSES CAN PERHAPS RETOOL WITH STATE ASSISTANCE, AND HIRE AGAIN.

VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING CAN BE FIXED.

I MEAN, IF YOU SURVIVE COVID, YOU CAN HAVE THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH A FIX.

IF YOU'RE A STUDENT WHO SUFFERED BASICALLY A LOST YEAR, PARTICULARLY AT A POINT IN YOUR SCHOOLING THAT MIGHT BE DEALING WITH FUNDAMENTALS OF LANGUAGE OR FUNDAMENTALS OF MATHEMATICS AND REASONING, NO, WE CAN'T SHRUG THEM OFF, OR THEY WILL BE JUST FOREVER THE LOST GENERATION, SO TO SPEAK.

>> NIKI KELLY, HOW MUCH MORE -- NOT THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE UNIMPORTANT, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT NOR A SECOND.

BUT WILL THIS SCHOOL YEAR'S AND TEECHL NUMBERS BE THE ONES THAT PEOPLE LOOK MORE CLOSELY AND GO, HOW REAL IS THE PROBLEM?

>> YEAH, I DEFINITELY THINK YOU NEED TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAD MORE IN-PERSON LEARNING THIS YEAR.

WE STILL ARE HAVING A LOT OF QUARANTINES, NOT EXACTLY SURE IF A KID IS QUARANTINED AND ABSENT DOES THAT WORK AS ABSENT.

THEN THEY'RE SORT OF OUT OF THE THING.

I WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, TO SEE HOW MUCH IT IMPROVED THIS YEAR.

IT DEFINITELY HAD TO IMPROVE SOME, JUST BASED ON HAVING MORE KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM.

AND THIS ISN'T ONE OF THOSE THINGS I THINK YOU CAN THROW A BUNCH OF MONEY AT.

THERE IS ONLY STILL SO MUCH TIME IN THE DAY TO REMEDIATE KIDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> TO THAT POINT, MIKE O'BRIEN, THE INDIANA GENERAL ASSEMBLY ALLOCATED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR WHAT IT CALLED LEARNING LOSS IN THIS LAST SESSION.

THERE WAS A LOT OF MONEY COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE SAME PURPOSES TO TRY AND HELP CATCH STUDENTS UP.

TO THAT POINT, MONEY CAN ONLY GET YOU SO FAR, THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH TIME IN THE DAY.

HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO SEE THE SORT OF RIPPLE EFFECTS OF THIS PROBLEM?

>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BACK END, THE LEGISLATURE DID DO A LOT.

ONE THEY RAISED EDUCATION -- ACROSS THE BOARD TO ALMOST $1.9 BILLION.

IN ADDITION TO THEN PROVIDING A POOL OF MONEY THAT SCHOOLS THAT WERE MEASURING LARGER LOSSES COULD APPLY FOR GRANT DOLLARS THAT WOULD ADD MONEY ON TOP OF THAT.

THEY MADE A CHANGE THAT FULLY FUNDED SCHOOLS FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING WHERE THEY DIDN'T TAKE A CUT THAT COUNTED LIKE AN IN-PERSON -- LIKE THEY WERE ACTUALLY ATTENDING IN PERSON.

SO SCHOOLS WEREN'T PENALIZED FOR THAT.

ON THE MONEY SIDE, THEY TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.

THERE IS PLENTY OF MONEY AVAILABLE, THE RESOURCE ISSUE IS ISSUE.

THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY HOURS IN A DAY.

THERE IS HOMEBOUND REMEDIATION, TUTORING, OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO.

GENERALLY, THE DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECT ON AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND COVID WASN'T JUST THIS.

DISPROPORTIONATELY NUMBER OF PART-TIME WORKERS OR LOWER INCOME WORKERS THAT WERE SENT HOME.

THE SHUT IT DOWN EVERYONE GO HOME THING WAS PROTOCOL WAS A PRIVILEGE FOR A LOT OF US THAT WERE AFFECTED NEGATIVE.

THERE IS A RIPPLE EFFECT WELL BEYOND, AS WAS STATED, JUST ATTENDANCE.

>> I THINK THIS AWAKENING THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A LOT OF WHITE PEOPLE, I WILL SAY, THAT THERE ARE SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES, MEANS THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IS PART OF THIS.

IT MEANS THAT HOUSING, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE HOUSING SECURE IS PART OF THIS.

EDUCATION IS PART OF THIS.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THESE ISSUES, AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT TOPICS EVEN IN THIS SHOW.

BUT THIS IS ALL PART OF A LARGER SYSTEMIC ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO PREPARE, AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS EQUITABLE ACCESS.

MOVING FORWARD, I THINK WHAT WE TEND TO SILO THESE ISSUES, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THEM IN FULL AND MAKE SURE, AS JON AND MIKE HAVE SAID, THERE ARE LARGE SWATHS OF OUR POPULATION THAT DON'T HAVE THE SAME ACCESS AS EVERYONE ELSE, AND WE NEED TO BE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT >> WELL, TWITTER SUSPENDED INDIANA REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN JIM BANKS' OFFICIAL ACCOUNT THIS WEEK AFTER IT TOOK DOWN A POST ABOUT A TRANSGENDER WOMAN THAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY SAID VIOLATED ITS RULES.

>> BANKS POSTED TWEETS LAST WEEK ABOUT DR. RACHEL LEVINE BECOMING THE FIRST OPENLY TRANSGENDER FOUR-STAR OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES UNIFORMED SERVICES.

BANKS HAD RESPONDED TO THE U.S.

SURGEON GENERAL CONGRATULATING LEVINE ON HER PROMOTION IN THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE COMMISSIONED CORPS BY WRITING: “THE TITLE OF FIRST FEMALE FOUR-STAR OFFICER GETS TAKEN BY A MAN.” THE POST WAS REMOVED WITH A REFERENCE TO TWITTER RULES THAT INCLUDE A BAN ON “TARGETED MISGENDERING” OF TRANS PEOPLE.

BANKS' OFFICIAL TWITTER ACCOUNT REMAINED ONLINE BUT HE WASN'T ALLOWED TO ADD NEW POSTS.

HIS PERSONAL ACCOUNT WITH FEWER FOLLOWERS REMAINED ACTIVE.

NIKI KELLY, I'M NOT TAKING THIS ISSUE LIGHTLY, FROM MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS.

AND THIS IS GOING TO SOUND LIKE A JOKE, IT SORT OF IS, AND SORT OF ISN'T?

HOW JEALOUS IS TODD ROKITA RIGHT NOW?

>> OBVIOUSLY, ATTORNEY GENERAL ROKITA HAS TAKEN THE ISSUE OF WHAT HE CONSIDERS A TECH CENSORSHIP TO BE A BIG DEAL.

I BELIEVE ADMITTED TRYING TO GET HIS ACCOUNT SUSPENDED LAST YEAR.

SO HE'S PROBABLY WATCHING VERY INTERESTINGLY.

NO MOVEMENT ON THE BANKS SITUATION.

IT'S BEEN ABOUT A WEEK NOW, HE STILL CAN'T USE HIS OFFICIAL ACCOUNT.

HE'S USING HIS PERSONAL ACCOUNT TO TRY TO MOVE SOME OF THOSE FOLLOWERS OVER.

I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO JUST WAIT AND SEE WHO BLINKS FIRST, TWITTER OR THE CONGRESSMAN >> JON SCHWANTES, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUE BECAUSE TWITTER IS NOT A GOVERNMENT, AT LEAST NOT YET, BEFORE THIS WORLD CHANGES REALLY MORE SUBSTANTIALLY.

BUT IS THE COMPANY RIGHT TO CENSOR PEOPLE IN THIS WAY?

>> I'M AN ABSOLUTIST.

IT IS DIFFICULT WHEN YOU WEIGHED INTO THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT IS NOT.

I MEAN, BECAUSE OUR OPINIONS, AND OUR VIEWPOINTS ON THAT DIFFER.

AND YES, THEY'VE LOOKED AT FINDING PANELS OF INDIVIDUALS THAT REPRESENT A BROAD SPECTRUM OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN ON THESE ISSUES, AND TRY TO COME UP WITH BEST PRACTICES.

BUT AS LONG AS WE'RE NOT A MONOLITHIC NATION WHERE WE ALL MARCH TO THE SAME TUNE, AND BELIEVE THE SAME THINGS, I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE IN THAT ROLE.

YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY TO SAY SOMETHING LEGALLY AND THE COMMON SENSE THAT GOES WITH SAYING THAT THING AND THE FALLOUT WITH SAYING THAT THINGS, THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT MATTERS, I'M AN ABSOLUTIST ON ONE.

THE OTHER ONE IS MORE OF A TOUGH NUT TO CRACK.

>> YEAH.

I THINK JIM BANKS' STATEMENT THAT TWITTER CAN'T CANCEL HIM.

THAT'S TRUE, FOR ONE, HIS ACCOUNT IS STILL UP, FOR TWO, HE CAN POST FROM ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

PRETTY SURE YOU CAN'T CRY CANCEL CULTURE ON THIS ONE.

BUT THAT IS INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW.

FOR THIS WEEK.

OUR PANEL IS DEMOCRAT ELISE SHROCK.

REPUBLICAN MIKE O'BRIEN.

JON SCHWANTES OF INDIANA LAWMAKERS.

AND NIKI KELLY OF THE FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE.

IF YOU'D LIKE A PODCAST OF THIS PROGRAM YOU CAN FIND IT AT WFYI.ORG/IWIR OR STARTING MONDAY YOU CAN STREAM IT OR GET IT ON DEMAND FROM XFINITY AND ON THE WFYI APP.

I'M BRANDON SMITH OF INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

JOIN US NEXT TIME BECAUSE A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN AN INDIANA WEEK.

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

PLEASE GET VACCINATED IF YOU CAN, AND JOIN US NEXT TIME BECAUSE A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN AN INDIANA WEEK.

♪♪ >> INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW IS >> INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORTERS OF INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS, AND BY ICE MILLER.

ICE MILLER IS A FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM COMMITTED TO HELPING CLIENTS BUILD, GROW AND PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS.

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THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE PANELISTS.

"INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" IS A WFYI PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING