Uncertainty for Hoosiers who use federal food benefits.

Indiana's AG sues IPPs for keeping ice out of schools, and thousands of Indiana third graders held back.

Failing to meet reading standards.

From the television studios at WFYI Public Media.

It's Indiana Week in Review for the week ending November 7th, 2025.

Indiana Week In Review is produced by WFYI in association with Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations.

More than 570,000 Hoosiers receive federal food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

And as the government shutdown continues, Snap benefits will be partially funded at least.

Farrah Anderson reports it will take at least a week for people to receive the assistance.

Emily Weikert Bryant is the executive director of Feeding Indiana's Hungry, a nonprofit with 11 member food banks that serve all 92 Indiana counties.

She says even though partial payments are good news, snap benefits rarely cover everything families need.

We fully expect to continue seeing families in need of food assistance, even with benefits going out simply because they're they're just there's just not enough there.

Bryant says many food banks are seeing more families stocking up in case of further delays.

There's no date yet when Snap will resume.

In Indiana, benefits are usually made available from the 5th to the 23rd of every month, based on the first letter of the person's last name.

Yes, and with this issue now in the cards, there was a recent appeal as of the taping of this show, and we're waiting to hear, you know, what will happen with this.

And with this now being the longest shutdown federal shutdown in history.

Should Hoosiers who use food benefits be caught in the middle?

It's the first question for our Indiana Week and review panel.

Political strategist Elise Schrock.

Republican Chris Mitchem.

Laura Merrifield Wilson, associate professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis.

And Oseye Boyd, editor in chief at Mirror Indy.

I'm Jill Sheridan, managing editor at WFYI.

So Chris, is snap being used as a political tool?

I think at this point you have to say, yes, unfortunately.

I mean, you add that to the list of I mean, I think we're going to talk about it, but the flight delays at all the major airports, you know, if it wasn't for, I would say, Republican leadership, you I think you would have military members not being funded as of right now, and let alone all the other federal government workers that are currently working without pay.

So I think you you kind of unfortunately, group all of these into one pile and allow that to put pressure on whichever, whichever side of the aisle that you're on.

But I will say I have to give credit to Emily Weikert Bryant.

she does a phenomenal job representing the food, the food banks in the state House and really just, her work in the community.

But everybody else is work in the community as well.

I know my church is really up in the game of trying to go support these local food banks, you know, well-known organizations like Gleaners, and Wheeler Mission and things I know are really increasing the, the demand but also increasing getting increasing, donations to help with that demand as well.

So unfortunately, you know, I hopefully this community help can hold out for the long run while we figure out, you know, what the heck's going on in DC and, you know, try to get seven Democrats on over to our side to try to fund the government as we go forward.

We do have an amazing charitable food sector and an amazing system here, especially locally, that, you know, is able to pick up the pieces.

But, you know, the state was given a chance, a small, brief chance to maybe do something, but decided, you know, that we will not move forward as a state should the state of Indiana be doing more to help, you know, fill this gap?

And do you think, Elise.

Yeah.

not assisting.

these families, under feeding children and the families that support them is a choice in a first world country, in a state like Indiana that does not lack in resources where we have, surplus funding, to not fund, snap to not feed children, to not feed, pregnant people who are out on disability, to not feed our seniors, the elderly, in our community.

That's a choice.

and Governor Braun and the Braun administration is making that, President Trump and the federal, Republicans are fighting it every step of the way, and our communities are left to try and, pick up the pieces of that.

It's entirely unfair.

it's a huge distraction politically.

I think for them, I think they are using this distraction.

and it is a way you know, to continue to distract working people from, the fact that the ultra rich are continuing to get richer.

They've doubled, their wealth since the pandemic, and the rest of us are just left with the scraps, and we're they're making us fight for these scraps.

And it is entirely unfair.

And it is entirely a choice.

Let me now share right before Thanksgiving.

You know, it is difficult in the charitable sector again, you know, stepping up quickly, but talking to the charitable sector and many people, you know, that work in the food systems, you know, they all say that, you know, they can't make that gap met.

You know, the federal benefit.

It's the Snap assistance is really you know, where it counts as far as this program goes to.

You see you know, these gaps becoming more apparent here in the coming weeks as.

Long as this shutdown happens.

Yes, because charity can only go so far.

You can only fill the gap so far because you have to have people who are donating.

So as we talk about more people in need, more people without jobs.

Childcare issues are common.

People are losing jobs at daycares.

If you talk about all these things, there's a ripple effect.

And the ripple effect is there will not be enough people to continue to donate as the gap gets bigger and bigger.

I mean, you talk about the rich get richer yesterday, what Elon Musk is the, board's game at $1 trillion package pay package, $1 trillion.

well, other.

To fix food.

As well.

We're talking about people who need food.

You know, children who need food.

people who get food stamps, who get snap are working adults for the most part.

They are getting them take care of their children, pregnant people, people who cannot work because they're disabled.

It is it is not a partizan issue to eat every day.

to have healthy food is not a partizan issue.

So the politics are being play with this is really, really eye opening.

It's really sad.

And it could be long term health issues as well.

And for you know, these are children, a lot of older adults.

We're talking about schools, education, how it affects you in school, reading all these things, all these things is a ripple effect.

It's it all works together.

And that's what I said, you know, a couple weeks ago is that this is what we'll see with the government shutdown, the federal government shutdown is this ripple effect.

And we're seeing that today with, Indianapolis International Airport being named as one of the airports that will have to cut back because of this federal shutdown continuing.

Laura, you know, is this is this the ripple?

Yeah, this is certainly the ripple.

And this might be the ripple that really does matter.

Because unfortunately, when we're talking about snap, we're talking about a vulnerable population and not feeding them.

But that isn't everyone.

That doesn't affect everyone in a direct way.

Not everyone sees that.

But they do see when the flight gets delayed, you're talking about 10% cuts.

Indianapolis airport averages 145 flights a day, so that's 14.5.

They'll cut the half of a flight, but that is going to make a difference.

And it's not going to get better until the government shutdown.

It ends.

I think you're also talking about, at this point of taping 38 days into the government shutdown, like the longer term effects that you're talking about, eventually the government will open up.

But the long term effects that we're talking about could be years and decades in the making here.

And, Chris, we are hearing some rumblings right now that, you know, there may be some compromises coming.

Does it feel like a breaking point to you?

Again, I think going back to what I said previously is whenever you throw all these things in a bucket with the pressure on either side, I think eventually one of them will have to cave.

And again, I stand on the point that you have every single Republican in DC trying to turn to move bills and, you know, working on those seven Dems in the Senate to try to, you know, come over to the good side and fund the government.

But, yeah, yeah, decide to fund the government.

Is do you think we're, close to an end here for this longest federal government shutdown?

We'll have to see, because, again, there are several things wrapped up in this, and they affect everyday working people.

And, you know, I think with the airports, you're right.

vulnerable a vulnerable population is unaffected population.

But it does affect everyone.

And I think we've seen a lot of folks I was in the line at Costco working folks.

I did not expect to hear the people in front of me saying last month if they don't fund these, Snap benefits, costs are going to rise for all of us.

And I had never heard that out just in the wild while shopping among folks.

So everyday folks, you know, in all populations are paying attention to this.

everybody's looking for a solution.

Well, now it's time for our viewer feedback.

Each week we pose an unscientific online poll question.

And this week's question, should snap benefits be impacted during a federal government shutdown?

Answer yes or no.

Last week's question with redistricting now on the calendar, something we will be talking about in the coming weeks, I am sure, do Indiana's congressional maps need to be redrawn?

4% saying yes and a whopping 96% saying no.

If you would like to take part in the poll, go to wfyi.org/iwir and look for the poll.

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is suing Indianapolis Public Schools.

He alleges the district policy, the district's policies on immigration enforcement break state law.

Eric Weddle reports.

Rokita claims it violates Indiana's anti sanctuary law by refusing to let federal immigration officers into schools without a judge's warrant.

Rokita argues those restrictions interfere with federal enforcement and put students at risk.

IPS currently maintains policies, unfortunately, that frustrate ICE's ability to do its job.

It severely limits ICE's ability to access school grounds when necessary, and prohibits IPS employees from assisting or sharing information with ICE.

We warned IPS to stop these sanctuary policies or face the consequences in court.

IPS has said its policies follow federal privacy law and protect students and families, regardless of immigration status.

The IPS board described the lawsuit as a superficial effort for political gain.

So, Elise, what do you think the AGs intention here is?

And should other school districts beware?

Well, I think this is highly political.

and unfortunately, that is the last thing we need, especially in our schools.

We don't need to be turning up political rhetoric.

Students have a constant tional right to learn in their schools.

IPS is following federal law.

And, I can tell you what would be highly traumatizing and impede education would be for Ice to come in without legal warrants, as we've seen them do across the entire nation.

and, in escalated situations.

Take a student, teacher, support staff or colleague from in front of them.

And, no matter what your background is as a student, that's highly traumatizing.

And, I think this is some really unfortunate political posturing when there are so many other things that the attorney general could be doing, to actually solve problems and not politically posture.

I mean, talk about like our last topic, snap.

19 Republican attorneys general have reached out to Congress to ask for a continuing resolution to fund Snap, including our neighbors in, Kentucky and Ohio.

He could have joined them and tried to solve that type of problem that actually affects many Hoosiers across the state.

Rather than picking on I, and, really scared populations, traumatized populations.

I just don't see the point other than scaring people, intimidating people, and distracting from the learning that needs to happen.

I mean, these are obviously Chris around the sanctuary world of the law that, in Indiana says that a local municipality cannot limit, you know, cooperation with Ice.

should other school districts think that this might be you know what is coming for them?

I certainly think this would put them more on notice.

And any time you talk about kids in schools in particular, regardless of the issue, you have to approach it with empathy, right?

So I think if you're, you know, Attorney General Rokita, there was an instance in IPS schools where they were trying to, you know, retrieve a child of somebody who was voluntarily deporting and they were running into all of these different barriers that, you know, the IPS policies are taking place.

I think one of the ones that they specifically had an issue with was it said that if you're an IPS staff member, you have to, you know, work with federal officials and get the sign off of the superintendent.

So I think from attorney General Todd Rokita perspective, it's that point about, you know, you have to get personal permission from your superintendent in order to work with federal officials.

And to me, he's enforcing a law that Rokita didn't pass.

He's enforcing a law that a General Assembly passed, you know, many moons ago.

So, you know, I think, you know, you could maybe approach this a little better of maybe behind a closed door trying to figure that out versus buying into a political issue.

But when it comes to actually enforcing the law of what's on the books, then I would say that IPS rule, you know, did violate it.

And it's Attorney general, Attorney General Todd Rokita job to make sure that those policies remain in line with federal law.

and he does say law that, you know, a part of the reason for this lawsuit is a risk for public safety.

I was listening to him this morning speak and talking about, you know, 400,000 undocumented children that had been, entered into the country.

And, you know, maybe the some of those children are here, like in Indianapolis.

Is this really a public safety concern?

I would ask, are those children really the risk?

Is that really the challenge we have in our schools were worried about their presence in the classroom.

I think we have a lot of problems with education.

Some will be able to discuss later.

there's the politics and there's a policy.

And here it's very clearly the policy is bleeding into the politics in a way that I think does support what Todd Rokita is trying to do.

That's part of what he's been as attorney general.

He's never shied away from conflict.

He's running head into it right here.

But I do think when you see what IPS is doing, they're respecting their families, their communities, they're supporting their students.

And that's absolutely the right policy to have.

And that's something that he did say, you know, was that, that was that was one of his goals, but also, you know, he speaks of these children as, you know, aliens.

And to Lisa's point, you know, these children could be traumatized.

So she said, is this is this really something that schools should be concerned about?

I think so.

So what he's really saying is these children, we they don't deserve our empathy or care because they are aliens.

That's what that language is.

Your other and children who have nothing to do with any of the politics, they're not here because they decide they they're here because their parents decided.

So you're making them pay the price for their parents choice, and you're also traumatizing other children who are their friends.

I'm just thinking about if I were a kid and I saw my my friend be picked up, arrested, whatever you want to call it, because kids don't know the language.

They just know what it looks like and what how I feel as a kid.

How would I feel as a parent when my child comes home and tells me this will happen in school, the day that these adults came in and took the child away?

based on they couldn't reach the superintendent to get the superintendent permission.

That's her job to protect students as well.

So on one hand, we're saying parents have rights.

We want to protect kids.

On other hand, we're saying we don't really care if it's not the correct kid.

A lot of shades on that.

We have to to unravel with, with this in Indiana.

But also moving on.

Indiana is making more children, as you mentioned, speaking more education today.

repeat third grade, more children repeating third grade under a new reading rule, about 3000 students did not move on now to fourth grade after they failed the I read exam.

Eric Weddle was busy this week and he has more.

Almost 4% of students who were in third grade last year were held back.

That's the most students since the state began tracking elementary literacy.

State education officials say the new law keeps struggling readers from falling further behind.

Secretary of Education Katie Jenner says educators had expected far more students to be retained.

She credited schools with helping students master reading skills.

Huge shout out to our teachers and our people.

I mean, we have thousands of kids who are now readers.

Overall, 87% of third graders passed their reading test last school year, nearly 7000 students who didn't pass advanced to fourth grade because they qualified for an exemption.

So, Laura, do you think this new state rule is good for Indiana students in the long run?

The key there in the long run, yes, I think so.

I think it's very painful in the short term.

We're talking about 3.6% of third graders.

and these are children, right?

They have families.

They have parents and guardians.

They have teachers.

But literacy is incredibly important.

And we're in a country that has some of the best higher education institutions in the world.

We recognize that if you can't read at third grade, it's not getting easier fourth, fifth or sixth.

And then long term, your trajectory in terms of success.

Quality of life is going to be limited as well.

So I think in the short term it's very difficult.

One of the ways I liked the secretary of Education, Katie Jenner, talked about this is a lower number than we thought.

Certainly will aim to make sure that all third graders do well in the I read and they are able to graduate complete their grade in read.

But it's also a new opportunity for those that don't learn.

Initially, they have another opportunity to work on learning literacy.

And I would add, education is such an individualized experience, but it fits in a systematic institution.

It's going to make it hard, right?

It's going to make it very challenging.

But this is very important too.

Yeah, I think there are some common sense solutions here.

I mean, certainly we had to do something.

There was 8000 that didn't pass last year, and they only had 26 back.

So you know, that's probably not helping our students.

but when you see, you know, these kinds of numbers, you know, do you think that, that these that students will really be able to, to catch up with this extra help?

Okay.

So I have always been baffled how students who are in Indiana, who learn the Indiana standards, therefore then can't pass the Indiana standardized test.

I've always been baffled by this.

I don't understand what happens where the disconnect is that the students are not able to pass the test.

My my hope is that the additional supports, the extra tutoring that they will be able to pass the test.

I have not been a fan of patting students on Bo when they also cannot read.

That does not benefit students either.

But when we're talking about holding students back after the generation where people were held back, thankfully not me, but I have people that I knew that grew up with that were held back.

but it was usually not based on one thing.

It was based on how you did across the board.

So that is a concern for me.

Or are we looking at just one area, we looking at the way they perform.

And everyone does not perform well on tests either.

So it's just the test that they can't do well.

Or is it that they're not they are not achieving to the standards across the board.

That is a concern.

Well, we're going to move on to our last issue then.

Today, transgender advocates have filed a public records request for correspondence between the governor's office and the Indiana Bureau of Motor.

The Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Lauren Chapman reports.

They want more information on a proposed ban on gender changes to state driver's license.

The proposed BMV rule seeks to comply with a march executive order from governor Mike Braun.

He directed state agencies to enforce the biological binary gender nexus.

Executive Director Emma Vosicky says this summer, the BMV received more than 1600 comments and 2.5 hours of testimony and opposition to the rule.

After all of that, why is there a need for another hearing right now?

What's that about?

this isn't legalistic about can you do it or not?

This is about what's going on that you are doing this.

Vosicky other LGBTQ advocates say this is part of an orchestrated effort from the broad administration to target transgender Hoosiers.

She says the rule forcibly outs them and opens them up to violence.

So is this change do you think this is a threat for, Indiana LGBTQ people in our communities?

I think it's a problem for people.

Yes.

I don't necessarily a threat because I don't know how we wouldn't have that information to know what is on your license, but I do think it is not my business to know, the lawsuit, in effect since 2009.

Why does it harm me to know what is on your license?

as far as your gender, I have no idea.

I don't care, I don't know, so I don't even understand why we're even here with this situation.

It's just one more thing to be in someone's business that the government should stay out of.

Chris, what do you think?

that correspondence between the governor and the bee and the DMV might like.

Yeah, like it drops at an interesting time because obviously the state Court of Appeals ruled last year that, you know, it's not required that you have to offer make this an option.

And then the federal Supreme Court just recently kind of echoed the same thing.

So I would hope that that correspondence would be, you know, grounded in legalities as to why or why we shouldn't do this.

But, you know, it kind of reminds me, you know, I work on a lot of state, a lot of issues at the state House where, you know, the state of Indiana will have a brilliant idea, but we kind of have to throw cold water on it sometimes because there's federal policies.

There's federal legislation that says states don't have the flexibility to do something in this.

So I think you might be seeing this with a little bit.

I know, you know, the AG's office referenced the new real ID thing that happened recently and how there's not really any flexibility in there between, you know, the gender identity versus the sex.

And, you know, when you come into a, you know, a authorized, you know, kind of regulated force of how that is organized.

You know, I think there could be a little bit of a headache in there a little bit.

So I would hope that, you know, it's kind of grounded in that legal basis and not and not so much on, you know, hot or social.

Issues, at least you think.

Even scientific basis because I mean, like, like Emma said in that clip, why certainly not grounded in scientific basis.

It's, I don't think that folks are clamoring for this.

In fact, when the public comment, came forward a couple months ago, it was overwhelmingly, please don't do this.

We're not asking for this.

so I think it will be interesting to see what that is.

What?

That, what that correspondence is, to Oseyes point at why are we in everybody's business?

it's a lot of things going on, a lot of things happening.

And one more thing happening in central Indiana, the longtime rumors about a buc-ees is now, officially confirmed by our friends over at the IBJ, coming to central Indiana to Johnson County.

should everyone would be excited, Oseye?

yes.

Big fan.

I'm a Bucky's fan.

Yes.

And believe me, excited.

Laura, you love what I do.

I want to go is to love it.

I can't think of anything more American than mixing it.

Gas station with a Walmart, an amusement park all in one.

I think this is a huge win for the state of Indiana for 60 fans.

Exactly.

somebody who has a nice 44 ounce bright red Bucky's, you know, cup in his car right now.

It is always an oasis.

As you're driving down a highway in southern southern United States.

It's typical thing I'm.

So it'll be your first visit, but.

If I go, it will be my first time.

You're saying maybe go six months?

Yeah.

I'm waiting for the crowds.

People are going to be swarming.

It's got something for everybody.

So that's Indiana Week In Review for this week.

Our panel has been political strategist Elise Schrock.

Republican Chris Mitchem, Laura Merrifield Wilson, associate professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis, and Oseye Boyd, editor in chief at Mirror Indy.

I'm Jill Sheridan, managing editor at WFYI.

Join us next week on Indiana Week in Review.

The views expressed are solely those of the panelists.

Indiana Week In Review is produced by WFYI in association with Indiana Public Broadcasting stations.