For the past four months, Dan Lynch has been busy raising his first child, Anna Kathleen. During that time, he has also become involved in some of the latest and most important events taking place in Indiana. One of those is a new dashboard for schools. This new system compiles all of the state’s school performance data into one place.
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Abortion Laws
The state’s abortion laws impact everyone, from people who need an abortion to those who work in the industry. Abortion clinics in Indiana have been in a legal limbo since the state’s near-total ban took effect this summer.
While the law allows some exceptions for rape survivors and cases of fatal fetal anomalies, it strips abortion clinics of their state medical licenses. It also prohibits doctors from performing abortions outside of approved hospitals and outpatient centers owned by hospitals.
Despite the new restrictions, there hasn’t been a significant decrease in the number of procedures performed. According to data from the Indiana Department of Health, the state’s two highest-performing abortion clinics — Planned Parenthood and Women’s Med Group Professional Corporation of Indianapolis — performed 27% of the state’s procedures in 2021.
Attorneys for abortion clinics argued in court Wednesday that the state’s new law violates the state constitution. They urged the court to lift a preliminary injunction that blocked it a week after it took effect.
Stalking Charges
If you or someone you know has been charged with stalking, it’s important to talk to a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Indiana law makes it a crime to stalk, and you need to have an experienced lawyer by your side to help build a strong defense.
Stalking charges can involve following another person, threatening them, and harassing them over time. They may also include leaving written messages or objects, vandalizing their property, or contacting them repeatedly by phone or text.
The case of Billie Davis, 56, who was already facing state charges after she allegedly stabbed an 18-year-old Chinese student on a bus in January, has now been indicted federally for hate crimes.
The attack was unprovoked and caused shockwaves in the Asian community, as they grappled with a rise in anti-Asian attacks in the U.S. Davis is now in federal custody, and she will likely face life imprisonment if convicted.
Gender Transition
Gender transition affects people’s lives in many ways. In general, people who are transgender are likely to experience a range of emotions and psychological health issues, including depression, suicidal thoughts, and other mood disorders.
In addition, people who are transgender are more likely to feel isolated or have a hard time making new friends. This is because of social and family rejection, discrimination, and stigmatization that can happen when people change their gender.
A recent IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs study found that people who are transgender are more likely than cisgender people to be depressed and suicidal. They also have a higher rate of substance abuse and low-self-esteem, which makes it difficult for them to live independently.
In addition, there are laws and policies across the country that would deny transgender people access to their health care and educational rights. Some of these laws and policies have been challenged in court, and federal law prohibits discrimination against people who are transgender.
New Dashboard for Schools
The Indiana Department of Education has launched a new dashboard for schools that will make information about students and schools more accessible to parents and educators. Developed in response to legislation the governor signed last year, the site will display visual representations of data pertaining to an individual school, school corporation or the state as a whole.
The dashboard features a landing page that tells the story of a student’s journey from Pre-K through high school and beyond, explaining why it matters. From there, users can scroll through statewide-, corporation- and school-level summary pages that highlight performance over multiple measures.
The site will also display key indicators for student success following graduation, including academic mastery, career and postsecondary readiness, communication and collaboration skills, work ethic and civic, financial and digital literacy. It also shows specific school and district performance stacked against state benchmarks.