Former Republican state legislator, school superintendent, and government teacher Dr. Tony Cook joins BFA Indiana to talk about how Hoosier businesses can support and enhance civics education in their local schools and districts. In 1987, he gained national attention as he welcomed HIV-positive teenager Ryan White to Hamilton Heights High School at the height of the AIDS crisis. Now, he is speaking out on the importance of improving civic literacy in Indiana and across the country.
The 2021 Indiana Civic Health Index ranks our state among the bottom nationally in both voter registration and voter turnout. That same year, Governor Eric Holcomb signed a bill requiring a civics education class for Hoosier middle school students, beginning with the upcoming 2023-24 academic year.
On Wednesday, August 9th, that bill’s author – former state legislator, school superintendent, and government teacher Tony Cook – will join us to talk about how Indiana businesses large and small can support and enhance civics education offerings in their local schools and school districts.
The event is hosted by Business for America as part of the newly formed Indiana Business Alliance for Civics (IBAC). Operating under the umbrella of the Indiana Civics Coalition, IBAC helps Hoosier businesses speak out in support of K–12 civic education, promote civic knowledge among the state’s workforce, and highlight the economic reasons for investing in civic education.
We invite Indiana businesses, business groups, and individual business leaders to join the alliance. Questions before you join? Contact us.
