Dixon Calls On Nisly To Donate Money From Virtual Schools
WARSAW – A growing scandal involving two virtual schools is sending political ripples through parts of Northern Indiana.
Republican candidate Bill Dixon is calling out his primary opponent, District 22 State Rep. Curt Nisly, of Milford, to respond to reports that he accepted a $1,000 campaign donation from the schools that are accused of improperly receiving $68 million after apparently inflating the schools’ enrollment numbers.
The schools, from the Daleville area, have been shuttered.
In recent days, it’s come to light that many Republicans, including House Speaker Brian Bosma and numerous area lawmakers, have received campaign donations from the schools.
Bosma, who received a $10,000 donation, and other Republican leaders are calling on lawmakers to donate the money to charity.
According to numerous reports, Nisly received a $1,000 donation. Exactly when it was received was unclear.
Dixon is calling on Nisly to donate the money to charity.
“I think he needs to donate it to somebody who is above the pall (and) who is involved in education,” Dixon said.
Nisly said he’s been told of the $1,000 donation, but was uncertain if that is accurate. He said he recalls a $400 donation from a virtual school in 2016, but believes that money was already spent.
“That’s the only thing I remember. The others just landed in the mailbox and are deposited by my treasurer so they haven’t even been through my hands,” Nisly said.
Asked what he plans to do with any other donations from the schools, Nisly said, “We’re looking at what the right thing is to do here.”
Dixon criticized Nisly for not knowing more about where his campaign cash is coming from.
“A politician who doesn’t know where his money comes from is like a hog that doesn’t know what mud is,” Dixon said.
“Me thinketh, it stinketh,” he said.
Dixon also called for more oversight of virtual and charter schools that are receiving state dollars.
“Somebody needs to be watching the store. It’s pretty obvious to me that whoever was supposed to be watching it wasn’t watching it. Send me down there and I’ll watch,” Dixon said.
Nisly said the scandal does show that “It does appear there are some bad actors in the mix,” but stressed that he knows of families in Elkhart and Kosciusko counties who are sending their children to virtual schools and that they like the benefits.
“In general, I don’t want this to turn into a referendum on virtual schools. I think they certainly have a place for certain families,” he said.
He casts blame for the lack of oversight on the Indiana Department of Education
“I found it egregious that they let this go on and weren’t on top of it,” he said.
At the same time, Nisly added, “This is proof that the system does work. It works slowly sometimes, but it does work.”