Vernon G. Smith

Guest column: Republican education policies have left Indiana’s children behind

August 8, 2026 at 4:05 p.m.

For 16 years, Indiana Republicans have stood before us and promised that this would finally be the year public education in Indiana gets fixed, but in that same time period,...

U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, center, greets a child Feb. 20, 2025, as the Geminus Head Start welcomes Mrvan to the St. Mark Early Learning Academy in Gary. Mrvan held a news conference and toured the Learning Academy to set the record straight on the impact of Head Start programs. (John Smierciak/for the Post-Tribune)

Rep. Vernon G. Smith: The move to redistrict Indiana puts partisanship above the needs of residents

November 10, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

New maps won’t solve our communities’ challenges: underfunded public schools, high health care costs, neighborhood blight and more.

Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, works at his desk at the Statehouse on April 27, 2023, in Indianapolis. (Darron Cummings/AP)

Rep. Vernon G. Smith: Indiana Republican education policies have failed to address the root of our problem

April 25, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Instead of robust solutions, the Republican legislative supermajority in Indiana churns out a patchwork of special interest-backed policies.

Guest opinion: No quick fix for state’s teacher retention problem

June 11, 2018 at 9:38 a.m.

Indiana is suffering a severe teacher shortage. Throughout Indiana, 19 percent of first-year teachers don't come back to their jobs. In high-poverty schools, 29 percent quit their jobs or go...

GARY WEARY OF BEING DENIGRATED

August 11, 2021 at 6:36 p.m.

I recently read the Tribune article headlined "Gary Bears takes a lot of imagination." Bluntly, I--as did my constituents--found the article offensive. Gary has been slapped before by the Chicago...

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