Don Metzler-Smith

Background:

- M.S. in Education from Indiana University at South Bend
- Secondary Social Studies Certification from IUSB
- K-12 Special Education Certification from IUSB
- Adjunct Professor at Ivy Tech Community College/Elkhart in Academic Skills Advancement Division
- Owns Empowering Educational Services specializing in tutoring "at-risk" youth and adults
- First Computer Lab Instructor at Bashor Children's Home of the UMC Residential School, Goshen, IN
- Taught for Ombudsman Educational Services, LTD., Libertyville, IL
- Taught at Merit Learning Center (Goshen Community School's Alternative Program)
- Past Chairman of the Elkhart County Democratic Party (June, 2000-
March, 2005)
- Current Executive Secretary for Communities in Schools of Elkhart County

Goals:

- Advocate for ALL Hoosier children's education
- Initiate state government structural reform and accountability
- Help make tax reform fair and equitable
- Monitor funding for education
- Improve higher education, technical trade schools and workforce development
- Will provide full-time access for constituent services in lieu of part-time legislative session

Issues:

Education, Accountability, and Economic Stimulus

Grassroots Support:

Having been a bonafide member of "The Perfect Storm" in Iowa in January, 2004 (Davenport), I live grassroots political activism. My May 6th Indiana Primary victory in a three-way race with 44.6% of the vote is a testimonial as to how I view campaign strategy (the same way I view effective teaching in my professional life - one-on-one).

DFA Values:

Career-wise, my seventeen years of teaching have been devoted to the disadvantaged individuals of our society, having never held a full-time contract in any of those years.
My passion has always been to empower those that are less fortunate into becoming productive and contributing citizens in our communities.

This is a "no-brainer" in wise fiscal management since Elkhart County is incarcerating 1 in 4 youth that drop-out of school (approximately 25%).
When I speak with the taxpaying public, even if there is no compassion for human beings and their potential, I can always make the case of spending money proactively in educating this population on the "front-end" rather than spending money reactively on the "back-end" by continuing to build bigger prisons.