Ever wonder how a farmer transitions to the political arena or what the day-to-day of a Ways and Means Committee member entails? Buckle up, because Life Unscripted is gearing up for an engrossing conversation with Indiana State Representative JD Prescott and State Senator Jeff Raatz, where JD spills the beans on his move from tilling the fields to representing House District 33, and Jeff offers a peek behind the curtain of a state senator's role versus that of a representative. We're not just talking politics, though—get ready to celebrate community spirit with the heartwarming Prescott picnic story, and discover how the latest agricultural tech keeps farmers like JD at the top of their game.
But that's not all we're unboxing today. Step into the classroom of the future, where traditional education gets a run for its money from non-conventional learning paths. I'll be unraveling the stories of those who've forged successful careers through alternative routes, like paramedic programs and online platforms. Delving further, we'll light up the discussion on the symbiotic relationship between local community colleges and businesses, crafting technical programs that hit the bullseye for student needs and employer demands. And we're going to break down Indiana's school choice voucher programs—untangling financial myths and showcasing their role in cultivating educational diversity. Join us for a journey through the landscape of learning and work that promises to expand your perceptions and maybe even inspire your next move.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Life Unscripted with Kevin Shook.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
So welcome to Life Unscripted Today.
I have a couple of friends ofmine here and I've known them
for a while.
They've known me for a while.
They know everything about me.
They do know my life has beenunscripted, but here we are.
And I can't thank them enoughfor being great friends of mine
and stuff.
(00:24):
So introduce yourselves.
Jd, you want to start?
Speaker 1 (00:29):
So I'm JD Prescott.
I serve House District 33,which is Randolph.
Blackford County is completeTwo-thirds of Jay, a third of
Delaware and a little bit ofHenry County as well.
I've been in the state housesince 2018.
I was first elected.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Family farms a little over 3 000 acres in randolph
county still involved in thefarm own multiple small
businesses and I'm gonna stopyou there, because your brother
the other day was like are yousure you know how to drive that
thing?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
so I have stepped back a little bit on the farm,
since I've been in the statehouse to have a few irons in the
fire, but I'm still out thereon the farm.
I I still know how to driveeverything.
My younger brother tries toharass me a little bit, says I'm
a part-time farmer now but Ican still operate everything.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
And Jeff, do you want to introduce yourself?
Sure.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
JD, don't stay out too long, because technology
changes by the minute it seemslike even in agriculture right.
Too long because technologychanges by the minute it seems
like even in agriculture, right.
So instead of looking down thethe hood of the tractor to make
sure you're going straight, noweverything's by gps, right?
Yep, yeah, anyway, jeff rott'sindiana state senate district 27
.
Today it is comprised of partof franklin county, all of union
(01:40):
, all of wayne and all of henrycounties so it?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
when was it?
Was it, uh, two years ago, whenthey changed that correct?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
yeah, it was.
I guess it was last fall, notlast fall, the fall before.
It's been about a year and ahalf since they've been been in
effect, correct?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
yeah, now did that help things does it just didn't
hurt, it didn't really changeanything much.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
I mean it's uh always .
Uh, you know, I picked up awhole new county and lost
randolph county.
Essentially I had I lostrandolph county and part of
franklin county, so I'm part ofthat.
I lost a few townships thereand then a township in fayette
county as well.
So uh it it worked out well.
Okay, really, the the way thedistrict is comprised didn't
(02:21):
change really anything.
Okay, but gave opportunity, Iguess, to get to know a whole
new group right, we still go tothe picnic, we still go to the
prescott picnic august 24th.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, we said in that video keep the plug in.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Yeah, august 24th well, this year I'll get on the
on the calendar.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Jd, that's right we sent it to you right away.
I'll pick you up.
I'll be at your house.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
As long as it don't rain.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
It's in a barn.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I told him about the time I left the top off the Jeep
.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Coming back and it was raining.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I'm like, oh crap, I got the scissor with me, the
top's off the Jeep, it's raining.
He's like no big deal.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
It wasn't like it was poor for sure.
I'm glad I heard from you againafter that.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I'm not one I'm I'm quick to forgive so, jd uh,
you're the district 33 reprepresentative.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
So um explain what the roles of a representative
are, yeah, so serving in thestate, we're up every two years,
unlike the senators.
They're up every four years.
So we're constantly.
It feels like I'm constantly incampaign mode on the on the off
years, but are on the whenwe're out of session.
But during session it's one ofthe main responsibilities for me
(03:38):
.
I'm on the ways and meanscommittee, the budgeting
committee, so every every twoyears of state budget, uh, they
have to originate out of thehouse, so we're heavily involved
in crafting that state budgetas well as, uh, just various
laws that come before thegeneral assembly as a whole, um,
constituent service issues.
I mean we, we both getconstituent service calls about
every day, whether we're insession or out of session.
(04:00):
So, uh, it's, um, it's a goodmix ofmaking the budgeting
process just the politicalprocess in general, helping
people out with the constituentservices issues.
Sometimes it can be a littleaggravating dealing with some of
these departments that we'dlike to move things along a
little quicker.
Sometimes, the speed ofgovernment's a little slower
(04:21):
than what we'd like coming fromthe business world, but overall
it's a really good process and Ienjoy enjoy serving the people.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
And you've been in it for how many years?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Six years.
It's hard to believe, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
I remember when you were first running, because uh,
meeks introduced us at lunch atthe little restaurant downtown.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Winchester, yeah, which is now the pizza place.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Chicago Pizza.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Yeah, was it Chicago Pizza at that time?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
No, it was that little deli.
Yeah or deli shop and whatnot,jeff.
So kind of explain what asenator does, because a lot of
people don't know thedifferences between senator and
now your new position thatyou're running for.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
so so, uh uh, the senate is the upper chamber in
the, in the general assembly,whether it's at the national
level or at the local.
I'm kidding we should have puthim on like a little higher
pedestal under his chairprobably the only, the only
benefit which is a quite abenefit, as JD mentions is we
(05:24):
have four-year terms and sowe're not continually in the
election cycle, which assists usfrom having to be on the
election cycle all the time,essentially, so we get a
reprieve in there somewhat, butyou're really on stage all the
time.
As JD mentioned, constituentservices at at the top, uh, and
(05:47):
we get bogged down duringsession.
Um, sometimes because of what Ido as chair of the education
committee and I'm also on thereceiving end of the ways and
means.
I'm on appropriations now inthe senate for this, the second
year I've been on it, so we, wefine-tooth comb put our
signature on the budget, send itback, and then there's final
negotiations before it comes tothe end and we all agree on it.
(06:10):
But most of my time is spent oneducation as a chairman and so
that takes up a lot of my timeand so I focus on that even in
the off session.
So a lot of talking and I'mcontinually talking about it, so
it keeps me busy for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Is there anything in the education world right now
that might be a cool topic tomention?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah, I think one of the things that we're actually
have been working on for anumber of years is focusing on
quality work-based learning aswell as apprenticeships, and
that when I use the wordapprenticeship, generally the
culture thinks about unionizedapprenticeships and that could
be part of it, but that's notall of it.
Basically, let's just use theword quality work-based learning
(06:55):
opportunities for students in11th and 12th grade, where they
actually go on the job and getpaid, and we're working
diligently now to figure out howto give credits.
Maybe that's a business credit,it could be accounting credit,
it could be multiple things andnot only credit in the K-12
space, but also in higher ed, sohow that translates the actual
(07:21):
working into credits.
Let's call it real-worldexperience, and I can refer back
to myself.
I like to do this, not changingthe subject, just sharing after
I, in the middle of a four-yeardegree in accounting and IT,
back in the day, I had to learnfrom someone who had practical
experience when I got on the jobin a few areas, and so, yeah,
(07:45):
you can't you can't deny thatthere's a great opportunity for
people to learn uh, hands-on,like their technicals exactly
such such like a program thatyou're running right here, this
podcast, the things that youknow you could teach a student
and they could come out theother side with uh skills, a
skill set that's ready to goright, right and I see.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
So I didn't.
I didn't really go to college.
My paramedic program wascredited through iupi, but it
didn't come with a degree ornothing, nothing.
All of this was youtubeuniversity, which is what I'll
always be a student of youtubeuniversity, yeah, um, but you've
got to be passionate and, um,I've seen there's a shift.
So, like in in high school, youknow, I think I made it through
(08:29):
algebra one, um, but I went to,like, automotive vocational
instead of algebra 15.
And I went to woodsmanufacturing.
I think I got.
I think they told me to leaveSpanish class cause I just
couldn't get it.
So, like I, you know, I had toF my English in English my 12th
(08:51):
grade year.
So I was like, but I was, youknow, I wish I was a better
student.
But, um, I am very thankfulthat I can change my brakes on
my car.
You know, I'm real thankful Ican fix stuff and so you say it
wasn't a waste of time.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Sometimes even I think students will, in your
case may go to like auto shop,not necessarily because it's the
interest, but just to get byyeah so that's good that you
learned some of those basics ohyeah, and I mean those are
skills you'll carry with youforever.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
So that's really cool and I've seen that shift
recently Some of our localcollege, our community college
out here they're working withsome manufacturing facilities
here in Richmond to developtechnical training programs to
help with the workforce.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
And that, honestly, that's the part that I like
about it the most, because as anemployer, they could actually
help create their own workforcepipeline by having students
participate high school, lastcouple years of high school or
during college, and they'reproviding an invaluable
(10:01):
experience for them.
But ultimately there's someself-preservation in there as
well, that they're actuallypreparing their own workforce or
participating in that, and sothat's that's happy.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Yeah, benefits both sides right, great, you know you
start with an internship and itgoes from there and provide
their education if they want tofurther their education, create
that buy-in, you foster a greatwork environment and hopefully
stick with you.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
No, that's one thing we don't talk about enough.
I think it's incumbent upon theemployer to be a good actor in
this situation as well.
I think they are today.
It's different than what theemployer to be a good actor in
this situation as well, and Ithink they are today.
That's different than what itused to be.
So you're absolutely right.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
JD, do you have any good topics to talk about?
That's current events.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Well, piggybacking off of what Jeff was talking
about, with some of the thingsgoing on with education, I was
reading actually I had anarticle sent to me this morning
where Texas was stating that thefuture of their state really
hinges on the success of theirvoucher program, where they're
expanding school choice in Texasand that's one of the things
that I think we've worked onboth in Ways and Means in
(11:09):
partnership with Jeff andeducation is really making sure
that we're the number one statefor school choice, making sure
every student has an equalopportunity on the best
education path forward for them.
So that's one thing that we'vereally been able to work
together with him.
Being on both education andappropriations, that's been a
huge help in making sure thatwe've been the true leader.
(11:33):
So, like I was saying, thatarticle that I was reading this
morning, it referenced Indianaas being one of the leaders.
They're trying to chase us downand catch up with us, but I
think we're going to keep ourfoot on the gas and keep it up.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Explain the voucher program.
How does this work?
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Yeah, so it's 300% of the free and reduced lunch rate
of family of four, for example,would be like $, be like 220
000 to be eligible for thevoucher.
Uh, and it covers 90 of theeducation fund dollars that
would go.
That would traditionally.
If that student went to atraditional public school and
then then switch to a voucherschool, uh, 90 of those dollars
(12:11):
would follow.
So it's actually um morefinancially.
Uh, dollars would follow.
So it's actually morefinancially responsible from a
state perspective because we'reeducating those dollars at a
reduced rate but getting qualityeducation, getting faith-based
education.
And some of my children go to avoucher accepting school and my
wife and I chose that because ofthe faith-based aspect.
(12:32):
We're Baptists, we went to aBaptist school.
So it's one of themisconceptions that's out there
that our opposition throws outall the time is that these
schools don't have to followprivate schools, don't have to
follow the same standards astraditional public schools, and
what they tell you is a mistruthVoucher schools, if they are a
(12:54):
private school that are voucheraccepting, they have to follow
the same state standards as thepublic schools.
But if it's a private schoolthat's not voucher accepting,
which means they don't acceptthese tax dollars, then they
don't have to, so a lot of timesyou've got to look out for that
misinformation that's beingthrown out there.
But there are really goodoptions and the number of
(13:14):
students that are takingadvantage of this program, that
are participating, continues togrow year over year.
There's high demand, so I thinkit's been a great success for
our workforce development in ourstate and really college
readiness as well.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Very cool.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Let me add just a couple things there.
So the other piece of thepuzzle is for voucher schools.
The property tax dollars stayin the place where they don't
follow the child they actuallystay.
So JD lives in Randolph County,so those property tax dollars
still go to the school districtthat he resides in.
(13:51):
Okay, he does not follow thechild, and so across the state
it's the average is thirty threehundred dollars per student
that's generated by property tax.
Of course that's an average, sothere's some that much higher
and some that are lower thanthat, obviously, but so that's
an actually an advantage to thelocal public school.
They get to keep those dollarsand so, uh, there are a lot of
(14:15):
misnomers about it, but reallyit comes down to parental choice
.
Parents decide where theirstudent goes and ultimately, as
far as the state is concerned atleast myself we really need
outcomes.
We're struggling with academicproficiency across the United
States, and Indiana is noexception to that problem.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Interesting.
I remember the picnic circa2000.
When did we get rained on?
Because?
I got to give you guys kudos fordoing what you're doing.
I know we're all publicservants here, but I have to
give you guys major kudos.
(14:56):
We were at your picnic andwe're trying.
I'm taking pictures becauseMama Prescott always asked me to
take pictures and she alwayshas the homemade ice cream.
And of course, you know, inpolitics there's always topics
and the news is always bringingup topics and hot topics, not so
(15:20):
Jeff's whittling away over heretrying to get ice cream one day
.
So I'm just taking pictures.
We're kind of talking and then agroup of people come around and
they're really nice and theystart engaging in conversations
with Jeff and asking himquestions about certain topics
and everything else.
And he cares.
I've known both of you foreverand you guys care and that's the
(15:41):
.
You're not just trying to get avote, you guys genuinely care
what people think.
I just felt bad because he'strying to get to the ice cream
machine.
He gets like 10 more feet.
He has a conversation and hegets 10 more feet and a
different group came around andstarted asking the same
questions.
(16:02):
I was like man, he should havejust had a microphone a little
bit ago.
And um, he, he, he expressedlike I mean he genuinely cared.
So he talked to him andmeanwhile I'm like sitting back
there eating ice cream justlooking at him.
That was Meanwhile.
I'm like sitting back thereeating ice cream just looking at
him.
That was do you remember that?
Yeah, thanks, that was funny.
So kudos to you guys forstepping up, because we all know
(16:30):
, everybody knows thesepositions don't compensate like
they should.
So no one does what you guysare doing for money, for the job
itself, but more so you're tobe a public servant, because
you're passionate about it.
So, um, I'm lucky to call youguys friends, um, before
anything else, and, uh, Iappreciate you guys being here
today on life unscripted, um, isthere anything you want to
(16:50):
close up the show with, anythingyou want to mention?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
uh, maybe how they could vote, yeah, so election is
coming up on may 7th.
Early voting is uh availableright now so you can go to your
local courthouse and vote umcheck your courthouse hours.
Each each courthouse hasdifferent hours and uh, some of
them have lunch breaks andthings where they're um have.
(17:14):
So check your courthouse foryour early voting timelines.
Some elections are precincts.
Some counties have precinctonly, others have vote centers,
so that'll be a little differenttoo.
So make sure you check out theclerk of courts website.
Maybe some of them have socialmedia pages as well.
Anyway, then go ahead, jeff.
(17:37):
Sorry, yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
So we'll start early voting.
You can apply for an absenteeballot now and you already had
to be registered to vote, andthat's been, I don't know, a
week or so ago, two weeks maybe,what was the deadline for?
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Actually, it was just a couple days ago.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
It was May 8th.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yeah, it was the 8th April.
8th because it was on theeclipse.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
The deadline to be hey, what did you guys?
Speaker 1 (17:59):
think about that.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
That was awesome, that was crazy.
I was in the back of anambulance with a patient oh
really yeah, transporting, andall of a sudden, as we're going
down through Danville, I see gasstation lights.
I kind of forgot and I was like, oh, oh yeah, the eclipse.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
And we will wield the patient from the road to the
hospital so he could look up andsee it.
I think the coolest thing wasfor me the, when it was about
total it.
We could feel the temperaturechange like maybe five degrees
or something like that.
Yeah, it was.
It was incredible.
And then there was a uh, therewas a red dot on the base of the
when the moon was right infront of the sun.
Uh, there was a red dot and itwas a solar um, uh, what the guy
(18:46):
called it.
I forget exactly what it was aflare or hole solar flare or
something, I can't remember theexact term, but it but it was a
red dot right at the base of it.
I think it was kind of yeah, itwas incredibly unique, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
I think it was really cool because it brought people
together Absolutely.
Yeah, like everyone stopped fora moment and all enjoyed it
together.
That was cool.
We had a big dinner at work andbrought people together.
I liked it.
It wasn't the typical Hallmarkholiday so I was like I wish we
could do do this every year,having the clips, um it was.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
It was wild well and sure, we live uh kind of out,
out in the country where there'snobody close around us.
So it was.
It was neat hearing all the allright before the eclipse, all
the birds started going, goingcrazy and the wildlife was
making all kinds of animal or itturned the lights out.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
It was a little different.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
As soon as it got dark, they all went quiet.
Then they started going backagain as soon as it got light
again.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
It was kind of neat to listen to that.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
That would have been cool.
I heard that something similarlike that was going to happen,
but where I was at, we didn't.
I didn't recognize, and so thatI would.
I would have rather been thereto be able to testify about the
way the animals responded to ityeah, yeah, that would.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
That was man.
That was something that wasreally cool.
Um so, district 33, whichcounties?
Speaker 1 (20:11):
randolph jay blackford, delaware, and henry.
And Randolph Jay Blackford,Delaware, and Henry.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
And vote on what day?
May 7th, cool and Jeffrey.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
So I'm actually in the middle of my Senate district
race and so I'm off the ballotas far as the Senate's concerned
, but I'm on for the 6thCongressional District.
State law does not allow us torun for dual offices at the same
time.
To run for dual offices at thesame time, but because I'm in
the middle of my term, I can runfor the sixth congressional
(20:39):
seat, which I'm doing.
Greg Pence decided late Januarythat he was going to retire,
and so it opened up that seat.
So I'll be on the ballot rightnow for the sixth congressional
district to serve us inWashington DC.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Wow, when you're vice president, president, promise
me you'll come right back hereand do another podcast.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
Absolutely, we'll do a helicopter pad sitting there.
Yeah, we'll land it on top.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Hey, I'll have the ice cream.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
All right, I'll come, that's for sure.
No, I'll go right to jd's mom.
I'd forgotten about that.
I won't miss this year, that'sright.
Yeah, about 10 o'clock in themorning I'll show up and start
partaking in the homemade icecream well again.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
I appreciate you guys .
Coming up here havingconversation with me is really
good.
Um, I love doing these becauseI learn more about everyone.
So I have the animal care CareAlliance up here once a month
now and they bring me a randomanimal.
I told them I don't want toknow what animal and they showed
up last time with a red-tailedhawk and it just sat right here
(21:47):
next to me and did a podcast.
I was like wow.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Was it wild or was it a captive one?
Speaker 2 (21:54):
So they rescued it and the way Dr Matt out there,
the way she explained it is,they think someone grabbed it as
a little baby and tried to haveit as a pet and then, once it
got bigger, they tried to let itgo, but it just sat on a porch.
So it almost thinks it's ahuman.
Sure.
So it lives out there at theACA.
(22:15):
Ozzie's his name.
Uh, it's really cool.
Well, I mean we've takenselfies with it and I mean it
chilled in here and did apodcast.
So I mean it didn't talk much,but uh, yeah, so they can take
care of exotic animals and stuffnow out there.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
So that's why they I'm familiar with where they're
at and I don't know quite theirum, what, what.
All it is that they do, whattheir mantra is.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
But I'll take you out there sometime, because I just
go out there and start saying hito the animals.
I mean, they have owls, littleowls.
There's a couple of horses outthere that have been rescued
from auctions Hawk, yeah,there's quite a few things out
there.
All right, that wraps up thisepisode of life unscripted life
(23:00):
inscripted with Kevin shook.
Life Unscripted with Kevin Shook.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
So welcome to Life Unscripted Today.
I have a couple of friends ofmine here and I've known them
for a while.
They've known me for a while.
They know everything about me.
They do know my life has beenunscripted, but here we are.
And I can't thank them enoughfor being great friends of mine
and stuff.
(00:24):
So introduce yourselves.
Jd, you want to start?
Speaker 1 (00:29):
So I'm JD Prescott.
I serve House District 33,which is Randolph.
Blackford County is completeTwo-thirds of Jay, a third of
Delaware and a little bit ofHenry County as well.
I've been in the state housesince 2018.
I was first elected.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Family farms a little over 3 000 acres in randolph
county still involved in thefarm own multiple small
businesses and I'm gonna stopyou there, because your brother
the other day was like are yousure you know how to drive that
thing?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
so I have stepped back a little bit on the farm,
since I've been in the statehouse to have a few irons in the
fire, but I'm still out thereon the farm.
I I still know how to driveeverything.
My younger brother tries toharass me a little bit, says I'm
a part-time farmer now but Ican still operate everything.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
And Jeff, do you want to introduce yourself?
Sure.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
JD, don't stay out too long, because technology
changes by the minute it seemslike even in agriculture right.
Too long because technologychanges by the minute it seems
like even in agriculture, right.
So instead of looking down thethe hood of the tractor to make
sure you're going straight, noweverything's by gps, right?
Yep, yeah, anyway, jeff rott'sindiana state senate district 27
.
Today it is comprised of partof franklin county, all of union
(01:40):
, all of wayne and all of henrycounties so it?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
when was it?
Was it, uh, two years ago, whenthey changed that correct?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
yeah, it was.
I guess it was last fall, notlast fall, the fall before.
It's been about a year and ahalf since they've been been in
effect, correct?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
yeah, now did that help things does it just didn't
hurt, it didn't really changeanything much.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
I mean it's uh always .
Uh, you know, I picked up awhole new county and lost
randolph county.
Essentially I had I lostrandolph county and part of
franklin county, so I'm part ofthat.
I lost a few townships thereand then a township in fayette
county as well.
So uh it it worked out well.
Okay, really, the the way thedistrict is comprised didn't
(02:21):
change really anything.
Okay, but gave opportunity, Iguess, to get to know a whole
new group right, we still go tothe picnic, we still go to the
prescott picnic august 24th.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, we said in that video keep the plug in.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Yeah, august 24th well, this year I'll get on the
on the calendar.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Jd, that's right we sent it to you right away.
I'll pick you up.
I'll be at your house.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
As long as it don't rain.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
It's in a barn.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I told him about the time I left the top off the Jeep
.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Coming back and it was raining.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I'm like, oh crap, I got the scissor with me, the
top's off the Jeep, it's raining.
He's like no big deal.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
It wasn't like it was poor for sure.
I'm glad I heard from you againafter that.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I'm not one I'm I'm quick to forgive so, jd uh,
you're the district 33 reprepresentative.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
So um explain what the roles of a representative
are, yeah, so serving in thestate, we're up every two years,
unlike the senators.
They're up every four years.
So we're constantly.
It feels like I'm constantly incampaign mode on the on the off
years, but are on the whenwe're out of session.
But during session it's one ofthe main responsibilities for me
(03:38):
.
I'm on the ways and meanscommittee, the budgeting
committee, so every every twoyears of state budget, uh, they
have to originate out of thehouse, so we're heavily involved
in crafting that state budgetas well as, uh, just various
laws that come before thegeneral assembly as a whole, um,
constituent service issues.
I mean we, we both getconstituent service calls about
every day, whether we're insession or out of session.
(04:00):
So, uh, it's, um, it's a goodmix ofmaking the budgeting
process just the politicalprocess in general, helping
people out with the constituentservices issues.
Sometimes it can be a littleaggravating dealing with some of
these departments that we'dlike to move things along a
little quicker.
Sometimes, the speed ofgovernment's a little slower
(04:21):
than what we'd like coming fromthe business world, but overall
it's a really good process and Ienjoy enjoy serving the people.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
And you've been in it for how many years?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Six years.
It's hard to believe, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
I remember when you were first running, because uh,
meeks introduced us at lunch atthe little restaurant downtown.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Winchester, yeah, which is now the pizza place.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Chicago Pizza.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Yeah, was it Chicago Pizza at that time?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
No, it was that little deli.
Yeah or deli shop and whatnot,jeff.
So kind of explain what asenator does, because a lot of
people don't know thedifferences between senator and
now your new position thatyou're running for.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
so so, uh uh, the senate is the upper chamber in
the, in the general assembly,whether it's at the national
level or at the local.
I'm kidding we should have puthim on like a little higher
pedestal under his chairprobably the only, the only
benefit which is a quite abenefit, as JD mentions is we
(05:24):
have four-year terms and sowe're not continually in the
election cycle, which assists usfrom having to be on the
election cycle all the time,essentially, so we get a
reprieve in there somewhat, butyou're really on stage all the
time.
As JD mentioned, constituentservices at at the top, uh, and
(05:47):
we get bogged down duringsession.
Um, sometimes because of what Ido as chair of the education
committee and I'm also on thereceiving end of the ways and
means.
I'm on appropriations now inthe senate for this, the second
year I've been on it, so we, wefine-tooth comb put our
signature on the budget, send itback, and then there's final
negotiations before it comes tothe end and we all agree on it.
(06:10):
But most of my time is spent oneducation as a chairman and so
that takes up a lot of my timeand so I focus on that even in
the off session.
So a lot of talking and I'mcontinually talking about it, so
it keeps me busy for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Is there anything in the education world right now
that might be a cool topic tomention?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah, I think one of the things that we're actually
have been working on for anumber of years is focusing on
quality work-based learning aswell as apprenticeships, and
that when I use the wordapprenticeship, generally the
culture thinks about unionizedapprenticeships and that could
be part of it, but that's notall of it.
Basically, let's just use theword quality work-based learning
(06:55):
opportunities for students in11th and 12th grade, where they
actually go on the job and getpaid, and we're working
diligently now to figure out howto give credits.
Maybe that's a business credit,it could be accounting credit,
it could be multiple things andnot only credit in the K-12
space, but also in higher ed, sohow that translates the actual
(07:21):
working into credits.
Let's call it real-worldexperience, and I can refer back
to myself.
I like to do this, not changingthe subject, just sharing after
I, in the middle of a four-yeardegree in accounting and IT,
back in the day, I had to learnfrom someone who had practical
experience when I got on the jobin a few areas, and so, yeah,
(07:45):
you can't you can't deny thatthere's a great opportunity for
people to learn uh, hands-on,like their technicals exactly
such such like a program thatyou're running right here, this
podcast, the things that youknow you could teach a student
and they could come out theother side with uh skills, a
skill set that's ready to goright, right and I see.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
So I didn't.
I didn't really go to college.
My paramedic program wascredited through iupi, but it
didn't come with a degree ornothing, nothing.
All of this was youtubeuniversity, which is what I'll
always be a student of youtubeuniversity, yeah, um, but you've
got to be passionate and, um,I've seen there's a shift.
So, like in in high school, youknow, I think I made it through
(08:29):
algebra one, um, but I went to,like, automotive vocational
instead of algebra 15.
And I went to woodsmanufacturing.
I think I got.
I think they told me to leaveSpanish class cause I just
couldn't get it.
So, like I, you know, I had toF my English in English my 12th
(08:51):
grade year.
So I was like, but I was, youknow, I wish I was a better
student.
But, um, I am very thankfulthat I can change my brakes on
my car.
You know, I'm real thankful Ican fix stuff and so you say it
wasn't a waste of time.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Sometimes even I think students will, in your
case may go to like auto shop,not necessarily because it's the
interest, but just to get byyeah so that's good that you
learned some of those basics ohyeah, and I mean those are
skills you'll carry with youforever.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
So that's really cool and I've seen that shift
recently Some of our localcollege, our community college
out here they're working withsome manufacturing facilities
here in Richmond to developtechnical training programs to
help with the workforce.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
And that, honestly, that's the part that I like
about it the most, because as anemployer, they could actually
help create their own workforcepipeline by having students
participate high school, lastcouple years of high school or
during college, and they'reproviding an invaluable
(10:01):
experience for them.
But ultimately there's someself-preservation in there as
well, that they're actuallypreparing their own workforce or
participating in that, and sothat's that's happy.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Yeah, benefits both sides right, great, you know you
start with an internship and itgoes from there and provide
their education if they want tofurther their education, create
that buy-in, you foster a greatwork environment and hopefully
stick with you.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
No, that's one thing we don't talk about enough.
I think it's incumbent upon theemployer to be a good actor in
this situation as well.
I think they are today.
It's different than what theemployer to be a good actor in
this situation as well, and Ithink they are today.
That's different than what itused to be.
So you're absolutely right.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
JD, do you have any good topics to talk about?
That's current events.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Well, piggybacking off of what Jeff was talking
about, with some of the thingsgoing on with education, I was
reading actually I had anarticle sent to me this morning
where Texas was stating that thefuture of their state really
hinges on the success of theirvoucher program, where they're
expanding school choice in Texasand that's one of the things
that I think we've worked onboth in Ways and Means in
(11:09):
partnership with Jeff andeducation is really making sure
that we're the number one statefor school choice, making sure
every student has an equalopportunity on the best
education path forward for them.
So that's one thing that we'vereally been able to work
together with him.
Being on both education andappropriations, that's been a
huge help in making sure thatwe've been the true leader.
(11:33):
So, like I was saying, thatarticle that I was reading this
morning, it referenced Indianaas being one of the leaders.
They're trying to chase us downand catch up with us, but I
think we're going to keep ourfoot on the gas and keep it up.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Explain the voucher program.
How does this work?
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Yeah, so it's 300% of the free and reduced lunch rate
of family of four, for example,would be like $, be like 220
000 to be eligible for thevoucher.
Uh, and it covers 90 of theeducation fund dollars that
would go.
That would traditionally.
If that student went to atraditional public school and
then then switch to a voucherschool, uh, 90 of those dollars
(12:11):
would follow.
So it's actually um morefinancially.
Uh, dollars would follow.
So it's actually morefinancially responsible from a
state perspective because we'reeducating those dollars at a
reduced rate but getting qualityeducation, getting faith-based
education.
And some of my children go to avoucher accepting school and my
wife and I chose that because ofthe faith-based aspect.
(12:32):
We're Baptists, we went to aBaptist school.
So it's one of themisconceptions that's out there
that our opposition throws outall the time is that these
schools don't have to followprivate schools, don't have to
follow the same standards astraditional public schools, and
what they tell you is a mistruthVoucher schools, if they are a
(12:54):
private school that are voucheraccepting, they have to follow
the same state standards as thepublic schools.
But if it's a private schoolthat's not voucher accepting,
which means they don't acceptthese tax dollars, then they
don't have to, so a lot of timesyou've got to look out for that
misinformation that's beingthrown out there.
But there are really goodoptions and the number of
(13:14):
students that are takingadvantage of this program, that
are participating, continues togrow year over year.
There's high demand, so I thinkit's been a great success for
our workforce development in ourstate and really college
readiness as well.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Very cool.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Let me add just a couple things there.
So the other piece of thepuzzle is for voucher schools.
The property tax dollars stayin the place where they don't
follow the child they actuallystay.
So JD lives in Randolph County,so those property tax dollars
still go to the school districtthat he resides in.
(13:51):
Okay, he does not follow thechild, and so across the state
it's the average is thirty threehundred dollars per student
that's generated by property tax.
Of course that's an average, sothere's some that much higher
and some that are lower thanthat, obviously, but so that's
an actually an advantage to thelocal public school.
They get to keep those dollarsand so, uh, there are a lot of
(14:15):
misnomers about it, but reallyit comes down to parental choice
.
Parents decide where theirstudent goes and ultimately, as
far as the state is concerned atleast myself we really need
outcomes.
We're struggling with academicproficiency across the United
States, and Indiana is noexception to that problem.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Interesting.
I remember the picnic circa2000.
When did we get rained on?
Because?
I got to give you guys kudos fordoing what you're doing.
I know we're all publicservants here, but I have to
give you guys major kudos.
(14:56):
We were at your picnic andwe're trying.
I'm taking pictures becauseMama Prescott always asked me to
take pictures and she alwayshas the homemade ice cream.
And of course, you know, inpolitics there's always topics
and the news is always bringingup topics and hot topics, not so
(15:20):
Jeff's whittling away over heretrying to get ice cream one day
.
So I'm just taking pictures.
We're kind of talking and then agroup of people come around and
they're really nice and theystart engaging in conversations
with Jeff and asking himquestions about certain topics
and everything else.
And he cares.
I've known both of you foreverand you guys care and that's the
(15:41):
.
You're not just trying to get avote, you guys genuinely care
what people think.
I just felt bad because he'strying to get to the ice cream
machine.
He gets like 10 more feet.
He has a conversation and hegets 10 more feet and a
different group came around andstarted asking the same
questions.
(16:02):
I was like man, he should havejust had a microphone a little
bit ago.
And um, he, he, he expressedlike I mean he genuinely cared.
So he talked to him andmeanwhile I'm like sitting back
there eating ice cream justlooking at him.
That was Meanwhile.
I'm like sitting back thereeating ice cream just looking at
him.
That was do you remember that?
Yeah, thanks, that was funny.
So kudos to you guys forstepping up, because we all know
(16:30):
, everybody knows thesepositions don't compensate like
they should.
So no one does what you guysare doing for money, for the job
itself, but more so you're tobe a public servant, because
you're passionate about it.
So, um, I'm lucky to call youguys friends, um, before
anything else, and, uh, Iappreciate you guys being here
today on life unscripted, um, isthere anything you want to
(16:50):
close up the show with, anythingyou want to mention?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
uh, maybe how they could vote, yeah, so election is
coming up on may 7th.
Early voting is uh availableright now so you can go to your
local courthouse and vote umcheck your courthouse hours.
Each each courthouse hasdifferent hours and uh, some of
them have lunch breaks andthings where they're um have.
(17:14):
So check your courthouse foryour early voting timelines.
Some elections are precincts.
Some counties have precinctonly, others have vote centers,
so that'll be a little differenttoo.
So make sure you check out theclerk of courts website.
Maybe some of them have socialmedia pages as well.
Anyway, then go ahead, jeff.
(17:37):
Sorry, yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
So we'll start early voting.
You can apply for an absenteeballot now and you already had
to be registered to vote, andthat's been, I don't know, a
week or so ago, two weeks maybe,what was the deadline for?
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Actually, it was just a couple days ago.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
It was May 8th.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yeah, it was the 8th April.
8th because it was on theeclipse.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
The deadline to be hey, what did you guys?
Speaker 1 (17:59):
think about that.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
That was awesome, that was crazy.
I was in the back of anambulance with a patient oh
really yeah, transporting, andall of a sudden, as we're going
down through Danville, I see gasstation lights.
I kind of forgot and I was like, oh, oh yeah, the eclipse.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
And we will wield the patient from the road to the
hospital so he could look up andsee it.
I think the coolest thing wasfor me the, when it was about
total it.
We could feel the temperaturechange like maybe five degrees
or something like that.
Yeah, it was.
It was incredible.
And then there was a uh, therewas a red dot on the base of the
when the moon was right infront of the sun.
Uh, there was a red dot and itwas a solar um, uh, what the guy
(18:46):
called it.
I forget exactly what it was aflare or hole solar flare or
something, I can't remember theexact term, but it but it was a
red dot right at the base of it.
I think it was kind of yeah, itwas incredibly unique, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
I think it was really cool because it brought people
together Absolutely.
Yeah, like everyone stopped fora moment and all enjoyed it
together.
That was cool.
We had a big dinner at work andbrought people together.
I liked it.
It wasn't the typical Hallmarkholiday so I was like I wish we
could do do this every year,having the clips, um it was.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
It was wild well and sure, we live uh kind of out,
out in the country where there'snobody close around us.
So it was.
It was neat hearing all the allright before the eclipse, all
the birds started going, goingcrazy and the wildlife was
making all kinds of animal or itturned the lights out.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
It was a little different.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
As soon as it got dark, they all went quiet.
Then they started going backagain as soon as it got light
again.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
It was kind of neat to listen to that.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
That would have been cool.
I heard that something similarlike that was going to happen,
but where I was at, we didn't.
I didn't recognize, and so thatI would.
I would have rather been thereto be able to testify about the
way the animals responded to ityeah, yeah, that would.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
That was man.
That was something that wasreally cool.
Um so, district 33, whichcounties?
Speaker 1 (20:11):
randolph jay blackford, delaware, and henry.
And Randolph Jay Blackford,Delaware, and Henry.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
And vote on what day?
May 7th, cool and Jeffrey.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
So I'm actually in the middle of my Senate district
race and so I'm off the ballotas far as the Senate's concerned
, but I'm on for the 6thCongressional District.
State law does not allow us torun for dual offices at the same
time.
To run for dual offices at thesame time, but because I'm in
the middle of my term, I can runfor the sixth congressional
(20:39):
seat, which I'm doing.
Greg Pence decided late Januarythat he was going to retire,
and so it opened up that seat.
So I'll be on the ballot rightnow for the sixth congressional
district to serve us inWashington DC.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Wow, when you're vice president, president, promise
me you'll come right back hereand do another podcast.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
Absolutely, we'll do a helicopter pad sitting there.
Yeah, we'll land it on top.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Hey, I'll have the ice cream.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
All right, I'll come, that's for sure.
No, I'll go right to jd's mom.
I'd forgotten about that.
I won't miss this year, that'sright.
Yeah, about 10 o'clock in themorning I'll show up and start
partaking in the homemade icecream well again.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
I appreciate you guys .
Coming up here havingconversation with me is really
good.
Um, I love doing these becauseI learn more about everyone.
So I have the animal care CareAlliance up here once a month
now and they bring me a randomanimal.
I told them I don't want toknow what animal and they showed
up last time with a red-tailedhawk and it just sat right here
(21:47):
next to me and did a podcast.
I was like wow.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Was it wild or was it a captive one?
Speaker 2 (21:54):
So they rescued it and the way Dr Matt out there,
the way she explained it is,they think someone grabbed it as
a little baby and tried to haveit as a pet and then, once it
got bigger, they tried to let itgo, but it just sat on a porch.
So it almost thinks it's ahuman.
Sure.
So it lives out there at theACA.
(22:15):
Ozzie's his name.
Uh, it's really cool.
Well, I mean we've takenselfies with it and I mean it
chilled in here and did apodcast.
So I mean it didn't talk much,but uh, yeah, so they can take
care of exotic animals and stuffnow out there.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
So that's why they I'm familiar with where they're
at and I don't know quite theirum, what, what.
All it is that they do, whattheir mantra is.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
But I'll take you out there sometime, because I just
go out there and start saying hito the animals.
I mean, they have owls, littleowls.
There's a couple of horses outthere that have been rescued
from auctions Hawk, yeah,there's quite a few things out
there.
All right, that wraps up thisepisode of life unscripted life
(23:00):
inscripted with Kevin shook.
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