INDIANAPOLIS (Source : IndyStar) — Micah Beckwith, Indiana’s Republican Lieutenant Governor-elect, threatened to push for funding cuts to Westfield Washington Schools after he was disinvited from an appearance at Westfield High School’s agriculture program. The controversy erupted Thursday when Beckwith claimed the district rescinded his invitation because it would not be “safe” for him to visit, following complaints about his appearance.
Beckwith posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the school district had uninvited him from meeting with students in the district’s agriculture program due to safety concerns. However, by the end of the day, Beckwith shared an update on social media, saying he had a “great, honest, and firm” conversation with district leaders, resulting in a new invitation to visit the students.
The back-and-forth highlights the growing politicization of education in the state and comes just weeks after Beckwith was elected alongside Governor-elect Mike Braun. Beckwith, who will soon oversee several state agencies, including the Indiana Department of Agriculture, is known for his outspoken stance on culture war issues, which appear likely to continue influencing his role in state government.
On Thursday, Beckwith also appeared on WIBC’s Kendall and Casey radio show, where he criticized the decision to rescind his invitation. He called the incident an example of the “left woke mob” and questioned why he was being excluded, citing a visit by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to Westfield High School in 2023.
During his radio appearance, the IndyStar reports Beckwith said he had spoken to a member of the Westfield school board, who reportedly suggested they discuss school funding in light of the controversy. Beckwith then revealed that he planned to use the situation to advocate for universal school vouchers, a policy that has been part of Governor-elect Braun’s agenda. Braun has pushed for expanding the state’s school voucher program, and Beckwith’s remarks hinted at using the Westfield incident to rally support for the initiative.
“I think I’m going to use this story all over the state to try to get universal vouchers pushed through and try to strip away as much funding from schools like you as possible because of the woke crap you guys are doing right now,” Beckwith said on the radio.
While Beckwith does not have direct authority to withhold funding from schools, his comments reflect his broader push for education policy changes. To enact such cuts, Beckwith would need to persuade state lawmakers to take action.
Beckwith, a former pastor, was not Governor-elect Braun’s first choice for lieutenant governor but was selected by Republican delegates during the party’s convention this summer. During the campaign, Beckwith attracted controversy for a variety of remarks, including his proposal to fire or demote state employees who use pronouns in email signatures, and his call for the deportation of Haitian refugees in Logansport.
The incident with Westfield Schools adds to Beckwith’s growing reputation as a polarizing figure in Indiana politics, signaling that his tenure in the Statehouse could be marked by continued culture war battles. In the weeks following the election, Beckwith has also faced criticism for threatening the Indiana Daily Student, the student newspaper at Indiana University, over an editorial he disagreed with.
