Switch state back to Central time

To the editor:

The tragedy in Rochester is unimaginable — three siblings dead and another seriously injured.  These aren’t the only victims — their families, the bus driver and student witnesses, their schoolmates and teachers.  The ripple effects touch everyone.  

While all fingers point to the truck’s driver, a major culprit goes unrecognized — Indiana’s morning darkness.  Sunrise on Oct. 30 was 8:15.  The children were struck at 7:15.  If Indiana was in its correct Central Time Zone it would have been light outside. 

The solar divide between the Eastern and Central time zones runs 25 miles east of Columbus, Ohio.  In mid 1960s Indiana’s time zone was re-designated from Central to Eastern but it was the adoption of Eastern Daylight Time in 2006 that caused the major shift in our sunlight schedule forcing children all over Indiana to travel to school in the dark. 

It is inexcusable what is happing to Indiana’s students — their health, safety, and education.  Most Indiana teens and their teachers are getting up at least two hours before sunrise. 

Fifty-two public school boards and more than 28,000 Hoosiers have signed petitions asking our General Assembly to approve restoring Indiana to its correct Central Time Zone.  Indiana legislators — its time to quit playing politics and live up to your oath to provide “peace, safety and well-being” for all Hoosiers.

Susannah Dillon

President

Central Time Coalition