Public education used to matter to legislature members of both sides in Iowa. Those days are over, and the GOP is throwing public education under the bus.
There was a time, in the not too distant past, when the State of Iowa was admired four our high-quality public education. Heck, they even named a test after us. Remember the Iowa Test of Basic Skills? But years of short changing our public schools have taken a toll. Educators are finding it impossible to deal with low pay and crumbling buildings and we’ve seen teachers leave the profession or, in our northern counties, cross over to Minnesota where the pay and benefits are greater. This isn’t a way to insure a highly trained and competent workforce. And now the governor and legislature add insult to injury by allowing vouchers for private schools. Really? It’s time that Iowa faces up to its failure and repair our education reputation.
Clearly, we’re not going in the right direction. But to get there we must organize and take back control of the Iowa House and Senate and we…are committed to that cause.