Letter: Urge lawmakers to fund schools

I have been a public school teacher in the Cedar Rapids schools for nearly two decades. I write today about the pinch that has been consistently placed on the education system during my entire time teaching in Cedar Rapids. Almost every single year we have been inadequately funded by the state.

We have shaved programs, stuffed children into rooms with inadequate space and seating, and reallocated time, personnel and any resource that can legally be moved around.

I have heard people blame teachers for the condition of Iowa public education. But the public needs to know that we are working our tails off. If you want excellence in education in our state give us the most important gift we can have: the gift of time, which costs money.

Inadequate funding, larger class sizes, and fewer educational support personnel deprive us of the time we need to investigate innovative teaching practices and work with our instructional coaches and mentors under the new teacher leadership program.

Without state funding at a minimum of 3.72 percent, more cuts will be made in the Cedar Rapids School District and teachers will have even less time to help students succeed. Education is more important than more tax cuts for corporations.

Please contact your representatives and encourage them to fund education at a minimum of 3.72 percent.

Julie Cain

Cedar Rapids