No state funding for anti-bullying office created by former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad

CEDAR FALLS — Thousands of educators and students are being trained in bullying prevention through the University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Violence Prevention — despite the center receiving no state funding.

Former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad used an executive order to create the Governor’s Office for Bullying Prevention in 2015 after years of pushing anti-bullying measures that failed to pass in the Iowa Legislature.

The office’s original goals included providing anti-bullying training for educators, developing a procedure for reporting bullying, collecting data on bullying incidents and developing guidelines for schools to address online bullying.

The office requested $250,000 in 2015 to fund two full-time staff members, but the money was not appropriated.

Today, the office relies on grants and remains a one-person operation.

Even so, almost 50,000 Iowa students have been reached through the Mentors in Violence Prevention program that trains students to mentor each other about violence and bullying, said Alan Heisterkamp, director of the Center for Violence Prevention.

To accomplish some of the office’s other goals, he said, would require state funding. The Gazette spoke with Heisterkamp about what’s happened since the office opened.

Q: Where does the office stand in meeting the goals created in 2015?

A: We build capacity in Iowa with a train-the-trainer concept. We go into schools, train educators on anti-bullying strategies, who ultimately train their students.

We have a statewide team of 20 people with backgrounds in education, mental health professionals and Area Education Agencies’ staff who are certified to train schools in the Mentors in Violence Prevention model.

The bullying reporting piece, to our knowledge, still is under construction with the Iowa Department of Education. What they did do was create some bullying prevention lessons online that educators could access as a part of their professional development. That was very intentional work and directed by the Iowa Department of Education in collaboration with the UNI center.

Q: A teenage gunman killed 19 children and two teachers in May in a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. How do you believe your work could help prevent a similar tragedy in Iowa?

A: This work is critical. It’s a No. 1 priority and should be because it’s about relationships. You can make schools as much of a fortress as you want — it’s not about the lack of cameras or locked doors.

This is a young man’s issue. We need to be bold enough to say we’re not doing our sons any favors by not addressing their emotional needs.

We have to do a better job of identifying those young men who are slipping through the cracks (because) when they surface, they are causing tremendous violence and tragedy.

It’s preventable. Unfortunately, it’s not where significant dollars are going.

Q: Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law House File 2416 enacting a ban on transgender girls in girls sports. Are you concerned there will be a rise in bullying because of that law?

A: Yes. Schools have been working with students in transition for as long as there have been schools. We know since 2016, there’s been an uptick in bullying and harassment of (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) youth.

We have to support what’s best for each individual student and get past this idea that someone's (gender) identity is a threat to my existence.

It doesn’t make much sense and certainly doesn’t contribute to (the) public education system serving the public — and that means all individuals.

We have always enjoyed the trust and collaborative spirit of leadership in Iowa. That seems to be more in question now than ever before.

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com