A New Year’s resolution for Iowa lawmakers: Fully fund public schools in 2022

Most of the time resolutions are personal. But since political decisions are not private, and since a lot of what happens under Iowa’s golden dome directly impacts public schools, I thought I’d speak directly to the majority party in the Legislature and offer some education resolutions.

Unless you want to be haunted by the ghosts of public schools present, past and future, it’s time to dramatically increase public school funding. I know all of your brochures and TV ads say you’re deeply committed to public schools. It hasn’t been true.

Educators are patient enough to give you another chance to do it right. Resolve to vote for a state funding increase of at least 5 percent. And before you come up with some lame excuse, educators have heard it all, and they know you have a surplus of more than $1 billion dollars. So, forget the old “dog ate my homework” excuse. Take a break from your tax cutting for a minute, and fund schools like they should have been funded for the last decade.

There’s an educator shortage. Notice I didn’t say teacher shortage. Yes, there are thousands of classrooms without full-time teachers in Iowa, but there are even more schools desperate to hire assistants, cooks, secretaries and bus drivers.

It’s time to crack open that federal aid treasure chest and provide an earmarked salary increase for the whole education family. Legislators previously provided salary bills for community college instructors. It’s time to do it for public schools in 2022.

Also, educators are wise to the game of playing one family member against another. It won’t fly. Those that work with kids all deserve a living wage, or Iowa will find itself with classrooms full of kids and empty of qualified adults.

I understand this is one time money. But you don’t seem worried about providing ongoing tax cuts with that one-time money. Educators are desperate for a vote of confidence, and there is no better way than through an earmarked salary increase on top of what might be bargained locally.

Resolve to stop trying to ban books that don’t fit your political narrative. And stop interfering with curriculum decisions made locally. Despite the loud screams, no one is trying to brainwash children. If teachers could brainwash, they’d use it to have kids do homework and pay attention in class.

I know we want to be over the virus, but the virus isn’t over us. Federal money was provided to keep us safe from a health crisis that hasn’t occurred since cars were started with a crank. Resolve to keep our kids safe in schools. That includes allowing mask mandates locally, more on-site testing and more funding for nurses.

Private schools serve a niche, but they should not be funded with public money. Let’s strengthen our public schools and let private schools stay private with private funding.

These political resolutions can be kept, and will provide a way to save Iowa public schools in 2022 and beyond. Let’s all resolve to invest in the future and begin to rebuild.

Bruce Lear lives in Sioux City and recently retired after 38 years of being connected to public schools. BruceLear2419@gmail.com