Education changes in Iowa not for the public good

"When I was in school …" doesn't cut it if you haven't been in school classrooms and halls during school days in the past five to seven years. If legislators are basing their decisions for education reform on what school was like for them, I promise schools and students have changed, some for better and some for worse. Currently, Iowa ranks 14th in PreK-12 education in America, nowhere near number one.

I'm a retired teacher and currently substitute at the middle and high school levels. The Republican state Legislature decided to pass pay raises for teachers. Great. But they've chronically underfunded public education while now funding private vouchers. The old robbing Peter to pay Paul scheme. Inflation hits schools like any business or institution, but schools haven’t the funding to keep up. Blowing up the AEAs instead of studying and making precise changes was as foolish as disassembling a truck when one detected a squeak. Instead of dealing with underlying social problems contributing to gun violence, our legislature has passed open carry laws and arming teachers. State Republicans haven’t pushed hard to change statistics regarding numbers of available psychologists/psychiatrists (30% of need), and a combined 28 pediatric psychiatric inpatient beds available at two state mental hospitals for all Iowa. Instead, make the AEA psychologists feel very concerned about their state employment.

Cut taxes, sit on a surplus, pass legislation from out-of-state groups pushing unknown agendas, underfund public education, mental health, water quality, etc. and watch what happens. All for the public good?

Karen Carlton

Waukon