Hinson's still not listening to Iowans

Five years ago, I attended a “listening” session held by then State Reps. Ashley Hinson and Ken Rizer. The room was packed with constituents concerned about Republican efforts to gut bipartisan collective bargaining laws for teachers and to once again underfund education in Iowa. The pair started the meeting by implying attendees had been “bused in.” We should have known then that Hinson wasn’t really there to listen.

Nevertheless, people soldiered on, trying to convince the pair that their assault on education would have dire consequences for the state. I remember a young teacher, clearly passionate about his profession, telling Hinson many of his colleagues were considering leaving education because of lawmakers’ animosity toward educators and public schools. She made a show of taking his plea seriously, but went back to Des Moines to vote the party line and begin a relentless assault on our schools.

Of course, everything the teacher predicted came true. We are facing a severe teacher shortage, and Iowa has tumbled from its once lofty ranking for education. Hinson’s response as a U.S. congresswoman? Double down on the Republicans’ absurd political theater by attacking some of the most vulnerable students in our schools.

Hinson wasn’t listening then, and she’s not listening now.

Susan Blocker

Cedar Rapids