Iowa teachers and children deserve our support

My heart breaks for Iowa teachers and supporting staff. Their jobs have become so difficult, especially these past two years, and the message they are receiving from our state legislators is that we don’t trust or appreciate you. I can’t believe that we are even contemplating jailing our teachers and for what? How did we get to the point of viewing teachers as the enemy?

Do parents realize how many excellent educators are either retiring or leaving the state due to these baseless attacks? What kind of message is being sent to our young people who would consider going into education? Who will take care of Iowa’s children while their parents are busy trying to make a living? Our most precious resource, our children, will have so much more stress and dysfunction as the standards and stability of our schools erode.

Our number one priority should be to safeguard our children by supporting our educational system. Support teachers by asking them what they need and help in whatever way you can. It is our responsibility to nurture an environment of mutual trust, cooperation, and respect for those people who educate and care for our kids.

Diana Siguenza

Cedar Rapids