MASON CITY – An area legislator and strong advocate for public education says now is the time for more activism from citizens who might have a stake in public education.
Asking for feedback from the public in response to a bill that was introduced in Texas that would cap teacher salaries in that state at just $27,000 per year, Representative Sharon Steckman says there is an “assault” underway on the public education system. Republicans in Iowa have refused to agree to fund schools this year, and for the past several years, have stalled the funding process as Democrats cry foul. The pleas for funding have grown louder and more bombastic as students, teachers, administrators and others have converged on the capitol this spring to lobby right-wingers to pony up the cash for schools.
Now, Representative Steckman – a former teacher – is calling for more troops, perhaps fearing that a salary cap bill for teachers could someday soon find its way to Iowa.
“I strongly feel it is time for anyone who believes in public education to get involved in the poltical process; parents, grandparents, teachers, students, support staff and administrators,” Mrs. Steckman said Wednesday morning.
She warned “this assault is happening throughout the country” and perhaps Iowa teachers could be next. Some people feel that Republicans have a hidden agenda of squashing the public school system in favor of private schools. Others support the move, saying too much is spent on schools already and student numbers are fat and in many cases, declining.
Mo money, mo money, mo money. Steckman’s mantra.
Find a way to save tax money, any monkey can come up with new ways to spend. Typical liberal democrat. Pandering to the teacher’s union.
We need to save the kids…….I mean pad my liberal friends pockets…. The greatest generation went to school in the 1930’s with little to no resources and they ended up saving the the world from Nazi Germany. Less money more accountability it what is needed..
We now can refer to Ms. Steckman as Ms. Common Core. The fact of the matter is there are to many public education advocates. Most of them are feeding at the trough of public money.
Ms. Common Core don’t realize that public education has enough money to perform the function of educating our children.
Jeeezzz what happens to their common sense when they get elected to public office?
She’s planning on spending tax money and getting elected again.
We hear a lot about spending more on education but little about the results. For example, how many Mason City Schools are “Schools in need of Assistance”. How many highly compensated individuals at the Mason City Community School District aren’t paying the levies?
This call from the ex school teacher just plays to her political base.
To your point, as we have seen in Mason City, if you threaten to fire a coach or cut a program and have kids hold signs to support new levies, that can be enough to bring out the voters. A deft political move, yet I’m certain Mrs. Steckman is honest in her belief in public schools.