DES MOINES – Iowa’s teacher union today slammed Governor Kim Reynolds’ plan to re-open schools, calling it “outlandish”.
Thursday, Governor Kim Reynolds held a press conference to talk about Iowa’s “Return to Learn” plan, opening and keeping open schools based on spread of the dreaded Covid-19 illness and transmission rates.
Iowa’s teacher union flatly rejected the plan and released this statement:
The ISEA rejects Governor Reynolds outlandish notion of what constitutes minimal, moderate and uncontrollable spread of COVID-19. Instead, we will continue to listen to world health experts, scientists and specialists who tell us that counties with extensive testing should be at a positivity of 5% or lower before it’s safe to reopen schools.
Most importantly we are not just talking about numbers as we look at this decision. We are talking about children’s lives and the lives of the educators, school employees and the families who are affected. If in fact a 20% positivity rate is the point at which our schools can ask for permission to close school buildings for 14 days, that means that 1 in 5 Iowans will need to test positive and perhaps experience severe to drastic consequence’s before we can take the steps necessary to protect the health and safety of our students, educators, and school communities.
We can do better.
The ISEA Executive Board adopted requirements which must be put in place for the safe return for in-person learning. Among those are three key points: the Covid-19 pandemic is under control in the community; specific protections have been put in place to keep the virus under control and protect students and staff; and plans are in place to ensure continuous learning for all students. Read ISEA Check list here
The health and safety of our students, educators, school employees and their families are our number one priority. Shouldn’t they be everyone’s?
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The ISEA represents preK-12 educators, education support professionals, community college faculty, Area Education Agency professionals, retired educators and aspiring educators with contracts covering more than 50,000 employees. We promote quality public education by placing students at the center of everything we do while advocating for education professionals.
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ISEA’s Checklist on Reopening: https://isea.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ISEA-Checklist.pdf
Teachers unions, all unions, for that matter are a joke. A scam. Useless as an extra belly button. Teacher are paid well to their jobs, regardless of how well they do it. They get 100% pay for working 75% of the year. They are one of the few jobs outside of the military and post office that can retire at 55. And now their cakewalk job comes with a small risk, and they are losing their minds. Kids need structure. Kids need authority figures present. Kids DO NOT need more screen time. Humans are close to the legal voting age before they have enough self discipline to teach themselves at home. It’s ridiculous that so many people are willing to jeopardize an entire generations education over an illness with such a high survival rate. Truly ridiculous.
What is ridiculous Dick is that we are willing to risk our children’s lives to prove a point. Remember you should be safe rather than sorry? Well, if you are incorrect, then the consequences will be unthinkable. As for unions, you like a 40 hour work week? Thank unions for that and much more. As for teachers, if it is such an easy, well paid job, why didn’t you go into that field instead of the one you chose? By the way, what did you choose? Why?
Teachers chose their career path, and all they seem to do is complain about it. Risk children’s lives? Do some research. Better safe than sorry? Safe from what? The inflated numbers these so called reputable sources have given to enhance the fear mongering. The CDC has now admitted to lying and inflating numbers by over 200%.
And as far as unions, yes, they have had their time and place in America. That place now is in the history books. Unions broke Detroit. As far as my chosen career path. I graduated from the university of Google. And specialize in internet advise and online criticisms.
I pretty much figured out that your ‘education’ was based on what you have read on Facebook because the lies you promote have no basis in reality. What happens if the experts are correct and covid 19 will spread rapidly once schools open up? How many people will die? I would bet you don’t have children in school or family and friends who work in the schools. It is easy to play with other peoples lives.
You also might find this interesting if not enlightening. “But other patients are affected without apparent risk factors: A paper this week in JAMA Cardiology found that 78 of 100 people diagnosed with COVID-19 had cardiac abnormalities when their heart was imaged on average 10 weeks later, most often inflammation in heart muscle. Many of the participants in that study were previously healthy, and some even caught the virus while on ski trips, according to the authors.”
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/brain-fog-heart-damage-covid-19-s-lingering-problems-alarm-scientists#:~:text=But%20other%20patients%20are%20affected,often%20inflammation%20in%20heart%20muscle.
Question: Since Mason City Community School District is mandating masks for everyone to help lesson the spread. I’m wondering if they plan to follow the CDC’s guidelines and not let music/choir classes be held? After all, by singing (according to the CDC) is the gateway to mass transmission. It appears Music and any other avenue of happiness is frowned upon with the CDC.
So what will happen with Joel Everest and Sarah B. at our high school? I am never one to advocate layoffs so perhaps they can help take temps as students enter the high school and be back up substitute teachers. When all teachers are present, they could be hall monitors, making sure students are complying 100% with wearing those masks. Just my thoughts..and suggestions.
Unions have everything to do with the poor education the kids receive.
Don’t blame the Governor, blame the legislators, they are the ones that passed the law with 100% approval, there were no votes against this law that requires in person learning. This isn’t some ancient law, it was recently passed.
John, do you just like to stir the pot or are you really that stupid?
John, isn’t Sharon Steckman apart of the legislature that passed this bill? Why would do such a thing? 😉
John, one of the legislators who passed this bill would be Sharon Steckman, correct? Why would she do such a thing?
there is no such law.
As a typical Trump supporter, John just pulls shit out of his ass…when his head is not stuck in his ass that is.
Education in this country is taking a turn for the worst. Children are being taught to be programmers. Fits into the computer world like a coin into a slot. In the 1800’s a solar flare took out all the telegraph wires in the world instantly. So, the pony express was back into the messenger game. If one hits tomorrow computers would be fried no matter where on the earth they are. In ancient Greece they had no memory of a much more ancient Greece that had disappeared due to a catastrophe. All knowledge was lost. People had to start over with nothing. These computers are like putting all your eggs in one basket. Education is about control. Computers are a poor choice. Now you have the chance to go online till 2021 and you won’t. That’s because you are not prepared to act. What good is that education then?
Well, education might help you read the Pony Express news.
I can understand why the teachers don’t want school to start. They want to stay home and get paid for doing nothing (which is basically what they have been doing for the past 100 years other than not getting to stay home). Fire half of them and start making the other half do something, even if it is an inept attempt to teach something.
Teachers unions have ruined education in this country
Again I’ll tell you, unions don’t have anything to do with education. You obviously didn’t learn anything about history. It’s also obvious that you are jealous of people that make more then you. If you would have paid attention in school and applied yourself, you wouldn’t have a minimum wage, dead end job.
Or, perhaps, he/she is one of the many victims of the teacher’s union. Lord knows they take teachers money but do not provided any kind of decent representation. The majority, if not all of the monies, goes towards political crap.
The teacher’s union could give two shits if layoffs occur. Teachers are expendable, in their eyes, they will just prey on the next new teacher that comes down the pike. The teacher’s union LOVES the SMELL of NAIVENESS.
Let us all remember the drama queen teachers wanting to keep schools closed over a 99% recovery rate. We are in a much better position now than last March. Our medical staff now know what medications will work to help recover and lesson the impact.
Don’t need to remember anything about you.
Your comments prove every day, that you are indeed a dumbass.
To Anonymous:
I’m still standing, better than I ever did.
https://youtu.be/Ue4Jx1oBviI
Elton John eh.
So is that your way of saying that you are gay?
Yes.
and what medications are those?
The smart Republicans see the truth in the present administration.
https://rvat.org/
That will be great!!! Cancel school and give half the teachers their walking papers…
Finally something good the covid did for me….
You all have been getting paid way too much for way too long to do NOTHING!!!!
Damn. NIT Rules! Be nice to have some kind of slick and glosses weekly newspaper by NIT. Plus more reporters to cover the news in and around ‘Ole River City. Go NIT!
*glossy {Lots of teachers in here. Perfect reporters!}
What news?
Teachers didn’t choose to shut down the schools in March or April. They were told to do so and the majority of them stepped up big time in a couple of days to attempt to keep working with students and to help them with their education, as they do every day that school is in session. You vilify them when they work, you vilify them when schools are normally down in the summer. Why don’t you support them and help them out? After all, we entrust our children to them for 9 months of the year. They spend more time with a teacher than they do with their parents. You guys always have to have someone to blame for the problems of the world.
Dear Someone to Blame:
I believe it’s the teacher’s union that have people upset.
Throwing fits over the Governor deciding to open schools is not their place.
Look no further than the political agenda of the teacher’s union to blame for others not looking at teachers so favorably anymore. Furthermore, you best realize what they are supporting. Online learning can be done with one teacher teaching hundreds of students. What they are advocating for will end up with massive layoffs, along with all the support staff while our students fall further behind. This is something I will remain critical of and cannot support. So don’t try to spin this as people always needing to blame others. Instead, let’s focus on getting back to teaching our communities children.
One teacher may be able to present material to hundreds of children, but one teacher cannot grade, comment, advise and evaluate hundreds of students unless that person has magical powers. As for schools opening, you might want to read this report from the CDC about a summer camp in Georgia that opened and what happened to the children who attended. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6931e1.htm
Great scare tactic article just in time for school to begin. With zero proof provided. However, more importantly, I am concerned for our region. Much lower numbers here. Again, daycares have been open throughout this pandemic. So far no one has come up with why the transmission hasn’t been prevalent at Daycares. Where’s the the report of mass transmission here?
Furthermore, you are wrong on so many levels as to what online teaching can do. THINK, before you hurt a lot of support staff and other teachers. Not to mention our children. If you aren’t concerned for our children, what are in the world are you doing teaching?
The teacher’s union does not have individual teachers in there best interest. Ask yourselves, can you afford to be laid off? To have to find another job after all that money invested in your training & education. THINK.
Zero proof? You’re funny. It is from the CDC and they give the citation for the article. It would benefit your position to read what you comment on. There are several points where you can look (click on the links) at the study. Of course it doesn’t jive with your slant so it must be fake.
As for the rest of your misguided ideas, daycares usually have kids 3-6 years old. Most of the kids in public schools are older than that as you should know. Once again, read the article from the CDC. Finally, the union doesn’t care about the individual teacher? Well, the concept behind unions is ‘we are stronger together’ which most people understand to mean that if we work together and use strength in numbers, then we can make life better for all teachers. All teachers get the raises the union bargains for, all teachers get the benefits. All teachers benefit from the union. It certainly wouldn’t say we are going to do what you want and screw everybody else. That’s what selfish people do.
My belief in the CDC is irrelevant. Again, where is the mass contamination in our region? Trump held a rally at Mount Rushmore. People where packed without masks. Where was the mass contamination?
Furthermore, the teacher’s union gives two shits about individual layoffs. It would behove teachers to read IA Code Chapter 20. Unions are required to do very little other than be present at your lay-off hearing, That’s it!
Not giving a damn about the support staff and teacher layoffs is exactly what one would call, “what selfish people do”. THINK about who you are impacting? The union does not have your back. The union loves to provide it’s teachers with a false sense of security. You are better off taking those union dues and putting them in a savings account, to hire an actual attorney, should layoffs or anything arise. No doubt.
It is not the place of the teacher’s union. Our Governor shut down our schools and it’s our Governor’s decision when to reopen them. There are provisions in place for parental choices during this pandemic. It is sad & frankly sickening to think that any union will decide when they will go back to work. Let’s remember that it’s illegal for the teacher’s to strike in Iowa. Suck-it-up buttercups. Join the rest of the front liners.
You were arguing that daycares aren’t seeing a lot of sick kids, now you say “whatever, it is irrelevant”, look at South Dakota. Cases are going up there as they are in Oklahoma. I pray that trump won’t come to Iowa because our rates are going up without his help.
This is crazy thinking classes can be held. Close schools for a year, lay off teachers. When schools start back up 15 to 30 percent of students will still stay home and learn from on-line schools. The advertising for on-line schools is non- stop. In the future we will need fewer school buildings and fewer teachers. Saving us all tax money. I am under no illusion that students are going to learn from public on-line teaching.
After speaking with one teacher, she shared that only 30% even did the assigned online work. Our kids need and deserve an education.
You talked with one teacher? Wow. If only 30% did their assignments, whose fault is that? Hello parents!
I didn’t say it was the teacher’s fault. My concern remains that our students are not getting educated with online learning.
Maybe if parents took some responsibility, it would improve.
Hahaha …. so true
Joe Biden’s campaign website rolled out “Joe Biden’s Plan to End Gun Violence” and it’s bad. The left tries to mock us and tell us ‘they’re not coming for your guns!’ but it’s becoming more obvious to gun owners that they’re lying.Biden’s platform reads like a gun control nightmare. Some of the items he’s mentioned as goals of a Biden administration include: Banning the sale of guns and ammunition online, including kits and even gun parts…
Mandating that only 100% smart guns be sold.
Limiting a purchaser to no more than one gun per month to stop “stockpiling.”
Banning ‘assault weapons’ and standard capacity magazines.
Banning so-called “ghost guns” and home builds.
Mandatory government “buy-back” or registration of some “scary” rifles and magazines.
Universal background checks on all gun sales (excepting very close family members, only)
Make anybody convicted of a misdemeanor “hate crime” ineligible to own guns –permanently.
Create a program where anybody who is no longer allowed to own guns –for whatever myriad of reasons — will be forced to turn them in to the government.
Allocate government funding to incentivize states to pass “Red Flag Laws.” To which any thinking gun owner replies: How are you going to enforce all this new gun control? Surely not with the police!!!!!!
Most liberals need face shields anyhow to keep the rest of us from the nasty dike look
Just stop the payments. Then they will gladly go to work. Bunch of socialist losers.
If you CAN’T do teach
If you CAN’T teach
Teach gym
That sums it up pretty well
Let me guess – your kid got screwed over by the coaches on the team.
You can’t have it both ways !!!!!
We are so important we need more money especially in positions that don’t do anything (administration)
It’s to dangerous to open right now
I haven’t stopped working from the onslaught of this China virus. Working with the public and co workers daily since it’s inception.
if its so safe to open the schools without a mask then can you tell me why Kimmy is always wearing a mask in all the pictures??? what about all the drivers that take the kids to school on the big yellow buses, most are retired and over the age of 65, what happens to them?? ladies over 65 have gone to the schools as volunteers to help in the class rooms, what about them.
OK, Doctor. What field do you specialize in?
Look it up, I encourage you to do your own research.
Or are you just planning to bash those of us that do?
As a teacher, shouldn’t you be encouraging learners to do such?
Additionally, to be critical thinkers & readers?
I am not a teacher but I will stand up for them. I also research but defer to the people who have been researching for years rather than an online ‘expert’ who thinks his 5 minutes of ‘research’ qualifies him as an expert.
There you go again inferring what other do and/or don’t do. People are sharing opinions. It’s unfortunate that this triggers you in wanting to shut down free speech. Perhaps, you should research healthily ways to calm down when triggered. And, perhaps, seek some therapy and/or anger management classes. : – )
Nobody said anything about shutting free speech down. What I am concerned with, and you apparently aren’t, is accurate information. If you have free speech, then I have the freedom to question your sources, motives and words.
Another snide comment. All designed to shut down the other person who doesn’t share your same views. Still triggered, eh? Don’t you find it rather hypocritical
to demand accuracy by siting sources, yet, you have provided none stating that the information I wrote was inaccurate? I have written, as well as, encouraged others to do their own research. Gosh, whoever your therapist is, surely has their work cut out for them. Lol Try to have a good day, triggered.
How about this? I don’t trust my information to someone such as yourself. You make claims without backing up your facts. When questioned about those sources, you evade by saying look it up yourself or find something to refute what I said. The hypocrite here is you.
The article posted above, one could argue that in fact masks do not work. The staff at this camp all wore masks and practiced best practices for hygiene and cleaning as recommended by the CDC and according to the article, they were still infected.
Again, those masks do very little. They will not stop this virus. An N95 is supposed to block particles .3 microns or larger the COVID is .1 microns.
As for recommending of vitamins and eating well to help boost one’s immune system certainly can’t hurt.
So now how about you provide some proof that what I have shared is wrong. I am waiting, hypocritical one..
You can argue masks don’t work but the article doesn’t back that up. “Measures not implemented were cloth masks for campers and opening windows and doors for increased ventilation in buildings.” There were more campers than staff. Staff rate of infection was 51%. The percent of infected campers tested was 76% and 44% of all campers. The percentage of campers not tested was 58%. Even if only 1/2 of them tested positive the number of campers infected would be well over 50%. 1/2 of the staff was infected, however, the study doesn’t say if they wore masks at all times or just when they were with campers. If they slept in the same cabin as the campers, the percentage is understandable.
I believe in our lord and savior, Donald J Trump.
Words of wisdom from his highness that you can truly believe in.
“We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control.
It’s going to be just fine.”
— Jan. 21, 2020
“We pretty much shut it down coming in from China.”
— Feb. 2
“Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.”
— Feb. 10
“We’re very close to a vaccine.”
— Feb. 25
“This is a flu. This is like a flu.”
— Feb. 26
“Anybody that wants a test can get a test.”
— March 6
“We have a problem that a month ago nobody ever thought about.”
— March 16
“I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.”
— March 17
And this one is the absolute truth as only Donald J Trump knows all.
“It’s going to disappear. One day it’s like a miracle – it will disappear.”
Thank you for bringing the numbers up. I was hoping someone would. The article is rubbish as it has it has too many unknown variables. This article would never be published in any of the professional medical journal.
I was waiting for you to finally admit that facts don’t matter to you.
It’s the teachers turn to get on the proverbial firing line now like the working folk of Iowa had to do to keep them getting paid while sitting around in shorts all day
This fall I think every school in the state should take turns visiting the goveners office and hang out with her all day.
That would require teachers & administrators to actually work. Haha!
Guess what? Our Governor is working through this pandemic unlike the schools. I’m not hearing the Governor cry regarding having to be around the public like the teacher’s union. Pretty damn sad that they think they are above everyone else who has to work.
The teacher’s union is definitely political. Sorry, Karen’s, you’ll have to
join the rest of the front line workers.
You betcha! Kimmy has a press conference announcing it is safe to open schools via a video. She didn’t do it in person because of covid. How does that make sense? She is Trump’s lap dog.
Daycares have been open for the front line workers through out this pandemic. We haven’t been hearing children being infected or at least harmed as “The Sky is Falling” claims the Teacher’s Union is claiming will happen. Why is this Karen?
You are correct, nor have we seen daycare workers having a problem contracting the virus from the kids. I looked at the death numbers in the state of Iowa through yesterday. Only 102 people under the age of 60 have died from this virus in the state of Iowa, most with pre-existing conditions. Contrast that with the number of traffic deaths in Iowa year to date at 153. It would be safer to ban driving than to open schools, this is ridiculous, get back to work everyone.
You are such a nice person John. “Only 102 people under the age of 60 have died from this virus in the state of Iowa”. Such a compassionate statement. Only 866 total in the state. Screw them right? It isn’t me so I don’t care about those people or their loved ones. Remember, it is all about me. You are a POS.
John, thank you for bringing things into perspective. The teacher’s union can’t handle people who have common sense. “The Sky is Falling” rubbish they are trying to push us just ridiculous. Fear tactics get really old. If they don’t want schools to open then lay them off. They can collect from the unemployment lines while the schools hire people who want to work.
could it be that teachers are getting used to being paid HUGE wages and benefits and doing NOTHING?
Neither of those statements is true. You need to read more about what is going on in the state.
When you look at the average salary in North Iowa, Karen, the wages & benefits are really good. I do think they are liking staying home collecting paychecks and benefits without doing much. Bring on push the fear tactics…
You don’t personally know any teachers, do you?
Are you sure about that, Karen?
It was a question, Peewee, do you understand that?
We just need to realize we will have a new generation of children that will miss two or more years of school.
Yes they learn so much more when they are sick and infecting gma and gpa mom and dad everyone they come in contac with.
Explain Daycares, Karen? How have they not infected everyone oh gloom & doom?
Schools tend to have more kids than daycares. Couple hundred compared to 10-12.
OIC, the virus skips over daycares. I think you best go to a daycares and see how many are attending. Especially, with the pandemic.
Face it, you’re an essential worker. Cry as you may, you’ll be heading back to work. Crying & pouting serves zero purpose, is so unbecoming, and makes the profession look incredibly bad. So suck-it-up buttercup.
Wearing a welder’s face shield that are clear should be used by teachers/students. Masks will not work when teaching/talking. No covering equals lack of common sense.
Good thinking. I believe the schools have purchased face shields for the teachers.
One would suspect Kim is being pressured into doing it. Just like she was absolutely pressured into reopening. Which was way too soon. Based on the approached adopted of ‘letting it spread through the herd’ mentality. Their testing company from Utah they hired sounded like it was a fly by the night operation anyways. Every indication is that kids under 10 are super spreaders. Yet seemingly it has little impact on them. Must have to due to the fact their glands, especially near the heart, are superior to adults. But their line of thinking is practicing medicine that is ‘treatment’ as opposed to preventive. So, they most likely overlooking it. Am I a doctor. No. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Select last night. The threshold for closing schools is set too high anyways upon opening. It’s airborne! Good Luck.