The following is a legislative update from State Senator Amanda Ragan, representing portions of Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties:
A bill that passed the Iowa House and is making its way through the Senate would allow for-profit businesses to create charter schools in Iowa with little local control or oversight for how taxpayer dollars are spent.
Iowa parents, educators and other taxpayers have spoken out against HF 813<https://www.legis.iowa.gov
The bill takes money away from Iowa’s public schools and gives it to out-of-state corporations. After years of inadequate public-school funding that hasn’t kept up with inflation—not to mention the additional challenges and expenses of the pandemic—that’s an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars.
Iowa already has a charter school law<https://educateiowa.gov/pk
* Each year, about 30,000 students open enroll in another public school.
* Many students take part in the Iowa public virtual academy.
* State funding supports home schooling and independent private instruction.
* Iowa’s 34,000 private school students get more than $65 million in public tax dollars every year.
Prohibiting unwanted microchipping of employees
A bill moving through the Senate—HF 259<https://www.legis.iowa.gov
If the bill becomes law, Iowa would join five other states in banning forced employee microchipping. Nevada, Montana, Missouri, Arkansas and Indiana already have similar prohibitions. Many Americans have privacy and health-related concerns about microchipping.
HF 259<https://www.legis.iowa.gov
Biden threatens CANCELLING the 4th of July over vaccines.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/stephen-miller-joe-biden-has-shut-down-ice/vi-BB1fuBzT?ocid=msedgdhp
I think a lot of people are missing the point that this bill allows “for profit” companies to enter the charter school market and make money off taxpayers. There are already options for both public and private (non-profit) schools to open charter schools, as well as home school options.
It also sounds as if there is a lot of misplaced frustration around the current limitations due to COVID; believe me when I say that many teachers are just as frustrated. We want to be back and able to see students just as much as you want us to be back.
Every year the MC school board holds a public meeting to discuss curriculum. I am certain that they would welcome input–as I have been told, if I don’t put forth a solution to a perceived problem, I am part of the problem.
Most of the people who are complaining about schools on this site don’t care about the facts and will not go to board meetings to express their frustrations or request information. That would be counter-productive to their agenda.
I have also noticed that once rational argument enters into the debate, the angry complainers will leave. Rational is another taboo for them.
A main item on oligarchs’ wish list is doing away with education for what they call the lower classes, so they don’t know enough to stand up to them. That’s exactly what charter schools are for. If you want your kids to go an exclusive school, pay for it yourself.
Wasn’t that expensive..but worth it
I can’t believe there needs to be a law to ban microchipping. How can one human being expect another to be microchipped?
Human traffickers do this routinely, and big corporations have begun requiring it also. They say it’s to simplify clocking in, just pass the chipped limp over a reader and you’re clocked in. However it also lets them know everywhere you go, how long you stay there, what’s in your bloodstream including sugar and alcohol so they can deny you insurance, and much more.
Robots won’t need this interaction
Teachers can no longer enjoy the protection of silence when such disastrous actions have been made in their name.
Because we have learned, at the expense of our own children, the kind of dogmatic, feckless hacks they’ve got calling the shots with our tax dollars and with our kids’ futures. No more.
Can you give us an example of this behavior? Or do you just like to complain?
Anita the ex leader
Good point, but what exactly did she do to your kids? She is also gone and is only one person. There are thousands of educators who are the only support many of our children have. What have they done to you?
These are not really public schools anymore because the wishes and interests of the public are ignored on a routine basis by those in charge. These are government-run schools.
Who ignores the public? When was the last time you went to a school board meeting? When was the last time you were in school? When is the last time you talked to a public school teacher or administrator? You also should know that those who work at a school, whether it is a teacher, cook, custodian or administrator, are all part of the public too. You shouldn’t expect them to come find you to talk.
they would if l was a reporter
Maybe, but how do you answer the other question?
“Public schools” suggests that we, the people, the public, still have some say in the curriculum and the operations of these institutions.
We’re pissed at the union leadership!”
Frustration-bordering-on-outright-hostility so many parents are feeling toward their school teachers who continue to pretend that gathering a gaggle of 3rd-graders in a video chat room is more than adequate as an educational and social experience.
More B.S. from Amanda and she knows better. The public schools need to cut back based on the number of students in school. Maybe they need to get rid of some of the in-needed administrators.
Iowa has been declining in education for decades The only way to improve the schools is through charter schools and competition.
Hello, happy Easter, and good evening. I am the ghost of former President Ronald Reagan and am Amanda’s father. I fathered her with Yoko Ono, John Lennon was not pleased. Former Manly Mayor Regan banks is my step son who was born to Yoko Ono after a fling she had with Bing Crosby. Nancy was always very fond of Amanda even though I fathered her with Yoko. Nancy’s famous war on drugs was actually Amanda’s idea after her sister Tipper Gore overdosed on barbiturates.