DES MOINES – A bill promoting school vouchers in the Iowa Legislature has earned opposition, and a Senate Democrat explained that position.
In an impassioned speech, Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls rejected the private school vouchers bill being advanced Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republicans that would create a private school voucher program and drain millions of dollars away from Iowa’s public schools.
“Public Education makes Iowa great. We cannot give up on our public schools,” Wahls said. “Iowa students are worth our investment. Our communities depend on them and our state depends on them.”
A video and the full transcript of Senators Wahls’ remarks are included below.
Wahls questioned why Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are using the COVID19 pandemic as an excuse to fast-track legislation that would establish a private school voucher program with no academic standards and no accountability for taxpayer dollars.
“Iowa Democrats will not let this Governor use the COVID crisis to advance her private school agenda by taking resources away from students being educated in our public schools,” he said. “This 65-page bill was filed last week and it was fast-tracked this week. What on earth are we doing?! We shouldn’t be fast tracking this bill. We should be fast tracking legislation to accelerate vaccine distribution. We should be fast tracking legislation to protect essential workers.”
Senate Republicans approved the legislation – Senate File 159 – on a 26-21 vote, despite surprising bipartisan opposition, with all Democrats and Republican Senators Driscoll, Shipley, and Sweeney voting “no.”
Video of Senator Wahls’ speech: https://youtu.be/X6dE0PHtqpI
Here is the full text of Senator Wahls’ speech:
Remarks by Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls on Senate File 159
January 28, 2021
Public Education Makes Iowa Great.
We cannot give up on our public schools. Public schools and the amazing students we grow in Iowa are one of our most valuable resources.
Iowa students are worth our investment. Our communities depend on them and our state depends on them. When the pandemic is over, go to a job fair in another state and anyone can see that our nation depends on Iowa students. COVID is a huge challenge but our young Iowans are showing up adapting and innovating in the classroom — in person and virtually — through the arts, and on the fields and courts. Our long history of investing in Iowa students through public education is part of who we are as Iowans. And Republicans used to agree with Democrats about this. Terry Branstad ran for Governor with the slogan: “Iowa: A State of Minds.” Today, however, Iowa Republicans want Iowa to be more like other states — instead of other states being more like Iowa!
No. We have to keep investing in public schools because our students are worth it. Our teachers are dedicated and our public school districts and community leadership are what make us strong. We need to invest more in our schools as a result of COVID, not less.
As to private education, there’s nothing wrong with private education. I’ve attended mostly public schools in my life, but I have attended a private school. There is nothing wrong with private education. There’s even a role for homeschooling. But the idea that we would take away resources away from public education to improve how we educate our students is as out of touch as using taxpayer dollars to pave a private road we can’t drive on, to build a private golf course we can’t play on, or a private pool that our kids can’t swim in? Why on Earth would we give private schools taxpayer dollars that don’t have the mandate, the commitment, the responsibility educating all of our students. Our students are one of our best resources. Not just some Iowa students — all Iowa students. That’s why we invest in public education. We believe in every student, in every community, and the local leadership, democratically elected, who work together across our state to educate them. If COVID has taught us anything, it’s that we need more of this community not less of it. We need more resources for our public schools, not less. If Republicans want to raise taxes to provide more resources for alternatives to public education—we can have that debate. But Iowa Democrats will not let this Governor use the COVID crisis to advance her private school agenda by taking resources away from students being educated in our public schools. This sixty-five page bill was filed last week and it was fast-tracked this week. What on earth are we doing?! We shouldn’t be fast tracking this bill. We should be fast tracking legislation to accelerate vaccine distribution. We should be fast tracing legislation to protect essential workers. Instead, just yesterday, the Governor said during her press conference to Iowans: be patient! She wants Iowans to be patient when it comes to a vaccine but she’s driving a freight train when it comes to private school vouchers.
Can a single Iowa Republican Senator name one public school superintendent in their district who is in favor of Senate File 159? Where is their voice in all of this? I asked all seven of my super intendents, the majority of which are in rural districts. Not a single one supports this legislation. And I know that I’m the Senator from Johnson County, but this legislation wasn’t supported by superintendents in Cedar County or Muscatine County either. In fact, one of the thirty-four schools named by this legislation is in my district. Durant Elementary School is in a small town, like so many across our state. I asked their Superintendent what he thought about this bill. He said: “Vouchers are an absolute no, another blow to public education.” And that’s from the people who this bill is trying to help! Iowa Democrats believe in continuing to invest in public schools, because there is no better return on investment. Iowa Republicans, on the other hand, are fast tracking a partisan, private school voucher program in the middle of a global pandemic.
I urge the body to reject this radical legislation.
This bill is not an Iowa bill. It was written by ALEC and has been presented in several state legislatures across the country. You might want to learn a little more about them before you jump on their bandwagon. https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed
Biden mandated open sex, co-ed bathrooms and locker rooms in our children’s schools; cancelling the 1776 Commission and reinstating biased, error-ridden and ideologically-driven curricula in our schools; jeopardizing our service members with politically-driven decisions about who can join the military; halting the Keystone Pipeline, eliminating thousands of jobs; reversing pro-life protections in international aid programs; and a national mask mandate. We can only imagine what else he and his handlers have planned.
Ha ha ha. Maybe they are planning better mental health care in the US. That would certainly help with people like you.
You are so stupid you wouldn’t know the truth if it bit you in the ass.
Just heard on TV that the rat party is claiming super bowl champion TOM BRADY has WHITE PRIVLEGE – oh that must mean he is Republican – Well how about Tiger -he’s also a Trump fan – get off it – we have your socialist Anti American lies figured out. Scumbags.
Pullc schools are controlled by the government – diversity – woke- white privilege – no wonder some kids are depressed – like what the fk is happening and no hope for the future – If hear the word racism one more time I will shit my pants -reach down and take a handful and throw it right in your lying face – 99 out of a 100 times it would hit a socialist pig sprewing anti-American bullshit.
Drunk again? It’s pretty early but, hey, we know you are depressed and saddened that trumpie is no longer Prez. Maybe in 2024.
Rather than making general statements that you expect us to believe, why not mention the schools and the town that you are discussing? That way we can check your ‘facts’ and make up our own mind. I would also bet you haven’t been in a public school for 20 years or more.
I guess that shut you up pretty quickly.
No they are not take money for public schools because public schools wouldn’t be able to stand for them selfs
Of course they did. The have to support the teachers union. The teachers Unions should be disbanded immediately.
Why?
Similar to the new treasury head Janet Yellen’s gambit a few years back. Just fresh off the fed chair job she got another at Berkley in California. Somehow she stashed away $300,000 in some slush fund that was hidden. It wasn’t until this money was needed by the college students in dire straits that it was uncovered. She had NO authorization to do this by the law. Yet Janet did indeed cheat the system at Berkley. Big surprise here. It does sound like the same money grab game being played. You cheat. You lose. Do the right thing.
The Dems just can’t face the fact that a lot of public schools are not doing a very good job educating some of our kids. Parents should have a choice where their kids are educated, period. I like this bill, it will put some pressure on public schools to do a better job or face losing students and tax money. (Many public schools are doing a good job and should not be worried about losing students because of this bill.)
You don’t know much about this bill, do you. It will take money from public schools, even the ‘good ones’ It doesn’t provide any oversight of those upstart schools and it doesn’t provide competition because with less money, schools will just lose more programs and more teachers.
it also will affect mostly small schools in smaller communities. For many of those communities the school is the heart of the town. Bye bye.
Bull Shit!
what is bullshit Warry?