Education
LGBTQ community, people of color in the crosshairs of banned book movement
Students in one Pennsylvania school district are not allowed to read a biography of the first Black U.S. president, Barack Obama. In some Tennessee classrooms, a nonfiction comic book about the atrocities of the Holocaust is banned. And one school district in Wisconsin banned from libraries a picture book about a gay rights activist who […]
Reynolds says she’s ‘never gonna give up’ on private school scholarships
Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday she’s “never gonna give up” on state-funded private school scholarships for Iowa students, a proposal that has been a major sticking point in end-of-session negotiations at the Iowa Capitol. “If we don’t do that, I’m going to come back next year,” Reynolds said. “I believe so strongly in giving every […]
More than 1,500 books have been banned in public schools, and a U.S. House panel asks why
WASHINGTON — A U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee panel on Thursday examined why thousands of books, predominantly written by marginalized authors, have been banned from public schools, and the impact of those actions on students and teachers. “Most books being targeted for censorship are books that introduce ideas about diversity or our common humanity, […]
Pause on federal student loan repayments extended by Biden through Aug. 31
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced plans Wednesday to extend the pause on federal student loan repayments until the end of August. “I recognized in recently extending the COVID-19 national emergency, we are still recovering from the pandemic and the unprecedented economic disruption it caused,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “If loan payments were […]
Upcoming U.S. Supreme Court cases could curb colleges’ use of affirmative action
WASHINGTON — A U.S. Supreme Court dominated by conservative justices could fundamentally reshape the college admissions process later this year when it takes up two landmark cases challenging affirmative action in higher education. The court recently agreed to hear two cases that challenge race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, the nation’s oldest private and […]
Utah’s governor listened to both sides before acting on trans athlete restrictions. Iowa’s didn’t.
Through history, some political leaders have been outstanding orators. Boy, could they talk. They knew how to mobilize and move people with their words. Think of Franklin Roosevelt and, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Or Ronald Reagan and, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The ability to crystallize their thoughts […]
Senate passes private school scholarships, ‘Parent Bill of Rights’
Iowa students could use state funds to pay private school tuition under a bill passed Wednesday by the Iowa Senate. Republican supporters of the proposal said school changes during the COVID-19 pandemic had engaged parents, bringing renewed focus to school choice and parental control. Sen. Amy Sinclair said it was elitist and “borderline racist and […]
House passes controversial school ‘transparency’ and budget bills
The House passed two major education bills late Tuesday: a bill to require more transparency for classroom plans and materials and the proposed education budget for fiscal year 2023. Education has been center stage through the 2022 legislative session, which began with controversy over Senate President Jake Chapman’s claims of a “sinister agenda” against children, […]
Missouri House bill would cut down on poisonous lead in school drinking water
Missouri children would be better protected from lead poisoning under a state legislative bill to require schools to nearly rid their drinking water of the dangerous toxin. The bill, heard Monday by the House Conservation and Natural Resources Committee, would require schools to test drinking water, remove old coolers and filter water where lead is […]
Proposed GOP budget for state universities is less than 20 years ago
House lawmakers have proposed another year without a state funding increase for the Iowa Board of Regents, instead introducing a $12 million scholarship program for future teachers and students studying other high-demand professions. If the House plan passes as proposed, 2023 would be the third year in a row that the Regents universities would see […]
Senators, please drop the expensive test for teacher licensing
A bill that would remove testing as a requirement for teaching licenses is before the Iowa Senate. It passed the House unanimously. Dear Iowa Senate, please pass this bill and get it under Gov. Kim Reynolds’ pen at once. I rarely speak publicly about political issues anymore, but I confess my vested interest in this […]
Amid cocaine and sex allegations, fired coach and wife pursue claims against school
A fired soccer coach for Hawkeye Community College is suing the school in federal court, claiming he was wrongly accused of being a drug dealer. The coach’s wife, meanwhile, has prevailed in state court where she won a judicial order forcing the Iowa Civil Rights Commission to hear her claim that she was fired from […]