Editor
Please consider running as a guest column.

Most Iowans continue to reel under the tragedy of the Perry School shootings. Several observations are being shared from PRO Iowa 24.

Strength of Perry. Unbelievably, the rash of mass shootings spread to our rural area of Iowa. We do not doubt the community of Perry and those surrounding Perry with close ties will recover with strength and resilience. As typically happens with a mass shooting, there will be talk of what might have prevented it, the best way forward and what policies could be enacted to stop future occasions.

Humanity and heroes in Perry. There will be lots of discussion with disagreements and uncertainties. But one thing we do know is that our Perry Schools staff and administrators were heroes. They followed training protocols and protected children in a terrifying situation that really has no protocol. It is the most extreme and dangerous example of how our public-school teachers have been given responsibilities that go far beyond “teaching”. 
 
Everyday challenges continue. In Perry, some children come to school hungry so schools and staff provide food (and the supervised environment that must be given) so they are able to learn. Some teachers provide snacks to their kids to tie them over until lunch. They know kids can’t learn when they’re hungry. They have boxes of coats and mittens and sometimes fund-raise for them so “their” kids can stay warm at recess. Our Governor can change her mind and accept federal food dollars. 

Counselors are a fundamental part of staff because some children come to school so overwhelmed by personal circumstances, they are unable to focus on the task at hand-learning. Our governor and Legislature had the resources and authority to direct additional mental health dollars to our schools and to beef up, not diminish, our AEA’s. 

Perry public school educators and staff were heroes during the shooting; they were heroes before and after the shooting. In recent years distorted and false generalizations about teachers and public schools have filled Republican talking points and seeped into households-many dependent on public education.

What does not help from state government. Teaching about laws that discriminated against African Americans and offering perspectives from various perspectives led to accusations of “liberal bias”, and hysterics about Critical Race Theory. One former State Senator stated teachers disguise sexually obscene material as desired subject matter and State Senator Tim Kraayenbrink claimed in a public forum that in Iowa, public schools place litter boxes in restrooms (for students that identify as cats) on a regular basis. The Republican-controlled legislature passed laws on teaching subject matter that might make some students uncomfortable, book banning and LGBTQ issues –so vague they have teachers and administrators scratching their heads on how they can be interpreted. Several lawsuits have been filed related to the constitutionality of banning books.

Is it any wonder that schools are having such difficulty finding teachers?

Advances for private schools-less so for our public schools. And with the Republican law enabling taxpayer funded vouchers for public schools, adequately funding our public schools will become even more problematic. One third of Iowa’s current surplus that Republicans are so proud of is due to the cuts made in education when inflation is factored into funding levels-not sure of the truth of this statement as I can’t recall what Herb Q said at the meeting-. Taking collective bargaining away has decreased the potential of wage increases for a profession requiring a four-year degree and certification. We do thank Gov. Reynolds for her recognition of the need to increase starting teacher salaries and minimum salaries for experienced teachers. 

We can do better for Perry and for all of Iowa. The day of the shooting, it was ironic to see Governor Reynolds at the press conference praising our teachers and announcing all the resources available to our victims. Noone has done more to decrease funding levels for public education and demean its teachers than Reynolds and her fellow Republicans. 

Perry and public schools deserve our support. Iowa’s robust public school system was established by our early settlers because they knew ALL children needed a quality education to maintain a strong democracy. But Iowan’s long history of pride in our public education system is coming to an end. When private schools can accept tax-payer money with no accountability on how those funds are spent, Iowa loses. When private schools can turn away (and send back to the public school) any student they choose if “their needs can’t be met”, public schools like Perry Community Schools and their teachers will lose. We can do better  

Ralph Rosenberg, former State Legislator
Monica Pietz, leader of Perry Area Democrats
Mary Weaver, leader of Women’s Caucus and greater Perry community

All members are of PRO Iowa 24, a group of concerned Iowans
sharing progressive values from Greene, Guthrie, Boone, Story, and Dallas counties