TopicsPosts Tagged ‘Commentary’
What the appellate court got wrong about Iowa’s school book ban
Ed Tibbetts, a longtime reporter and editor in the Quad-Cities, is the publisher of the Along the Mississippi newsletter, where this article first appeared. Find more of his work at edtibbetts.substack.com. If only Iowa’s school librarians possessed the wisdom of a trio of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The judges overturned a preliminary injunction against Iowa’s…Read More
The best witness against Trump? The president of the U.S.
Herb Strentz was dean of the Drake School of Journalism from 1975 to 1988 and professor there until retirement in 2004. He was executive secretary of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council from its founding in 1976 to 2000. A contrast between President Harry Truman and our would-be King Donald Trump is relevant and overdue because of the need to…Read More
Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy
Jason Benell lives in West Des Moines with his wife and two children. He is a combat veteran, Dallas County supervisor candidate, and president of Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers. This essay first appeared on his Substack newsletter, The Odd Man Out. “Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy,…Read More
Iowa’s school districts are trapped in a Hobson’s choice
Bruce Lear lives in Sioux City and has been connected to Iowa’s public schools for 38 years. He taught for eleven years and represented educators as an Iowa State Education Association regional director for 27 years until retiring. He can be reached at [email protected] We’ve all probably been trapped in a no-win situation. There’s no way out. There’s no good choice. That’s often…Read More