Gov. Kim Reynolds signed SF 496 into law in May, after it was pushed through the Iowa Legislature with only Republican votes. Among the bill’s provisions is a requirement that […]
Iowa Education
‘There’s a difference between a safe space and a brave space’: Q&A with Waukee GSA leader Naomi Pittman
Rarely are a student’s biggest bullies the governor and legislature of their state. But that’s the case for many queer K-12 students in Iowa, who are now subject to several […]
Contact Buzz: Short-changing education will cost Iowa everything
“We must create a climate where people agree that human beings are more alike than unalike. The only way to do that is through education.” —Maya Angelou Education. A word […]
Amid an anti-LGBTQ culture war in Iowa schools, the GSA is safe space — with constitutional protections
If you’ve seen a student-organized drag show or queer rights protest over the past couple decades, odds are a GSA is behind it. GSAs — gender-sexuality alliances — serve as […]
Iowa’s broad new law for schools prohibiting books with sex lands nearly 400 titles on Urbandale’s ban list, including sexless LGBTQ children’s books
The impact of a bill Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law on May 26, which has provisions banning certain books from schools and certain topics from being mentioned in K-6 […]
The new state laws affecting LGBTQ students this fall
In many important ways, the bills passed by Republican lawmakers and signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds this year that targeted transgender students echoed the law enacted last year […]
Des Moines Public School’s new superintendent is a former special ed teacher, principal and Olympic athlete
This story originally appeared in LV Daily, Little Village’s Monday-Friday email newsletter. Sign up to have it delivered for free to your inbox. The Des Moines Public School Board voted […]
A bill to restrict HIV/AIDS and HPV education in Iowa schools harkens back to the darkest days of the Reagan era
Thirty-six years after the Reagan administration began a long-delayed public education campaign about HIV/AIDS, Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republicans in the Iowa Legislature have decided that education about HIV/AIDS is […]
Gov. Reynolds’ ESA program, fast-tracked through the Iowa Legislature, goes into effect May 31
Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office announced on Thursday morning that the new “Students First Education Savings Accounts” program will begin accepting applications on May 31. In the same statement, the governor’s […]
Set to close after 181 years, Iowa Wesleyan University is ‘disappointed in the lack of state support’; Gov. Reynolds rebuffs blame
Iowa Wesleyan University announced on Monday it will permanently close at the end of the current semester. In a statement posted on its website, the 181-year-old private university in Mount […]
State lawmaker accuses some educators of promoting socialism
An Iowa House subcommittee advanced a bill Wednesday that would require high school teachers to hold class discussion comparing political ideologies “that conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy […]
In Condition of the State speech, Gov. Reynolds boldly pushes for changes unpopular with most Iowans
During her Condition of the State Speech on Tuesday night, Gov. Kim Reynolds called on the newly expanded Republican majorities in both houses of the Iowa Legislature to ignore critics, […]