Des Moines Education Association honors Iowa CCI and Public School Strong
We Talk, We Act, We Support Public Education In Iowa dept.
In August of 2024, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI) heard from Dr. James E. Ford, a North Carolina educator and administrator advocating for a fresh approach to supporting public education. Dr. Ford told us much that we already knew: that public schools were under assault nationwide threatening to destroy the cameraderie, morale, and infrastructure vital to building one of the world’s best educational systems.
Dr. Ford offered a new approach which he called Public School Strong as a solution to arresting this sad trend. After laying out the facts of how far legislative support has fallen we all knew it would take a lot of effort from citizens to stand up, show up and be there in support of our educators.
He threw down a gauntlet that the feisty CCI folks in attendance were, in fact, eager to pick up, to join the battle against those who would diminish both Iowa public education and with it diminish the opportunities for success among the thousands of students who depend on this system for preparation for their careers.
CCI, led by Director Lisa Whelan and organizer Tim Glaza, took up the challenge meeting throughout the year with educators, individual school board members and DMEA (public school teachers union representatives). The primary purpose was to offer support and to process feedback on the best way to support educators as they battle our current Republican administrations’ efforts to undermine them.
Apparently DMEA noticed. After a months long effort to attend School Board meetings, CCI’s Public School Strong committee members were invited to DMEA’s May 8 Awards and Recognition ceremony/dinner. There we were recognized for our efforts with DMEA’s Friend of Education Award.
Anne Cross, DMEA President informed the assembled of CCI’s efforts to rally support for DMPS teachers, staff, administrators and students.
Iowa CCI is a statewide organization with nearly 5000 members in the Hawkeye state. Tim Glaza, outreach coordinator, has traveled the state seeding new chapters and collecting petition signatures of those wishing to push back strongly against Iowa’s ill-conceived voucher program.
If you, dear reader, have the inclination to get involved please do not hesitate to contact Iowa CCI offices to join in the effort to push back against those in a position to harm public education. Since 1975 Iowa CCI continues to challenge those who would exploit our most vulnerable citizens be it in education, racial justice, employment fairness, environmental justice or clueless corporate malfeasance.
We Talk, We Act, We Get It Done is not just our rallying slogan, it’s the DNA that get us up in the morning. We express our thanks to DMEA for the recognition. We are here to be of service and to, indeed Get. It. Done.
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I have issue with the DMPS discontinuing instrumental music in the elementary school, shifting those teachers to middle school programs. This superintendent says there is always sports they can get with. Not every child who wants to learn an instrument wants to play basketball. The superintendent needs to realize the value of instruction in music in the primary grades.