Linn-Mar teachers upset by governor's schedule for education forums

Iowa teachers want to know more about Governor Branstad's vision for state education.

Talking with the governor in person seems like a good way to get answers.  The Governor has scheduled a series of town hall meetings from October through November.  The goal is to allow residents, teachers and parents to ask questions, find answers and comment on the proposed education changes.

Today (Tuesday), the governor plans to stop for a forum in Marion at Linn-Mar High School's Learning and Resource Center.  Some teachers say they'd like to attend and ask questions, but can't because the meeting happens at 2:30 p.m., during school hours.

“Having it at a time such as 2:30 when none of our buildings are out of session doesn't allow for any of that, because we can't be present,” said teacher Jackie Wellborn, president of the Linn-Mar Education Association.

The governor's tour started Oct. 6and ends Nov. 18.  The online tour schedule shows 24 scheduled town hall meetings on his education proposal.  Of the 24 meetings, about 14 happen during school hours.

"Of all the people that need to be at those meetings, it needs to be the teachers,” said Kathleen Kelley, Linn-Mar High School English teacher.  “It affects our salaries and what we teach in the classroom just as much."

Linn-Mar Schools Superintendent Katie Mulholland tells us she did try to push the governor's visit back to 3:30 p.m. to accommodate more people.  She says she also managed to get the venue changed to the Learning Resource Center, where there is more parking.  Now the superintendent says the next best option for teachers who want to be at the forum is to take leave.

The teachers we spoke to say the governor should take their schedule into consideration, and not plan the meetings so teachers have to take leave.

"We want to be in our classrooms. That's my job,” said Kelley. "My job is not to take leave and go sit in a forum."

Wellborn says it may be hard for teachers to decide if they agree or disagree with Branstad's proposal without having the chance to ask questions.

"Frankly, we're not opposed to the plan, or parts of the plan,” Wellborn said.  “We just want to be a part of the conversation.  Until we know any specifics we could get if we were a part of the conversation, we can't make any decisions.”

Click

here for a full list of the Governor's Education Reform tour dates and locations.