That’s why young Iowa Democrats gathered together to speak out about the future. House Appropriations Ranking Member Chris Hall, Educator and Des Moines School Board Member Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley, and College Student and I-35 School Board Member Josh Hughes are joining Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price today to speak out about the failures of the Reynolds Administration.
Interested parties can watch the video of the event here.
I-35 School Board Member and Rural Public School Student Josh Hughes:
“Republicans have been deaf to the needs of students and teachers when they’re setting budgets for education. Not only that, but they’ve attacked Iowa teachers and the teaching profession collective bargaining. These policies are backwards and they’re hurting Iowans like me and my family [in rural Iowa].”
On young people in Iowa: “Young Iowans like me, we see this news about attacking immigrant families and banning abortion, and it makes us not want to live in a place where the state government is pushing regressive, right wing policies. The truth is that youth in Iowa are being left behind by Republican policies.”
Des Moines School Board Member and Teacher Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley:
“Governor Reynolds and anti-public education legislators can talk all they want about how they support Iowa’s schools. The proof is in our classrooms where I know the real story. I know that school districts across the state are suffering from cuts that have gone on too long and those cuts are affecting our students.”
House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Chris Hall:
“Right now in Cedar Falls, the Board of Regents is meeting and they’ve guaranteed the legislature that [Reynolds’ education cuts] are going to have an impact on tuition in the coming years.
Student debt is holding back our economy because now those young people can’t afford to purchase things like their first home, which would help spark our economy here in Iowa. It’s also holding back single parents who want to go back to community college but are being priced out. So rather than upgrading their skills and earning a higher wage, they are no longer able to.”
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price:
“Iowa families are being left behind by Kim Reynolds and her extreme, conservative agenda. That’s why Democrats are so fired up to get out there, talk to our friends and neighbors, and let folks know that Democrats have their backs. Our mission is to invest in and empower the people of Iowa – not Kim Reynolds’ out of state, special interests looking to turn a profit at our expense.”
