Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ picks to lead Iowa's state education agency and serve on the board that governs its three state universities met some push back Tuesday by Iowa Senate Democrats.
The Senate Education Committee advanced a number of the governor's appointees despite the objections.
Reynolds tapped Chad Aldis to succeed Ann Lebo, who resigned as director of the Iowa Department of Education. Aldis has worked for multiple charter school and private school choice think tanks. But Democrats criticized him for never having worked or taught in a public school.
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“I think that this is a position that is incredibly important to understand our public school system,” Sen. Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, told The Gazette. “And we are at a crossroads with (school) vouchers and things, and we need somebody who is going to be running the Department of Education who knows what they are doing to help navigate us through these next few years.”
Donahue, a 31-year veteran teacher, said she plans to vote against Aldis’ confirmation on the Senate floor.
Aldis did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Tuesday.
“The governor has full confidence in her appointees and looks forward to seeing them confirmed,” said Reynolds’ spokesman Kollin Crompton.
Reynolds, in a statement announcing Aldis’ appointment, said his “unique perspective will help lead reform within the department and across our schools so that every Iowa student — regardless of what school they attend — receives a quality education that prepares them to be successful in life.”
Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames and ranking member of the committee, was the only Democrat to vote to advance Aldis’ confirmation.
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Quirmbach said he recently met with Aldis and the two had a “friendly” and “intelligent” conversation about Quirmbach’s concerns regarding inadequate public education funding and “looming financial problems” from Reynolds’ private school funding law. He said he felt it “incumbent” as ranking member “to try to develop a positive working relationship with” Aldis.
“I respect the doubts that my colleagues,” he said. “And, frankly, I share them to some extent.”
Democrats also raised concerns with Reynolds’ nomination of Robert Cramer to the Iowa Board of Regents.
Cramer previously was nominated to the board in 2013 by former Gov. Terry Branstad, but lost a confirmation vote in the Iowa Senate when Democrats held the majority.
Cramer, vice president of land development at road construction company Cramer & Associates in Grimes, finished second in a Republican congressional primary in 2014.
Quirmbach reiterated concerns that sunk Craemer’s nomination in 2013. That included his collaboration with Bob Vander Plaats, president of the Christian conservative group The Family Leader, to overturn marriage equality, and his efforts to remove the classic book “Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou from school libraries while serving on the Johnston Community School Board. The book depicts the abuse of a young girl.
“I asked him yesterday how his views on LGBT rights has changed over the years, and his statement to me was they hadn’t changed all that much,” Quirmbach said.
Cramer, reached by The Gazette after the meeting, said his religious views "also compel me to love everybody and treat everybody the best I can.“
Cramer said his experience in construction could help the regents in guiding their universities through growth and building, and hopes to “build bridges” and trust between the regent universities and conservative lawmakers.
The appointment came as a court settlement involving allegations of racial discrimination in the University of Iowa football program included making a new hire to oversee the implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the school.
Asked about the issue, Cramer said he believes in providing equal opportunity, but not equal outcomes, to all students. Admission standards, as one example, should not be more preferential to a certain demographic of students, he said.
“I want everyone to have a fair shot, and once they get there to have all the support they need to be successful students,” Cramer said.
Reynolds has also renominated Nancy Dunkel of Dyersville and Sherry Bates of Scranton to the regents. The Senate Education Committee voted without objection to advance their confirmation to the full Senate.
Republicans hold a supermajority in the Senate, controlling 34 of 50 seats. That means Republicans will be able to prevent Democrats from blocking gubernatorial appointees that require a two-thirds majority. Republicans, however, would need 34 to vote to confirm appointees without Democrat support.
www.thegazette.com
The Senate Education Committee advanced a number of the governor's appointees despite the objections.
Reynolds tapped Chad Aldis to succeed Ann Lebo, who resigned as director of the Iowa Department of Education. Aldis has worked for multiple charter school and private school choice think tanks. But Democrats criticized him for never having worked or taught in a public school.
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“I think that this is a position that is incredibly important to understand our public school system,” Sen. Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, told The Gazette. “And we are at a crossroads with (school) vouchers and things, and we need somebody who is going to be running the Department of Education who knows what they are doing to help navigate us through these next few years.”
Donahue, a 31-year veteran teacher, said she plans to vote against Aldis’ confirmation on the Senate floor.
Aldis did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Tuesday.
“The governor has full confidence in her appointees and looks forward to seeing them confirmed,” said Reynolds’ spokesman Kollin Crompton.
Reynolds, in a statement announcing Aldis’ appointment, said his “unique perspective will help lead reform within the department and across our schools so that every Iowa student — regardless of what school they attend — receives a quality education that prepares them to be successful in life.”
Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames and ranking member of the committee, was the only Democrat to vote to advance Aldis’ confirmation.
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Quirmbach said he recently met with Aldis and the two had a “friendly” and “intelligent” conversation about Quirmbach’s concerns regarding inadequate public education funding and “looming financial problems” from Reynolds’ private school funding law. He said he felt it “incumbent” as ranking member “to try to develop a positive working relationship with” Aldis.
“I respect the doubts that my colleagues,” he said. “And, frankly, I share them to some extent.”
Democrats also raised concerns with Reynolds’ nomination of Robert Cramer to the Iowa Board of Regents.
Cramer previously was nominated to the board in 2013 by former Gov. Terry Branstad, but lost a confirmation vote in the Iowa Senate when Democrats held the majority.
Cramer, vice president of land development at road construction company Cramer & Associates in Grimes, finished second in a Republican congressional primary in 2014.
Quirmbach reiterated concerns that sunk Craemer’s nomination in 2013. That included his collaboration with Bob Vander Plaats, president of the Christian conservative group The Family Leader, to overturn marriage equality, and his efforts to remove the classic book “Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou from school libraries while serving on the Johnston Community School Board. The book depicts the abuse of a young girl.
“I asked him yesterday how his views on LGBT rights has changed over the years, and his statement to me was they hadn’t changed all that much,” Quirmbach said.
Cramer, reached by The Gazette after the meeting, said his religious views "also compel me to love everybody and treat everybody the best I can.“
Cramer said his experience in construction could help the regents in guiding their universities through growth and building, and hopes to “build bridges” and trust between the regent universities and conservative lawmakers.
The appointment came as a court settlement involving allegations of racial discrimination in the University of Iowa football program included making a new hire to oversee the implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the school.
Asked about the issue, Cramer said he believes in providing equal opportunity, but not equal outcomes, to all students. Admission standards, as one example, should not be more preferential to a certain demographic of students, he said.
“I want everyone to have a fair shot, and once they get there to have all the support they need to be successful students,” Cramer said.
Reynolds has also renominated Nancy Dunkel of Dyersville and Sherry Bates of Scranton to the regents. The Senate Education Committee voted without objection to advance their confirmation to the full Senate.
Republicans hold a supermajority in the Senate, controlling 34 of 50 seats. That means Republicans will be able to prevent Democrats from blocking gubernatorial appointees that require a two-thirds majority. Republicans, however, would need 34 to vote to confirm appointees without Democrat support.
Iowa Senate Democrats object to Reynolds’ education picks
Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ picks to lead Iowa's state education agency and serve on the board that governs its three state universities met some push back Tuesday by Iowa Senate Democrats.
www.thegazette.com
