Speaker Paulsen Suggest Iowa's Kids Should Buckle Down and Operate More Efficiently

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DES MOINES, IA (02/11/2011)(readMedia)-- In response to a survey of Iowa school districts which concluded that almost 80 percent of Iowa's schools are considering teacher layoffs with zero percent allowable growth, House Speaker Kraig Paulsen said "we also believe that there are opportunities for them (schools) to create more rigorous programs and programs that can be operated more efficiently and cost less."

For the first time in almost 40 years, the House Republican majority approved zero percent allowable growth. In practical terms this means school districts will need to dramatically trim their budgets through teacher layoffs which will increase class sizes, decrease the number of courses a school is able to offer; and will mean limited school supplies, textbooks, and technology for Iowa's students.

"Let's be perfectly clear about who is affected by the Republican plan. Mr. Paulsen is telling Iowa's kids to buck-up and share in cost-saving efforts when he says there are more opportunities to save in our schools," said Chris Bern, president of the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA). It's the kids that suffer, not Mr. Paulsen and those making these perilous decisions which so drastically affect our children's futures," added Bern. This kind of fiscal irresponsibility makes me angry especially when you know they are targeting a group that can't readily defend themselves. Enough is enough! At what point do they say, Kids 1st!", said Bern.

"The issue isn't whether we want to put money into our schools or get a tax break. The issue is that we must prioritize and put our kids first, and our legislators need to do their jobs and figure out how to stretch our dollars and make them work without hurting our kids." Bern added.

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