As a parent and teacher, I’m worried about the future of education under Zach Lahn.
After graduating from public school here in Cedar Falls, I spent 11 years teaching Catholic school before becoming a principal. After my daughter was born with Down syndrome, I tried to enroll her in a local private school, but they didn’t even show up for a meeting.
I’ve been a paraeducator in Cedar Falls since 2017. I’ve seen firsthand the cuts Republicans have made to funding public schools, both as a worker and a parent. Their attacks make an already difficult job harder.
I rely on Medicaid because I don’t make a livable wage working in a public school. I believe the system is broken, and Zach Lahn, who said Iowa spends too much on public education and called Medicaid expansion “bad policy,” would only make it worse. Lahn treats teachers like the bad guys, falsely claiming we teach kids a certain ideology or to hate our history. That’s a lie -- it’s wrong.
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After attending Rob Sand’s town hall in Waverly this month with two fellow teachers, I left even more convinced: Iowa needs a governor who believes in public education. Lahn doesn't.
Kathy Butler, Cedar Falls
