Tag: Education

Education, Government, Iowa2 Comments

Iowa lawmakers consider requiring students, teachers to sing national anthem at school each day

Gary Dickson

Iowa students would be required to sing part of the national anthem at school each day under a bill advanced Wednesday by a House Education subcommittee.

Rep. Sue Cahill, D-Marshalltown, stood and led the room in singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” during her closing comments.

Cahill said she sang because “our Capitol is the perfect place to show patriotism,” but requiring the singing of the national anthem in school classrooms each day is not the best path forward as it would be “mandating patriotism for students.” Continue reading Iowa lawmakers consider requiring students, teachers to sing national anthem at school each day

Commentary2 Comments

Why requiring the national anthem in Iowa schools isn’t enough of a patriotic push

Gary Dickson

Go ahead, you wise and patriotic members of the Iowa General Assembly: Pass a law that requires the daily singing of the national anthem in schools.

House Study Bill 587 is in committee now. Fast track that thing to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk.

We must start converting our students into patriots before they get into the dangerous habit of critical thinking. Continue reading Why requiring the national anthem in Iowa schools isn’t enough of a patriotic push

Education, South DakotaLeave a comment

School voucher program backed by many South Dakota voters: poll

Gary Dickson

According to a recent poll conducted by News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota, nearly half of registered South Dakota voters support the creation of a school voucher program in the state.South Dakota is not one of the 16 states that offer school vouchers. A legislative measure to enact a voucher system failed by a wide margin in its first committee stop in 2023.

As of Jan. 10, a voucher bill had not yet been filed for the 2024 legislative session, which just began, though some backers do expect some form of legislation will be filed this session.

The poll showed that 48.8 percent of respondents support the development of a voucher system, while 45.6 percent do not, with 5.6 percent undecided. Continue reading School voucher program backed by many South Dakota voters: poll

Education, Government, IowaLeave a comment

Federal judge hears arguments in lawsuit challenging Iowa book law

Gary Dickson

A U.S. District Court judge heard oral arguments Friday about whether to stop enforcement of measures in an Iowa education law that ban certain books with sexual content from K-12 school libraries.

The lawsuit challenges sections of Senate File 496 that require schools to remove books with depictions of sex acts. It also challenges a provision requiring schools to inform parents if a student requests the use of a different name or pronouns than what they were assigned at birth. The lawsuit claims those and other measures violate Iowa students’ constitutional rights to equal protection, free speech, free association and due process, the lawsuit claims. Continue reading Federal judge hears arguments in lawsuit challenging Iowa book law

Crime, Education, North Sioux City, Sioux City1 Comment

WITCC wants to depose alleged human trafficking victims in Iowa

Gary Dickson

Western Iowa Tech Community College, a community college in Sioux City, Iowa that’s facing two multimillion-dollar lawsuits alleging it engaged in human trafficking is arguing the alleged victims must return to Iowa from Chile to sit for depositions in the case.

The former students say they can’t afford the expense of returning to Iowa and have sought the court’s permission to provide deposition testimony remotely through Zoom-type videoconferencing. Continue reading WITCC wants to depose alleged human trafficking victims in Iowa

Dakota Dunes, South DakotaLeave a comment

Three Dakota Valley runners place in top 10 at SD’s State Cross Country Meet

Gary Dickson

Three members of Dakota Valley’s Cross Country Team finished in the top 10 individually at the South Dakota Class 11A state cross country meet last Saturday in Sioux Falls Yankton Trail Park.

According to results released by the South Dakota High School Athletic Association, Sophia Redler, Jack Brown and Joe Cross posted top 10 individual finishes. The Dakota Valley boys placed sixth as a team while the girls placed 13th. Continue reading Three Dakota Valley runners place in top 10 at SD’s State Cross Country Meet