Letter to the Editor by Karen Pratte

To the Editor:

Iowa’s families, whether they are rural or urban, want great public schools which their children can attend in their communities close to their homes.

Iowa’s more conservative party which now controls the Governorship, State House of Representatives and State Senate is pushing to pass the Voucher Bill. Vouchers take away our tax dollars from public schools and give them to private, for-profit schools.

Our rural public schools are already struggling and strapped for money due to years of underfunding by the more conservative party. Rural public schools will be hit the hardest by vouchers. Will our public schools in Allamakee County be able to survive?

We’ve watched schools in other small towns close their doors and consolidate. When schools leave, jobs leave, and when jobs leave, families move out. This impacts our small businesses and our local taxes. Our schools are the centers of our communities, and we want to keep our schools open and in our communities.

Fortunately, voters have a choice in this election. They can vote for the moderate, centrist party which is dedicated to strengthening and adequately funding public schools and which opposes vouchers. Or, voters can  vote for the more conservative party which consistently underfunds public schools, which apparently does not value a public education or rural public schools, and which is intent on taking away our tax dollars and giving them to private, for-profit schools.

Voters, choose wisely. The future of your children, your family and your town depends on it.

Karen Pratte
Waterville