For Immediate Release: August 24, 2021
State Senator Janet Petersen of Des Moines has organized a joint letter to Governor Kim Reynolds urging specific steps to make Iowa schools safer. The letter is signed by all 18 Democratic members of the Iowa State Senate.
“Iowans are begging Governor Reynolds to keep our kids, our schools and our communities safe,” said Senator Petersen. “Other Republican Governors are working to make classrooms safe places for all children. We call on Iowa’s governor to do the same.”
In the letter, the Senators urge Governor Reynolds to reverse her April rejection of $95 million in federal funds intended to help to reopen Iowa schools safely. Initially aimed at testing, these federal dollars can now be used to fight COVID-19 in K-12 schools through vaccinations, testing, and upgraded air filtration systems.
“We strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to reject Reopening Schools funding,” wrote the Senators. “Iowans want to fight Covid, not mitigation efforts or each other. It’s time to do the right thing to lead our state and country out of this pandemic.”
Surprisingly, Governor Reynold’s own budget provided no new dollars to protect schoolchildren, and related federal funds have not been distributed. The Senators wrote:
“You opted in April 2021 not to use the funds, and the situation in our state has worsened since then. Those funds are needed more than ever by local schools who want to protect their communities. The changes since April include a dramatic increase in new cases, the Delta variant sweeping the nation and impacting more children, and your law banning safe mask policies in public places.”
According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa currently has:
• The highest number of virus-related hospital admissions since January.
• The highest average number of positive COVID-19 cases since February, before Iowa vaccines were available.
The letter also urges Governor Reynolds to resume daily reports of Iowa COVID cases and hospitalizations, and an end to statewide law preventing schools following CDC safety guidelines on masks and contact tracing.
End
Letter to Gov Reynolds from the Democratic members of the Iowa Senate
Dear Governor Reynolds:
Every state leader, no matter their party, should be focused on keeping our children, students and school personnel safe and healthy this year. Iowa schools and families need our help, not roadblocks, to ensure our kids get an uninterrupted education this year.
While your state budget provided no additional resources to protect the health and safety of children, the Biden Administration appropriated $95 million for Iowa Schools to help them safely keep their doors open.
We strongly urge you to use the $95 million from the American Rescue Plan dedicated to the state in the federal Reopening Schools program. You opted in April 2021 not to use the funds, and the situation in our state has worsened since then. Those funds are needed more than ever by local schools who want to protect their communities. The changes since April include a dramatic increase in new cases, the Delta variant sweeping the nation and impacting more children, and your law banning safe mask policies in public places.
The latest weekly report from the Iowa Department of Public Health is quite grim:
- The highest number of virus-related hospital admissions recorded since January.
- The highest average number of positive COVID-19 cases since February. Even more troubling, the weekly average is higher than the same time a year ago – when vaccines were not yet available in Iowa.
- More than 6,200 COVID deaths and more than 390,000 cases since the pandemic started.
It is important to note that federal officials have updated the guidance to allow schools to use the funds for detection, mitigation and prevention of COVID-19 in K-12 schools, including vaccine, testing and promotion, and upgraded air filtration systems to improve air circulation.
Additional resources, such as those from the CDC, would help schools do more testing, identify who may have COVID-19, and better protect kids, teachers, and parents from COVID-19.
In addition, Iowans deserve access to daily reporting of COVID positive cases and hospitalizations; and local schools should not be banned from following the latest CDC safety guidelines, including masks and contact tracing.
We strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to reject Reopening Schools funding. Iowans want to fight Covid, not mitigation efforts or each other. It’s time to do the right thing to lead our state and country out of this pandemic.
Signed,
Sen. Janet Petersen
Sen. Tony Bisignano
Sen. Joe Bolkcom
Sen. Nate Boulton
Sen. Claire Celsi
Sen. William A. Dotzler Jr.
Sen. Eric Giddens
Sen. Robert Hogg
Sen. Pam Jochum
Sen. Kevin Kinney
Sen. Jim Lykam
Sen. Liz Mathis
Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach
Sen. Amanda Ragan
Sen. Jackie Smith
Sen. Todd E. Taylor
Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott
Sen. Zach Wahls