Midwest Regional by Nancy Porter, chair, NEA Caucus

Thank you to those who attended our social at the Legislative Conference. It is always great to be together with the ones who care. Welcome AnneMarie Kraus and Kris Wingate and Karen Person to our Iowa delegates who care enough to support the Peace and Justice Caucus and direction. Thank you for your membership dues and continued support.

The Midwest Regional Conference was well attended and interesting, but, perhaps, over shadowed with the doom and gloom of the legislature in Iowa being run by a majority of Republicans in the House. They are doing exactly what they said they would do and cut the budget. The budget cuts, however, are a scathing blow to Public Education which is getting attacked from every angle. Thanks to the Des Moines local for focus from the media attacks through movies. They have organized several awareness events. Thanks to our ISEA for organizing great speakers at the hearing for the defeat of the HF 45 bill which, hopefully, the Senate will be able to diffuse. Thanks to those who testified and attended.

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The Midwest Regional attendees from other states are facing equally negative attacks to Public Education. We have a big job before us to educate all to the outcomes of Public Education attacks and the needs of our society. The NEA certainly is working to inform members and hire thoughtful, knowledgeable staff.

Thanks to ISEA for the coalition to gather the thinking educated of Iowa together to prevent a landslide of negatives to our education and fiscal system which is being usurped by corporate funds.

We have a lot to do and we can only work on the needs together. Together we stand in numbers to defeat those who say Public Education is not the way to inform our future and teach wise civic decisions.

Bookmark these sites for interaction and reaction:

National website: http://www.neapeaceandjustice.org/; (Author: Jake Wager: Joshua.wager@gmail.com.)

Midwest Blog: http://midwestpeaceandjustice.blogspot.com/; (Authors: Andrew Rasmussen, Razzman11-2000@yahoo.com; Joshua Brown: Joshua.brown@dmps.k12.ia.us; Tom McLaughlin: tvmclaughlin@cox.net, )