Brice Oakley's comment below is right on the mark. Both Judge Locher and Laura Belin have clarified a complicated situation in masterly fashion. And Mr. Oakley's background and reputation lend power to his observations. Belin consistently provides valuable service to Iowans.
This is a fine piece of legal analysis by both by the judge as well as Ms. Belin as a commentator. The subject matter is conceptually difficult to present but both have been up to the task. Once again neither the Governor nor “her Attorney General” could even show respect for the judicial branch of government. Simply just another page out of the Trump playbook. Sad.
I read your article with a great interest. When I was at Roosevelt (Class of 1966), we were given a book list of suggested approved titles for English class. "Catcher in the Rye" was an approved book (I picked "The Oxbow Incident". We had teachers who wanted us to develop our minds and put our education to use. When I was an undergrad at Iowa, I took a class in fiction writing through the Writer's Workshop (Past Workshop instructors and students included Phillip Roth, Kurt Vonnegut, and John Irving.). Rhetoric was required as a freshman. We learned how to write and speak. There were no legislators telling us what we could read. I feel that part of our strength as Americans is our FREE PRESS and the right to read what we want, speak our own mind, and make our own decisions. IOWA supports three outstanding state universities that trains the educators who teach the students to become the future citizens who guide our country. Stress the necessary basic skills and don't waste time on agendas. Remember the "IOWA Tests of Basic Skills" and the "ACT's".
Brice Oakley's comment below is right on the mark. Both Judge Locher and Laura Belin have clarified a complicated situation in masterly fashion. And Mr. Oakley's background and reputation lend power to his observations. Belin consistently provides valuable service to Iowans.
Thank you! I am fortunate to have readers willing to take in a deep dive on a big story like this.
This is a fine piece of legal analysis by both by the judge as well as Ms. Belin as a commentator. The subject matter is conceptually difficult to present but both have been up to the task. Once again neither the Governor nor “her Attorney General” could even show respect for the judicial branch of government. Simply just another page out of the Trump playbook. Sad.
I read your article with a great interest. When I was at Roosevelt (Class of 1966), we were given a book list of suggested approved titles for English class. "Catcher in the Rye" was an approved book (I picked "The Oxbow Incident". We had teachers who wanted us to develop our minds and put our education to use. When I was an undergrad at Iowa, I took a class in fiction writing through the Writer's Workshop (Past Workshop instructors and students included Phillip Roth, Kurt Vonnegut, and John Irving.). Rhetoric was required as a freshman. We learned how to write and speak. There were no legislators telling us what we could read. I feel that part of our strength as Americans is our FREE PRESS and the right to read what we want, speak our own mind, and make our own decisions. IOWA supports three outstanding state universities that trains the educators who teach the students to become the future citizens who guide our country. Stress the necessary basic skills and don't waste time on agendas. Remember the "IOWA Tests of Basic Skills" and the "ACT's".