Iowa

Iowa Senate Democrats object to Reynolds’ education picks

Published

2 years ago

April 11, 2023

Iowa Senate Democrats object to Reynolds’ education picks

Chad Aldis, nominated to steer the Iowa Division of Schooling. (Contributed picture)

DES MOINES — Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ picks to steer Iowa’s state training company and serve on the board that governs its three state universities met some push again Tuesday by Iowa Senate Democrats.

The Senate Schooling Committee superior various the governor’s appointees regardless of the objections.

Reynolds tapped Chad Aldis to succeed Ann Lebo, who resigned as director of the Iowa Division of Schooling. Aldis has labored for a number of constitution faculty and personal faculty alternative assume tanks. However Democrats criticized him for by no means having labored or taught in a public faculty.

“I feel that this can be a place that’s extremely necessary to know our public faculty system,” Sen. Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, instructed The Gazette. “And we’re at a crossroads with (faculty) vouchers and issues, and we’d like anyone who’s going to be operating the Division of Schooling who is aware of what they’re doing to assist navigate us by means of these subsequent few years.”

Donahue, a 31-year veteran instructor, mentioned she plans to vote in opposition to Aldis’ affirmation on the Senate ground.

Aldis didn’t instantly reply to a message searching for remark Tuesday.

“The governor has full confidence in her appointees and appears ahead to seeing them confirmed,” mentioned Reynolds’ spokesman Kollin Crompton.

Reynolds, in a press release asserting Aldis’ appointment, mentioned his “distinctive perspective will assist lead reform throughout the division and throughout our faculties so that each Iowa scholar — no matter what faculty they attend — receives a high quality training that prepares them to achieve success in life.”

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames and rating member of the committee, was the one Democrat to vote to advance Aldis’ affirmation.

Quirmbach mentioned he lately met with Aldis and the 2 had a “pleasant” and “clever” dialog about Quirmbach’s issues relating to insufficient public training funding and “looming monetary issues” from Reynolds’ non-public faculty funding legislation. He mentioned he felt it “incumbent” as rating member “to attempt to develop a optimistic working relationship with” Aldis.

“I respect the doubts that my colleagues,” he mentioned. “And, frankly, I share them to some extent.”

Democrats additionally raised issues with Reynolds’ nomination of Robert Cramer to the Iowa Board of Regents.

Cramer beforehand was nominated to the board in 2013 by former Gov. Terry Branstad, however misplaced a affirmation vote within the Iowa Senate when Democrats held the bulk.

Cramer, vice chairman of land improvement at street development firm Cramer & Associates in Grimes, completed second in a Republican congressional major in 2014.

Quirmbach reiterated issues that sunk Craemer’s nomination in 2013. That included his collaboration with Bob Vander Plaats, president of the Christian conservative group The Household Chief, to overturn marriage equality, and his efforts to take away the basic guide “Why the Caged Hen Sings” by Maya Angelou from faculty libraries whereas serving on the Johnston Group College Board. The guide depicts the abuse of a younger woman.

“I requested him yesterday how his views on LGBT rights has modified over time, and his assertion to me was they hadn’t modified all that a lot,” Quirmbach mentioned.

Cramer, reached by The Gazette after the assembly, mentioned his spiritual views “additionally compel me to like all people and deal with all people the most effective I can.“

Cramer mentioned his expertise in development might assist the regents in guiding their universities by means of development and constructing, and hopes to “construct bridges” and belief between the regent universities and conservative lawmakers.

The appointment got here as a courtroom settlement involving allegations of racial discrimination within the College of Iowa soccer program included making a brand new rent to supervise the implementation of range, fairness and inclusion applications on the faculty.

Requested in regards to the situation, Cramer mentioned he believes in offering equal alternative, however not equal outcomes, to all college students. Admission requirements, as one instance, shouldn’t be extra preferential to a sure demographic of scholars, he mentioned.

“I would like everybody to have a good shot, and as soon as they get there to have all of the help they should be profitable college students,” Cramer mentioned.

Reynolds has additionally renominated Nancy Dunkel of Dyersville and Sherry Bates of Scranton to the regents. The Senate Schooling Committee voted with out objection to advance their affirmation to the complete Senate.

Republicans maintain a supermajority within the Senate, controlling 34 of fifty seats. Which means Republicans will be capable to stop Democrats from blocking gubernatorial appointees that require a two-thirds majority. Republicans, nonetheless, would wish 34 to vote to substantiate appointees with out Democrat help.

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com

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Iowa

Iowa State women’s basketball star Emily Ryan discusses eating disorder in video

Published

2 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Press Room

Iowa State women’s basketball star Emily Ryan discusses eating disorder in video

Iowa State women’s basketball star Emily Ryan released a video Thursday in which she discusses her battle with an eating disorder.

Ryan, a senior from Claflin, Kansas, has been one of the Big 12 Conference’s best point guards for the past few seasons. She was a first-team all-conference pick in 2022, and a second-team selection in 2023.

“By sharing my story, I hope to build awareness and provide hope to everyone else fighting an invisible battle,” Ryan said in the video.

Ryan said her sense of self-worth was dependent on Iowa State’s success and her individual performance. That led to increased time spent in the weight room in an effort to get stronger and faster. When Ryan didn’t see the results that she desired, she began to focus on her diet.

Ryan said the Iowa State medical staff expressed their concern about Ryan’s eating habits and what it was doing to her body. Ryan said she was in “complete denial” about having an eating disorder, but her health continued to worsen.

Ryan missed the first nine games of the 2023-24 season due to the eating disorder. When she returned, she said, “off the court I was really struggling. By the end of the season, I was physically and mentally hanging on by a thread.”

During the offseason, Ryan spent 88 days at a treatment center in Denver.

“It took a long time but I finally came to the understanding that being sick wasn’t my fault, and eating disorders are real, complex illnesses,” she said.

How to get help

For resources on disordered eating, call the National Eating Disorders Helpline at 800-931-2237 or text NEDA to 741741.

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Iowa

Latest Iowa high school volleyball rankings reveal regional pairings

Published

12 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Press Room

Latest Iowa high school volleyball rankings reveal regional pairings

It was an important date around the state for volleyball teams in Iowa, as the latest rankings were released and regional pairings in all five classes were revealed.

The two come into play once regionals reach the championship round, as the higher-ranked team will serve as the host for those games.

All five No. 1 squads remained the same, as Ankeny Centennial (Class 5A), Cedar Rapids Xavier (4A), Mount Vernon (3A), Denver (2A) and Ankeny Christian (1A) held serve.

New teams to the Top-15 include Iowa City West in 5A, Ballard in 4A, Wapsie Valley in 2A and Stanton in 1A. The entire 3A poll remained the same while Sidney made one of the biggest climbs, moving to ninth from 12th in 1A.

Regional play for 1A and 2A begins Oct. 21 with 3A, 4A and 5A starting Oct. 22. The state tournament is scheduled for Nov. 4-7 in Coralville from the Xtream Arena. Complete regional pairings can be found on Bound.

Class 5A

1. Ankeny Centennial; 2. Pleasant Valley; 3. Ankeny; 4. West Des Moines Dowling; 5. Indianola; 6. Waukee Northwest; 7. Cedar Falls; 8. Cedar Rapids Prairie; 9. Waukee; 10. Iowa City Liberty; 11. West Des Moines Valley; 12. Sioux City East; 13. Iowa City West; 14. Iowa City High; 15. Linn-Mar.

Class 4A

1. Cedar Rapids Xavier; 2. Sioux City Bishop Heelan; 3. North Scott; 4. Clear Creek-Amana; 5. Lewis Central; 6. Pella; 7. Glenwood; 8. Carlisle; 9. Marion; 10. Adel-ADM; 11. Norwalk; 12. Sergeant Bluff-Luton; 13. MOC-Floyd Valley; 14. Ballard; 15. Grinnell.

Class 3A

1. Mount Vernon; 2. Western Christian; 3. West Delaware; 4. Dubuque Wahlert; 5. Davenport Assumption; 6. Sioux Center; 7. Carroll Kuemper; 8. Mid-Prairie; 9. Cherokee; 10. Wilton; 11. Solon; 12. Anamosa; 13. Roland-Story; 14. Clarinda; 15. Nevada.

Class 2A

1. Denver; 2. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; 3. Dyersville Beckman; 4. Dike-New Hartford; 5. Aplington-Parkersburg; 6. South Hardin; 7. Boyden-Hull; 8. Pella Christian; 9. Iowa City Regina; 10. Hinton; 11. Grundy Center; 12. Sumner-Fredericksburg; 13. Wapsie Valley; 14. West Burlington; 15. Shenandoah.

Class 1A

1. Ankeny Christian; 2. Holy Trinity; 3. Saint Ansgar; 4. Riverside; 5. BCLUW; 6. Janesville; 7. North Tama; 8. Don Bosco; 9. Sidney; 10. River Valley; 11. Akron-Westfield; 12. Stanton; 13. Fremont-Mills; 14. Southwest Valley; 15. Gladbrook-Reinbeck.

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Iowa

Iowa high school football computer rankings (10/10/2024)

Published

20 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Press Room

Iowa high school football computer rankings (10/10/2024)

Week 6 of the 2024 Iowa high school football season has wrapped up, and High School on SI is continuing its weekly computer rankings for the season.

The Dowling Maroons kept their top five placing in this week’s 5A Iowa computer rankings after a thrilling 41-35 victory over Ankeny Centennial. They face a strong Urbandale team on Friday, to keep their momentum going.

The top of the 5A computer rankings stay the same this week as the Bettendorf Bulldogs take home another win, this time defeating Kennedy 33-14. The Bulldogs look forward to Friday, where they will travel to Davenport Central in hopes to hold their place in the standings.

SBLive’s formula was created using its linear algebra-based ranking algorithm inspired by the Colley Bias-Free Ranking Method. Colley’s Method was created by Wes Colley, Ph.D., an astrophysicist at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. He devised his algorithm to help address the subjectivity and controversy regarding BCS college football selections in the 1990s and early 2000s, using a method that used no subjective variables.

FAQ: SBLive High School Football Computer Rankings

Here are SBLive’s latest Iowa football computer rankings, as of Oct. 7, 2024:

IOWA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COMPUTER RANKINGS

CLASS 5A | CLASS 4A

CLASS 3A | CLASS 2A

CLASS 1A | CLASS A

CLASS 8 MAN

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— Ben Dagg | @sblivesports

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