To the editor,
With great confidence, we are supporting and voting for David Weaver for the position of District 47 of the House of Representatives. Born, raised and educated in Greene County, Iowa, and farming near Boone County, David knows his constituents. He knows Iowa prides itself in public education and agriculture and seeks to improve the quality of teaching and family farms. As a farmer and former teacher, David is committed and experienced to make sound decisions in those areas.
As an advocate for public teachers, David seeks to restore collective bargaining to public employees (which includes teachers) that was suddenly removed by the Republican controlled legislature in February of 2017. Collective bargaining was a law originally created in 1974 by the former well-respected Republican Governor Robert D. Ray. Governor Ray’s collective bargaining law ensured a quality working environment by allowing administrators and their employees to collaborate to determine fair wages, working conditions and benefits, such as health insurance. Up until 2017, public workers and their employers had productive conversations to ensure a quality working environment. Now that collective bargaining no longer exists, teachers and other public professionals no longer have a voice in certain aspects of their profession.
Our young people are our greatest asset to Iowa’s future. The best way to ensure their workplace readiness is through top notch teachers in the classroom. There is currently a teacher shortage and many teachers nearing retirement. However, with David’s passion for improving the quality of education, our schools, like Greene County, Paton-Churdan and Ogden, will become more attractive to high quality teachers; thus improving instruction.
As recently retired teachers, we have faith that David Weaver will do what it takes to keep quality education in the forefront by listening to teachers and constituents and being their voice. Our vote is for David Weaver!
Keith and Beth Vander Wilt, Jefferson
