Democrats in the Iowa Senate plan to force Republicans to consider all ofdemocrat Governor Tom Vilsack’s education initiatives. Republicans controlthe legislature’s debate agenda, so democrats plan to offer each of theGovernor’s education ideas as amendments to bills sponsored by Republicans. Senator Mike Connolly is a democrat from Dubuque says they really want to focus on school safety.Among the ideas: over six-and-a-half million dollars in state grants toschools for safety devices, like metal detectors and surveillance cameras.Connolly says school officials need to sit down with leaders in theircommunity to develop a school safety plan.After years of ridiculing Republicans for pushing “character education,” theDemocrats now plan to suggest schools adopt that kind of curriculum.Connolly says kids gain a valuable “sense of community” when theyparticipate in such projects.
