Johnson County’s all-Democratic state legislative delegation is questioning Iowa City school board’s implied support of legislation proposing to study changing in the state’s collective bargaining law. Iowa City school board president Patti Fields says the board isn’t on record either for or against the legislation that would study possible collective bargaining changes.

She says the Iowa Association of School Boards has signed onto the bill, and the Iowa City board is a member of that group, so “we have received a communication of concern from our local legislators.” Fields says some Johnson County legislators are threatening to boycott a conference with Johnson County school boards this Saturday because of I.A.S.B. is supporting the study legislation…

She says the legislators expressed concern with the I.A.S.B.’s stance and said they might not meet with the Iowa City board. I.A.S.B. interim executive director, Veronica Stalker, says concern over I.A.S.B.’s support of the collective bargain study bill seems confined to Johnson County.

Stalker says they heard “strong comments” from one of the member districts, they heard from one board member from another district, but haven’t heard anything else over their decision to sign onto the bill. Iowa City’s school board is asking I.A.S.B. why decisions were made on supporting the bill without consulting school districts.