State Rep. Brent Siegrist has made it very clear that he does not support school choice. Last weekend he told attendees at a legislative coffee that there is a lot of bipartisan opposition for the bill in the House.
Siegrist, a Republican, said the bill couldn’t pass the House and “it’s not even close.”
Not only is Siegrist one of 59 Republicans in the Iowa House, but he’s also an assistant majority leader for the Republicans in the Iowa House and a former Speaker of the House.
It is bad enough that a Republican leader in the Iowa House is in direct opposition to the Republican Party of Iowa platform:
- We believe that parents are responsible for their children, and we support the rights of parents to be the ultimate authority for the discipline, protection, and education of their children.
- We believe money should follow the child in education – whether that child attends public, private, parochial or home school- to assist parents financially in educating their children using the option best suited to their family’s educational needs. We call on the General Assembly to provide for tuition vouchers, tax deductions, or tax credits to permit parents’ choice in educating their children- without government intervention in the school curriculum.
But it gets worse. Much worse.
Siegrist has fully embraced the arguments of the Left. He has accepted the Left’s premise. And his comments are being used statewide to stifle efforts to not just further the GOP agenda but to do what is best for Iowa families and children.
“The fear is, of course, from (people in) education, and I think a well-founded fear, is this will lead to a full-blown voucher program. I’m opposed to that. I’m opposed to the voucher language in the bill, I’m opposed to the charter school language in the bill,” Siegrist said. “I don’t think that’s the right way for us to go right now.”
