This week in Iowa organizing…
Last week the Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock Community School District joined the list of school districts to pass our Public School Strong resolution.
As the Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock board president said, "Increasing financial pressures and the expansion of private school vouchers continue to strain rural public school districts. We believe it is important for lawmakers to prioritize sustainable public school funding so all students have access to a high-quality education."
Kudos to the members and others who helped make this happen! 15 school districts across the state have now passed our resolution, with more districts in the works.
We're one week away from the June 2 primary. Find out how to vote early or on election day through your county auditor or at voterready.iowa.gov.
Read on for more,
Matthew Covington
Strategic Operations Director
Take action
May 28: CCI water tester monthly call
Join us this Thursday at 5 pm for our monthly Zoom gathering for Iowa CCI's water testers. Register here for our May 28 call!
There's a lot happening with the water quality issue right now - and it's election campaign season, news stories about beach closures will start soon, and Nitrate Week is around the corner July 26 - Aug 1.
Now's a great time to share what we're learning with each other and brainstorm ways to use our testing to keep the topic of protecting our water and health hot in the public debate. Join us Thursday on zoom!
May 28: Breaking Bread with Farm Aid
Join Farm Aid for a conversation on farmer mental health, with a spotlight on Farm Aid’s own hotline. Farmers and service providers from North Carolina and Washington State will share their experiences in the wake of climate disasters and why prioritizing mental health is vital.
More info and registration here.
June 22: Public School Strong orientation
15 school boards have passed our resolution calling on the legislature to fully fund public schools at 5% and phase out of the private school vouchers. Will your district be next?
Full funding for public schools starts at the school board level and we invite you to join other Iowans to our next Public School Strong orientation on June 22 at 7 pm on zoom (register here).
At this meeting folks will learn more about what’s behind the attacks on public education, the purpose and goals of Public School Strong, and receive a free PSS t-shirt!
July 25: Building the Iowa We Need statewide convention
Our convention is the one time of year when the CCI Action community (that's you!) gathers from across the state and across issue campaigns to connect, celebrate, learn, strategize, and reenergize for the work ahead -- including this year’s midterm elections.
The election is critically important. And our eye is on the prize of the long-term, transformative changes we need.
It's been hard to watch as lawmakers have spent the last decade tearing down years of hard-fought progress one brick at a time. And in this we have real opportunity to re-envision and rebuild a much better Iowa and country.
Click here to register today! $25 early-bird registration includes speakers, workshops, lunch and more.
Whether you're a longtime CCI Action member, newly engaged in our work, or looking for a boost of inspiration in this moment - this event is for you!
What We're Reading
These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!
The federalization of voter data is hiding a disturbing and sophisticated election theft apparatus [The Existentialist Republic]
School choice is creating two separate school systems [The New York Times]
MAGA sexism is about so much more than misogyny [Growing New Leaders: Perspectives from Coyote Run Farm]
Meet Connecticut's billionaire-backed dark-money Democrat [The American Prospect]
Water wars [David Thoreson]