Todd,

Congratulations on your big win Tuesday evening. My wife and I are long
time educators who feel it is imperative to get a friend of education into
house seat 52. In fact my wife Suzan, a social studies instructor at
Nashua-Plainfield, spent one day of her Christmas break making phone
calls for your campaign. I serve as Secondary Principal at RRMR.
I have some real fears about Governor Branstad's education reform. Rural
schools, such as RRMR, will not be able to fully fund the career pathways
that the Governor wants to institute. We do not have the manpower, or the
resources, to take a mentoring teacher out of the classroom for half of
every day. I need my best teachers teaching kids. Likewise, we will not be
able to hire first year teachers who, by law, will have part of the day freed
up for mentoring sessions. It may sound good in theory, but I question the
practicality of this for smaller districts. I do not have a great teacher
warming up in the bullpen to replace my Trigonometry teacher. I have just
one.
I would also request that you work with your House colleagues to
immediately pass allowable growth for education. No growth means more
cuts and layoffs. If that is the will of the governor and the legislative
branch, we need to know so that we can issues pink slips. It seems with
the large government surplus, plus the sacrifices for K-12 education over
recent years, that 4% allowable growth should be a high priority agenda
item.
Again, I agree with many of the lofty goals for education reform, but remain
skeptical of the practicality of the Governors plans. I encourage you to
work for education and to fully fund our existing needs and work toward
sustainable reform for the future. I look forward to working with you in the
coming years.
Sincerely,
Keith Turner
Secondary Principal/RRMR

Keith,

Thank you for contacting me and thank you to your wife

for assisting with the campaign.
You certainly have a friend in the house for education. I
support 4% allowable growth. I understand the
importance of setting allowable growth early. In the
months ahead, please feel free to contact me any time.
I will appreciate your input as I deal with legislation
coming thru.
My cell is 641 220 0798.
Thanks,
Todd
Amanda,
My wife and I are long time educators who appreciate your support of
public education through the years. My wife Suzan is a social studies
instructor at Nashua-Plainfield and I serve as Secondary Principal at
RRMR.
I have some real fears about Governor Branstad's education reform. Rural
schools, such as RRMR, will not be able to fully fund the career pathways
that the Governor wants to institute. We do not have the manpower, or the
resources, to take a mentoring teacher out of the classroom for half of
every day. I need my best teachers teaching kids. Likewise, we will not be
able to hire first year teachers who, by law, will have part of the day freed
up for mentoring sessions. It may sound good in theory, but I question the
practicality of this for smaller districts. I do not have a great teacher
warming up in the bullpen to replace my Trigonometry teacher. I have just
one.
I would also request that you work with your House colleagues to
immediately pass allowable growth for education. No growth means more
cuts and layoffs. If that is the will of the governor and the legislative
branch, we need to know so that we can issues pink slips. It seems with
the large government surplus, plus the sacrifices for K-12 education over
recent years, that 4% allowable growth should be a high priority agenda

item.
Again, I agree with many of the lofty goals for education reform, but remain
skeptical of the practicality of the Governors plans. I encourage you to
continue to work for education and to fully fund our existing needs and
work toward sustainable reform for the future. I look forward to working
with you in the coming years.
Sincerely,
Keith Turner
Secondary Principal/RRMR
Keith: Thank you for your email on Ed reform and allowable growth.
First of all, I had your father for a teacher and yes he was as good as
everyone says he was. He made class very interesting.
On allowable growth, we are moving that legislation in the Senate next
week. It will be important to encourages the House and Governor to get
on board. It is necessary now and we both know all the reasons why.
On Ed Reform, I really appreciate your comments. I would like to pass
these comments on to Sen. Quirmbach who is running the bill in the
Senate. Do you mind if I share them with him? Having attended a smaller
school, I understand the restraints and different dynamics.
Thank you again for taking the time to email. Sincerely, Amanda Ragan
Josh,
I wanted to register my displeasure with the direction that some within the
Republican party want to take the Iowa assembly this year. Impeachment
of the Iowa Supreme Court justices is a direct attack on the separation of
powers that should be protected by the Iowa constitution. Checks and
balances on the judicial branch allow for a retention vote of the people. In
the case of criminal activity, the Iowa house has the obligation and power
of impeachment. But, ruling on a laws constitutionality brought to the
courts is the job of the judges and is no way criminal activity, nor for that
matter judicial activism.
I supported your candicy because, after meeting you and reading your
views, I felt that you were the best candidate to deal with issues of rural

Iowa, specifically education issues. This discussion will only serve to harm
the people of Iowa and further alienate the Republican Party from the
young voters that they should be seeking. I hope that you nor the Iowa
legislature will be on the wrong side of history.
Sincerely,
Keith Turner
Secondary Principal/RRMR
I am with you 100% on this issue. I am very disappointed with the three
freshman legislators who are acting as Bob Vander Plaat's puppets. I WILL
NOT support this impeachment activity. I also know that Republican
leadership does not support this approach either.
I thank you for your support during the election and would appreciate your
continued support in the future.
Thanks for you email
Josh