U.S. Congresswoman Cindy Axne

As some Iowa schools have chosen this week to hold classes 100% virtually this fall despite Governor Kim Reynolds’ guidance, the U.S. Representative for Iowa’s Third District comments on the matter.

Congresswoman Cindy Axne (D) tells Raccoon Valley Radio that as a parent of two children with one of them currently in high school, she understands the challenges school districts are facing with the pandemic. She comments on the Waukee School District’s decision to move forward with a hybrid learning model, “I saw the statement from (the) Waukee School Board on Monday and I agree with them, this should be local control. Our school districts know what’s best for their students, they know what the parents want, and they know the best way to educate our kids safely and they should listen. This is how we’ve always functioned with local districts making sure that they address the concerns of their schools, it shouldn’t change now and they’re in the best placement to understand what those families and teachers need.”

Iowa is one of a minority of U.S. states that currently doesn’t have any mask mandate in effect, which Axne wishes Governor Reynolds would enact, as well as a shelter-in-place order months ago. She says the best way that the U.S. could have prevented the economic downturn during the pandemic would have been to put healthcare concerns first, which she says in contrast the federal response has been piecemeal. You can hear more from Axne during Thursday’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County program online at raccoonvalleyradio.com.