Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, turned a few heads July 29 in public remarks in which he called for teachers to be paid $60,000 as a starting salary.
Duncan made the comments at the conference of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, reports Education Week.
Duncan paired his remarks with a call to change the way education is delivered in America, according to prepared remarks:
“We must think radically differently,” he said, according to prepared remarks. “We must ask and answer hard questions on topics that have been off limits in the past like staffing practices and school organization, benefits packages and job security—because the answers may give us more realistic ways to afford these new professional conditions.”
“And it will cost money—and—given the current political climate with the nation wrestling with debt and deficits—I am sure some people will immediately say that we can’t afford it without even looking at how to redirect the money we are already spending—and mis-spending.”
In Iowa, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average beginning teacher salary is $31,753. The average teacher salary in Iowa is more than $10,000 below what Duncan recommended as starting wages.
Duncan also called on colleges and universities to raise their standards for students entering their education training programs.
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