Senate Journal: Page 87: Friday, January 15, 1999

  In the face of growing research, we can no longer accept that an education
  starts
  with kindergarten.  An education begins at birth.  With new jobs being
  created every
  day, and new skills being required every day, we can no longer afford to
  allow
  graduation to signal the end of an Iowan's education.  In Iowa, an education
  never ends -
  it is lifelong.

  We must create a lifelong learning system.  We must be willing to help equip
  parents to be their child's first and best teachers.  We must invest in
  early childhood
  education so all of our children start school ready to learn.  We must
  reduce class sizes
  in the early grades and improve teacher training to ensure that the basics
  are taught
  well - to lay a strong foundation for future learning.  We must instill in
  each student
  the knowledge they will individually need to become productive citizens.
  Our children
  must have access to technology and master its use.  We must always be sure
  that what
  we teach is what we need to learn.  In short, we must create an educational
  system
  that embodies excellence and that enables everyone to learn well.  Let us
  strive for a
  world class education system from pre-school to graduate school that is the
  envy of the
  nation and the world.  Nothing short of that commitment will enable us to
  hold true to
  the traditions of our past and insure the security of our future.

  With a real commitment from all of us, today's dream of a quality education
  will
  build stronger families for Iowa's tomorrow.

  At the heart of our sense of community is a shared concern for each other.
  Today
  we face stern challenges to that sense of community.

  Every day dangerous drugs are shipped into our state, grown in our fields,
  or made
  in our neighborhoods.  Each decade, the drugs become more dangerous, more
  addicting, and more devastating.

  The time has come for each of us to recognize a personal duty.  The time has
  come
  for each of us to send a strong and clear signal that we have had enough.

  While we will and we must do all we can do to stop the supply of these drugs
  - we
  will never succeed until we stop the demand for these drugs.  Every adult in
  this state
  that works with or cares for the children of this state should accept
  personal
  responsibility to educate our children about the dangers of drugs of all
  kinds -
  cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and the most dangerous of all meth.  To help
  those
  young people that make the mistake of taking drugs and become addicted to
  them, we
  must dedicate adequate resources to their successful treatment.  And for
  those who fail
  to heed our community's warning about dealing in drugs, we should be
  prepared to
  respond with swift, sure, and appropriate punishment.

  Whether we provide quality health care for our most vulnerable populations -
  our
  young children, our frail elderly, and those with disabilities will
  determine the level of
  our dedication to community.  Every day tens of thousands of our children go
  without
  basic health care because their working parents cannot afford the cost of
  health
  insurance.  Countless times I have seen communities respond when a child was
  in
  need.  Why - because we are a people - a community with a tradition of
  helping those
  in need.  Let us strengthen our community by extending access to quality
  health care
  to all of our children.  At the same time, let us recognize the same
  responsibility to
  reach out to protect our frail elderly and to assist those with
  disabilities.

  With a real commitment from all of us, today's dream of a drug-free Iowa
  where our
  most vulnerable have access to basic and quality health care will build
  stronger
  communities for tomorrow's Iowa.

© 1999 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

Comments about this site or page? sjourn@legis.iowa.gov.
Please remember that the person listed above does not vote on bills. Direct all comments concerning legislation to State Legislators.

Last update: Fri Jan 29 13:40:38 CST 1999
URL: /DOCS/GA/78GA/Session.1/SJournal/00000/00087.html
jhf