Iowa students stand up and speak out - Daily Iowan

Students across Iowa spoke Monday at the Senate Education Committee meeting, conveying their experiences of budget cuts in Iowa’s education system. Some legislators, however, found these voices irrelevant and unimportant; Republican Sen. Shawn Hamerlinck told students flat-out that their lobbying was “political propaganda.” As a taxpayer and as a student, I believe involvement in our government is a fundamental tenet of our nation’s democracy. Legislators’ disregard for our participation in a conversation that determines if we as students can one day provide for our families and pursue career goals is not only disappointing — it’s irresponsible.