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Heads up! We have scanned the upcoming agenda for Van Meter Comm School District. We found 6 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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District to Spend $3,000 on Superintendent ‘Promise’ Network
The district is spending $3,000 for the Superintendent to join the ‘AASA Region 3 Hub,’ a network focused on implementing ‘The Public Education Promise.’ This program uses vague terms like ‘Real Skills for Real Life’ and ‘learner-centered systems,’ which are often euphemisms for shifting focus away from core academics toward progressive social agendas.
Recommended Action Plan
REJECT IDEOLOGICAL TRAINING: Contact the Board (see the Official Agenda link for details): ‘Regarding Item G.b.v, I urge you to vote NO on spending $3,000 for the AASA Hub. Our district’s focus should be on academic excellence, not on implementing a national progressive agenda.’
💰 Impact: $3,000
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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Board Proposes 7:00 AM Meetings, Sidelining Working Parents
The board is proposing to hold its June, July, August, and November meetings at 7:00 a.m. This time is extremely difficult for most working parents to attend, which will reduce public participation and oversight on important decisions made during those months.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND ACCESSIBLE MEETINGS: Contact the Board (see the Official Agenda link for details): ‘Regarding Item G.b.iii, please schedule all board meetings at times that allow working parents to attend. Moving meetings to 7:00 a.m. silences the community you are elected to serve.’
💰 Impact: Reduced Parental Oversight
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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Tax Dollars Fund Political Lobbying via Superintendent Group
Buried in the bills list under the consent agenda is a $4,000 payment for the superintendent’s membership in the AASA. This national organization actively lobbies state and federal governments on education policy, often taking positions that undermine parental rights and local control. This uses our local tax dollars to fund political lobbying.
Recommended Action Plan
PULL THE ITEM: Contact the Board (see the Official Agenda link for details): ‘Pull the AASA membership fee from the Consent Agenda bill list (Item H.a.ii) for a separate vote. Van Meter taxpayers should not be funding a national political lobbying group.’
💰 Impact: $4,000 (Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying)
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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Vague Contract Hidden in Consent Agenda
The consent agenda includes a vague contract with Sioux City Community Schools for ‘Contracted Service for Regular Education.’ The agenda provides no details or attached documents explaining what services are being purchased or for how much, preventing any public scrutiny before the vote.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Contact the Board (see the Official Agenda link for details): ‘I demand Consent Item H.a.v, the contract with Sioux City Schools, be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate discussion and roll-call vote. Parents deserve to know what this contract is for before our money is spent.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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District Approves More Unproven Student Screen Time
The district is approving payments for several student-facing software programs, including Imagine Learning ($1,461), WordFlight ($2,010), and BEAST Enrichment Online ($1,625). The board has not presented any independent, non-vendor-supplied evidence that these programs improve academic outcomes, nor have they disclosed how much daily screen time they add for students.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND EVIDENCE: Contact the Board (see the Official Agenda link for details): ‘Regarding the EdTech payments in Item H.a.ii, please publish the independent, third-party evidence demonstrating these products’ academic effectiveness and state the total daily screen time they will add for a typical student before approving payment.’
💰 Impact: $5,096 (plus screen time)
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✅ Wins to Defend
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
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| Major Win (LEVEL 8) |
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WIN: Board Moves to Protect Religious Freedom for Students
The board is voting to adopt updates to Policy 107, which explicitly protects students’ and staff’s rights to constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression. The policy ensures religious student groups have equal access to facilities and that student work is graded on academic merit, not its religious content.
How to Lock It In
SECURE THE WIN: Show up to thank the Board for adopting Policy 107. This positive action protects religious freedom for our kids and should be publicly praised to ensure it stands and serves as a model for other districts.
✅ Why It Matters: Protecting First Amendment Rights
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