SRO & Trans Visibility

Update on the School Resource Officer (SRO)

One thing that was illuminated last week, is that Lisa Green-Douglas is the liaison to the CCA School Board. Wow. When I indicated in our last meeting that I had reached out to the school board to ask if they wanted to meet and talk things over, she admonished me with a 'I am already meeting with them as the liaison' while at the same time denying that she knew that they were discussing an SRO. Similarly, Rod Sullivan was clearly upset that I had reached out to the board for a meeting and didn't invite everyone into that conversation. Yet again, I am accused of not knowing my lane as a Supervisor while being chastised for doing my job and reaching out to impacted parties. I often find myself in this position with the two of them and I am so tired of it. There. I said it. Their responses make no sense unless you filter it through the lens of ego.

Also, I do need to clarify my mistake with the amount of money that the county would be committed to for this position. It is not 15% of $500k, which was a number that I got from the almost $1M expense of having two full-time deputies that the city of Tiffin is forking over with their multi-year contract. The actual cost is far less, but regardless, I do not want any county funds going toward having a sheriff's deputy in our schools. This is where my beliefs differ with school board members, and they are just as elected as I am. As I stated in our Board meeting last week, I have already reached out to the school board and asked if they would like to meet to discuss this decision and see if there is a way to work together. I will update here and in our meetings with any movement on that front.

Trans Visibility

There are 381 County Supervisors in Iowa and I am the only one that is transgender. The Iowa General Assembly consists of 150 voting members and Amie Wichtendahl is the only one that is transgender. The City of Coralville has their first transgender city council-member, Katie Freeman. Talya Miller is a transgender human currently serving on the Iowa City Human Rights Commission. See the through line here?

I was just interviewed for a story on the recent law that precludes local governments from enacting their human rights ordinances (boooohisss), but I found out something that was on the one hand surprising and on the other hand exactly who we are: In the past few years, while the state has become a bastion of anti-trans laws, there has been an increase in transgender people running and getting elected to serve our communities. This is obviously surprising because I know so many trans people who have had to leave the state due to the rising anti-human/anti-trans list of laws that have been passed, but it's also exactly who we are- WE STAND UP and lean into the truth of our existence. You cannot legislate us away and we will fight to turn this around because we deserve better and so do our future selves. And we are getting elected because I believe that people crave authenticity and care. Especially right now.

Three with V:

1. So let's come together and celebrate!! Trans Day of Visibility is technically next Tuesday, March 31st, but thanks to our community and especially to my colleague Supervisor Mandi Remington, we HAVE A FULL WEEK!! I will be at every event and hope to see you all there.

2. This is the week of Letters to the Editor!! It would be immensely helpful to have your public support in the form of an LTE. If you would be so kind as to submit one, click here to get that out!

3. Happy Spring!! We just had the Equinox and now we have more sun, so please enjoy being outside. If you would like to join me knocking doors, that would be awesome! Click the link here to sign up :)

Maraming Salamat!!!