Grinnell-Newburg School Board candidates on mask mandates, Critical Race Theory and their five-year-plans for the district thesandb.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thesandb.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
bakernin@grinnell.edu
Grinnell’s new police chief, Michael McClelland, has strong words when it comes to confronting racism in his police department, but as of now he has no specific plans to increase racial bias training or institute new department policies.
Speaking at a Grinnell League of Women Voters (LWV) forum held over Zoom on March 11, McClelland stated that, “If there’s any evidence that my cops are being racist … I’m going to fire them. Plain and simple.”
Audience-members were instructed to send in their questions to the new police chief – most of which were related to racial-bias and police-misconduct – to the LWV at least two days in advance. They were not allowed to ask follow-up questions unless permitted by the moderators.
mikekben@grinnell.edu
Legislation to restrict the teaching about systemic racism in Iowa public schools died before it could reach the governor, but state lawmakers have since passed a new law that restricts early voting, and are pushing ahead during a busy session with legislation to loosen gun control and fund charter schools. Grinnell’s state Representative Dave Maxwell explained his role in the legislature and his views on controversial legislation at a virtual March 6 event hosted by Grinnell’s League of Women Voters.
Grinnell’s newly elected state Senator Dawn Driscoll did not attend the event because of a family emergency, according to Marta Miller of the League of Women Voters, who moderated the event. Driscoll and Maxwell were part of a wave of Republican victories last November which resulted in majorities in both the state House (59 of 100 seats) and state Senate (32 of 50 seats). Republicans also hold the governorship, meaning they have total control over Iowa’s