Name: Des Moines students 'march for fairness' after state stops after-school activities
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Des Moines students 'march for fairness' after state stops after-school activities

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AdvertisementDes Moines students 'march for fairness' after state stops after-school activitiesMARCUS: RHEYA, THE STUDENTS WHO MARCHED FROM ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL TO TERRACE HILL, THEY SAY THEY HOPE THE GOVERNOR HEARD THEIR MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR. &gt;&gt; I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD PLAY. &gt;&gt; I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD PLAY. MARCUS: THE STUDENTS ARE CLEAR ABOUT THEIR GOAL, THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE SIDELINED BECAUSE FALL ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED. &gt;&gt; WHEN DO WE WANT TO? &gt;&gt; NOW. MARCUS: STUDENTS FROM ALL 5 DES MOINES HIGHS SCHOOL AND STUDENTS FROM AMES HIGH SCHOOL ARE WEARING THEIR FEELINGS ON THEIR SLEEVES, TELLING US THEY HAVE WORKED HARD ESPECIALLY SENIORS AND WANT TO PLAY SPORTS AND BE INVOLVED IN FALL ACTIVITIES. &gt;&gt; NOBODY GOES INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND SAYS I WANT TO PLAY MY SOPHOMORE YEAR. IT IS ABOUT YOUR SENIOR YEAR. THIS IS MY LAST YEAR TO GET ALL MY HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES IN. MARCUS: THEY FEEL LIKE PAWNS IN A POLITICAL GAME BEING PLAYED BY THE GOVERNOR AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THE STUDENTS DO NOT LIKE IT, SAYING THE DISTRICT SHOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE THE BEST WAY TO EDUCATE ITS STUDENTS WITH OUT LOSING EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. THEIR GOAL MONDAY IS TO SCHOOL THE GOVERNOR ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT AND WHY POLITICS SHOULD NOT BE AT PLAY. &gt;&gt; S PLAY. MARCUS: -- &gt;&gt; LET US PLAY. MARCUS: AND THEY WONDER IF THE GOVERNOR AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TOOK THEIR FEELING INTO CONSIDERATION. &gt;&gt; I DON’T THINK EVERYONE KNOWS HOW HEARTBREAKING IT IS. I KNOW OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTORS ARE WORKING HARD, THEY HAD A SENIOR NIGHT AND THEY DIDN’T GET TO WALK ACROSS THE FIELD IN FRONT OF ANYBODY. IT WAS HEARTBREAKING. MARCUS: WE REACHED OUT TO THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE FOR COMMENT. WE RECEIVED A STATEMENT THAT READS IN PART, "GOVERNOR REYNOLDS IS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO DEVELOP A RETURN TO LEARN PLAN THAT MEETS THE EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTH NEEDS OF IOWA’S CHILDREN AS NEARLY ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATEAdvertisementDes Moines students 'march for fairness' after state stops after-school activitiesHundreds of Des Moines students held a ‘Student March for Fairness” to Terrace Hill Monday in protest of a decision to suspend all sports and activities at the start of the school year.Des Moines Public Schools begins the school year Tuesday with 100% virtual learningThe district announced Thursday that it would suspend after-school activities in accordance with guidance from the Iowa Department of Education.Roosevelt High School senior Tabitha Keith said she believes the school district made a responsible decision, but her senior year of volleyball should not be taken away because of it."The safety, and the argument of safety, are being ignored,” Keith said. “That these activities are really trying hard and we are abiding by the CDC guidelines and making it as safe as possible."Des Moines Public Schools filed a lawsuit after the Iowa Department of Education denied its waiver to begin the year with virtual learning.The lawsuit argues that school districts should have the power to make decisions for their schools over the state.“Other districts in the state are being allowed to let their students go completely virtual and they are still allowed to participate in extracurriculars,” Keith said. “I fail to see the difference between my district choosing for my health and safety and I'm not allowed to participate in extracurriculars.”Students at the march said they worked hard with the goal of playing their senior year, which they believe is being taken away from them.They said they hope Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education do the right thing and let them play.The Office of the Governor said in a statement, "Gov. Reynolds is committed to working with Des Moines Public Schools to develop a Return to Learn plan that meets the educational and health needs of Iowa's children as nearly all school districts in the state have done."Hundreds of Des Moines students held a ‘Student March for Fairness” to Terrace Hill Monday in protest of a decision to suspend all sports and activities at the start of the school year.Des Moines Public Schools begins the school year Tuesday with 100% virtual learningAdvertisementThe district announced Thursday that it would suspend after-school activities in accordance with guidance from the Iowa Department of Education.Roosevelt High School senior Tabitha Keith said she believes the school district made a responsible decision, but her senior year of volleyball should not be taken away because of it."The safety, and the argument of safety, are being ignored,” Keith said. “That these activities are really trying hard and we are abiding by the CDC guidelines and making it as safe as possible."Des Moines Public Schools after the Iowa Department of Education denied its waiver to begin the year with virtual learning.The lawsuit argues that school districts should have the power to make decisions for their schools over the state.“Other districts in the state are being allowed to let their students go completely virtual and they are still allowed to participate in extracurriculars,” Keith said. “I fail to see the difference between my district choosing for my health and safety and I'm not allowed to participate in extracurriculars.”Students at the march said they worked hard with the goal of playing their senior year, which they believe is being taken away from them.They said they hope Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education do the right thing and let them play.The Office of the Governor said in a statement, "Gov. Reynolds is committed to working with Des Moines Public Schools to develop a Return to Learn plan that meets the educational and health needs of Iowa's children as nearly all school districts in the state have done."Loading more articles...

AdvertisementDes Moines students 'march for fairness' after state stops after-school activitiesMARCUS: RHEYA, THE STUDENTS WHO MARCHED FROM ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL TO TERRACE HILL, THEY SAY THEY HOPE THE GOVERNOR HEARD THEIR MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR. &gt;&gt; I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD PLAY. &gt;&gt; I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD PLAY. MARCUS: THE STUDENTS ARE CLEAR ABOUT THEIR GOAL, THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE SIDELINED BECAUSE FALL ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED. &gt;&gt; WHEN DO WE WANT TO? &gt;&gt; NOW. MARCUS: STUDENTS FROM ALL 5 DES MOINES HIGHS SCHOOL AND STUDENTS FROM AMES HIGH SCHOOL ARE WEARING...

Des Moines students 'march for fairness' after state stops after-school activities

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