'I'm not going to teach in Iowa': UNI students explain why they're not sticking around [View all]

She grew up in Ames and went to the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls to become a teacher. But Lydia plans to leave Iowa as soon as she graduates.

“Here at UNI, there’s so much emphasis in our classes on social-emotional learning and inclusion and talking about issues of diversity,” she said. “And then, at the legislative level … there are so many restrictions on prohibiting the types of things we’re encouraged to do here as educators.”

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“When looking for jobs and looking for opportunities, it’s better to look outside of the state; that’s what [that legislation] signals in my opinion,” she said.

These thoughts were shared during a Friday morning listening post held at UNI by State Sen. Eric Giddens, a Democrat whose district includes the college. The theme of the event was, “Why are young people fleeing the state?”

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Other students mentioned a lack of amenities, the state’s abysmal mental health care system, and abortion rights getting chipped away.

...https://iowastartingline.com/2024/02/23/im-not-going-to-teach-in-iowa-uni-students-explain-why-theyre-not-sticking-around/