Screenshot of packed house from Bleeding Heartland YT
Here’s the story by Joanna Schroeder, Iowa Capital Dispatch
May 16, 2026
Dozens of former West Des Moines teachers expressed their disappointment with U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson Saturday at the Iowa State Capitol during the launch of a new grassroots organization, Iowans for Decency.
During the event, bipartisan retired educators accused Hinson, R-Iowa, who is running for U.S. Senate, of failing to demonstrate decency. In a letter signed by more than 60 retired educators, they highlighted 14 specific areas in which they said she has failed to represent Iowans.
“Your votes, allegiances, and beliefs do not represent common decency, the heart of what we wanted you to learn here,” the letter states. “We believe it is not time for you to graduate to the United States Senate, but rather for you to reflect. Who have you become?”
Retired teachers stood at the podium holding up lined black signs with chalked messages detailing how participants believe Hinson has failed to demonstrate decency. Areas highlighted included: hurting Iowans, starting wars, kidnapping immigrants, spending recklessly, starving Americans, destroying nature, defunding education, taking down the media, eliminating health care, alienating allies, lying to constituents, disapproving of others, ignoring corruption and dismantling the future.
Kathy Meyer, retired teacher from West Des Moines, expressed concern for Hinson’s support of the current administration, one reason why she joined Iowans for Decency.
“When she was growing up, she was gifted a lot of privilege and now she has privilege and power,” Meyer said. “She’s used that to make the Big Beautiful Bill instead of a Big Beautiful Life for our kids and my grand kids. I just want to know who she has become.”
Retired West Des Moines English teacher Nick Nelsen and Iowans for Decency member, spoke about the current level of corruption and also highlighted Hinson’s claim she will be the president’s biggest ally in the Senate as a major issue for him.
“Historically, when you look at our current politicians, how has that level of decency declined, especially over the last 10 or 15 years? The coarseness in public discussion is unacceptable,” Nelsen said. “But it’s really the policies that bother me the most. We have a president who is using genocide as a negotiating tool, threatening to wipe out an entire civilization.”
Nelsen cited a sign outside the Capitol rotunda that said, “Nothing is politically correct that is morally wrong.”
“We are making some morally wrong decisions, morally wrong policies,” he said, and asked during the event, “Why don’t you act with integrity?”
The retired teachers expressed education as a major concern.
“You received an outstanding public education in West Des Moines. However, now because of your record of defunding districts and privatizing education in Iowa, we are fearful of what you will do to further eliminate public education as a senator,” their letter stated. “You back an administration who has hollowed out the Department of Education, reversed civil rights protections, wiped out higher education funds and eliminated programs for our most vulnerable students. Why don’t you value education for others?”
Defunding education is also happening at the state level, Meyer said. “The State of Iowa has constantly defunded public education and the voucher system is just driving our schools to bankruptcy. It’s just insidious.”
Erika Cook, Ph.D., agrees. She began her educational career in the West Des Moines School District then moved away. She returned as an associate principle of academics at Valley High School and then became an administrator and chief academic officer for the State of Iowa until her retirement. In this role she was in charge of teaching, learning and educator quality.
Over the past 20 years, Iowa has dropped from the top five in education to somewhere in the middle according to a report by U.S. News & World Report.
“Our educational system in Iowa has been perpetually underfunded for many years,” Cook said. “When we start squeezing money and we only give schools less than 3% every year, it does not even keep up with inflation. What you see is cuts in educators, and 80% of a district’s budget is made up of personnel.”
Cook said teachers and personnel are the most important elements in a school since they are the ones who work with the children. “When it’s cut and they’re cut, that reduces services and programming for students. We’re seeing schools in rural Iowa go down to four days a week and close and consolidate. It’s very sad,” she said.
Despite persistent underfunding, Cook said students still have the very best teachers in front of them to give all the tools, skill and knowledge they need to succeed in the world. “What they do with it is their choice. Some people go out to make the world a better place and they do amazing things,” Cook said, “and then unfortunately, there might be a few that choose to do differently.”
The letter ended by stating, “You are failing your state and country. Your actions are antithetical to good and just decency. We hoped you had learned stronger values after being raised in West Des Moines.”
The Hinson campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Peter Hedges, author, Valley West High School graduate and a founder of Iowans for Decency, holds up a teacher appreciation card May 16, 2026 at the Iowa Capitol during a launch of the grassroots organization. (Photo by Joanna Schroeder for Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Iowans for Decency was founded by a group of former Valley West High School graduates who were concerned about a lack of decency in current politics. One of the founding members, and master of ceremonies, Peter Hedges, is best known for his novel and film, “What’s eating Gilbert Grape,” set in Iowa. During the presentation, he along with all the speakers, shared how a teacher impacted their life.
Organization treasurer Dr. Jay Brown said that while Iowans for Decency members see their role largely as truth tellers, they have no intention of making personal attacks. Their concern, Brown said, is around the indecent policies that Hinson enacts and big-monied interests that she serves.
“Corruption is a given. Any other administration that would have had corruption at this level we would have had astounding protests,” Nelsen said. “We would have had calls for change, but somehow that’s acceptable to a certain segment of the population. And Ashley is his biggest supporter.”
Nelsen noted the wealth gap is now larger than it has ever been. “This looks like an administration that’s looking to enrich the richest people. People I’m working with in the schools aren’t going to be billionaires. They’re going to want jobs. They’re going to want clean water. They’re going to want healthy food. They’re going to want insurance. They’re going to want a compassionate government that cares for them,” he said.
Cook said she believes what is happening now is not conversative versus liberal policies, but right versus wrong. “I believe that now is a time that we have to stand up for decency. I know Iowans are smart enough to see when she says that she is going to be Trump’s top ally in the Senate that that’s not going to start when she becomes a senator, but it’s been happening since she’s been a congresswoman.”
Cook added, “I actually think the saddest part is that we see a lot of corruption coming out of Washington, D.C., and she’s voting. She’s just not saying anything. I think Iowans know the difference between right and wrong. I think Iowans should stand up for what’s right.”
“It’s going to take all of us to keep our democracy strong.”
Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com.
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Video of event at Bleeding Heartland YT channel
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