Letter to the Editor: "Is this how an effective leader operates? I think not."

(The following Letter to the Editor has been submitted by Pat McClure Anderson of Decorah):

"I imagine administrators, faculty, and staff in Iowa's K-12 schools are suffering a severe case of whiplash at this time.  School districts were mandated to submit their "Return to Learn" plans to the Iowa Department of Education by July 1st. At that time, DOE guidelines for those plans did not include the mandate that face-to-face instruction was required. Department officials informed school districts to plan for three possible scenarios: (1) in person learning; (2) virtual learning; (3) a hybrid of the two previous alternatives.

However, on July 15th, Governor Reynolds mandated that all K-12 schools should return to classrooms implementing face-to-face instruction. What happened to the virtual learning option? Is this how an effective leader operates? I think not. If school superintendents led their districts in the irresponsible and inefficient manner modeled by Governor Reynolds, those superintendents would be fired. Loss of her job should be the same result for Governor Reynolds.