Recently, Democrats in the Iowa Senate introduced a proposal that would allow terminally ill patients to self-administer prescription drugs to end their own lives.
The right-to-die bill did not advance, and was strongly opposed by the governor, but it did spark an emotional debate over individual freedom to end personal suffering versus protection of the sanctity of life.
On this edition of River to River, Ben Kieffer hosts a discussion on the so-called “death with dignity” movement. He talks with Des Moines Register reporter Bill Petroski, as well as caregivers who deal with end of life issues every day, Lori Bishop, vice president of Clinical Services for UnityPoint at Home, and Karla Earnest, executive director of Iowa City Hospice.
Then, a conversation on new research that shows how learning improves when teachers recognize diversity in the classroom and treat it as a positive asset.