Cedar Rapids School Board members listen to survey results during a 2024 meeting. Nancy Humbles, left, chose not to run for reelection this year. Kaitlyn Byers, center, was elected in 2023. Jen Neumann, right, is one of three board members asked to resign. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — State Sen. Molly Donahue is calling for the resignations of three members of the Cedar Rapids Community School District’s Board of Education following the failure of a school bond measure in the Nov. 4 election.

In her official capacity as District 37 senator, Donahue called for the immediate resignations of School Board President Cindy Garlock, past president David Tominsky and at-large member Jen Neumann.

All three were elected in 2019 and reelected in 2023, with their terms expiring in 2027. Messages were sent to the three, asking for their response to the letter.

See Cedar Rapids election results for Nov. 4, 2025

David Tominsky, in white shirt, participates in a School Board meeting in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

“As an Iowa State Senator and a lifelong educator, I have an obligation to speak plainly when the wellbeing of our students and schools is at stake,” Donahue wrote. “The failure of the Cedar Rapids school bond — after years of planning, significant public dollars, and countless opportunities to engage the community — is a clear and undeniable message: this board’s remaining leadership has lost the confidence of the people it serves.”

Donahue claimed the three had ample time and resources to deliver a transparent, community-supported plan for the district.

While the $117 million bond measure received a majority of support, it was just shy of the 60 percent approval required to pass, garnering 59.28 percent, with 13,537 “yes” votes to 9,299 voting against the measure, according to unofficial results.

After the overwhelming failure of the school district’s $220 million bond referendum in November 2023, the board hired Shive-Hattery Architecture & Engineering for $850,000 to conduct a survey surrounding reasons for the failure and to direct this year’s bond referendum.

The “vote yes” campaign spent heavily on mail advertisements in the weeks leading up to Election Day.

Three new School Board members were elected on Tuesday. Donahue did not call for the resignation of the seventh member, Kaitlyn Byers, who was first elected in 2023.

“The district needs a reset,” Donahue wrote. “It is time for change — and that begins with your resignations from the board.”

More: Challengers say Cedar Rapids School Board needs new leadership

Kami Steichen takes the oath of office as Cedar Rapids Community School District Board of Education secretary, as administered by board President Cindy Garlock, on Feb. 3, 2025, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jennifer Borcherding, left, and Marcy Roundtree, right, both lost their bids for reelection on Nov. 4, 2025. (photo/Cindy Hadish)