WHERE IS the OUTRAGE? Julie Mead, UW Professor on Education Policy, “Public Schools are for all Children.” This past Saturday, I attended a small gathering of concerned citizen who gathered at the Senior Housing Center on West Main in Madison, Wisconsin. The Madison Institute, held a Progressive Roundtable Presents: “The Future of Public Education in Wisconsin?” The subject was Charter Schools and Voucher Schools and that fact that the State of Wisconsin has created two public systems. The subject of Racism was discussed more than once, around Madison Prep and inequalities in the schools, race-based, and economic. The economics of poverty was the number one issue to tackle meeting the needs of children. There was whole list. Public schools are made accountable and here in Madison and where two charter schools: were shut down from public funding, for now. Was not debated. It was in Milwaukee that voucher programs started out from to help poor students and their parents to have a choice to move their children from a public school to a private one with a voucher. Currently, the amendments made to the original program, have moved funding away from economic social justice– help the poorest with public funds toward charter schools, are funded with public monies for all, rich or poor– the program was co-oped. AND NOW there are “Charter-School Factories” waiting at the state line, to come in, get funded, and then leave. Rep. Dianne Hesselbein told us about “Life Skills Academy” a charter school in Milwaukee that closed in the middle of the night. Leaving 67 students without a place to go in the morning. The students were academically, UN-prepared and very far behind, because at the “Life skills Academy” where they were attended, had not taught them some basics. The good news came from Julie Mead, she cited a study that stated, students who enter public schools, from private ones do very well.
Milwaukee County is a test market on many issues, and in educational funding, it receives 88,6% of funds for parents to receive vouchers for schooling. Public schools are not failing, there, they are being “Starved out!” and that is systematic. Milwaukee County, authorizes, the Charter Schools. A charter exists between the district for funding. This is not a hard issue to follow. We must follow it. If you have not called and spoke to your legislator, today, you could do so, to get up to date on this issue. Ellen Lingren, President of Cross-Plains School District, “Our communities are failing.” It is up to us to save our schools, our public-funded schools. “Not for profit is something that public schools should worry about.” Stop The Charter School Bill (SB-22)!! This bill attempts to start a Central Chartering Board, that will make the state and authority to fund, charter schools, that gate must not be opened. That will allow schools for profit, to have no certification, no accountability, put rural districts at risk, and pull local control. This week is “School Choice Week” and I will vote for one PUBLIC, not two.
