Hearing on Milwaukee Public Schools

When: Tuesday, January 5, 2010 - 10:00am - 5:00pm CST
Location: 

MPS Central Office (School Board) Auditorium, 5225 W. Vliet St.

9to5 is a part of the Coalition Against the Takeover of MPS schools

The MPS Takeover.  This Coalition came together for the first time in September, when we learned that Mayor Barrett, Gov. Doyle, former State Supt. of Public Instruction Burmaster, and new State Supt. Tony Evers were planning for the Mayor to take over control of MPS, forcing every member of the elected School Board – your board and ours – to give up 99% of their authority. 

 

We know that MPS has had great difficulties for many years.  The school boards and their superintendents over the years have had too few successes.  But there is no good reason for dumping democracy and turning the schools over to the political appointees of this mayor or ANY mayor.  In addition, the current elected MPS Board has been making real progress rebuilding the district – progress bringing back the arts, rebuilding the science curriculum, and more.  

 

The study of mayoral takeovers completed by the Public Policy Forum shows that in swing states, once the legislature changes the governance, it keeps changing it.  In Detroit, for example, the Michigan legislature has changed the governance system 3 times in the past ten years.  In Washingotn, DC, which is controlled by Congress, governance has changed 4 times in the last ten years.  Parents, teachers. and principals complain about the whipsaw effect in swing states!

 

 

 

The Coalition.  We are a diverse group of parents, educators, and community advocates.  We include 28 organizations, united on these three points and working to carry them out:

 

a)  Oppose the mayoral takeover.
b)  Protect and defend voter rights.
c)  Invest in parent and community involvement in our schools.

 

We have held public panel discussions and rallies.  Last week, twenty of our members went to Madison and lobbied state legislatures.  Without the work of our Coalition, there would be NO HEARING in Milwaukee, and the Legislature WOULD ALREADY HAVE PASSED a law allowing the takeover.

 

We want the Mayor to work hand-in-hand with the School Board for the betterment of our children and our schools.  But we oppose the Mayor taking over by force, taking away our democratic right to elect our own School Board representatives.  And don’t be fooled by an organization called Education Reform Now, a school privatization group helping to fund the takeover campaign with out-of-state money.

 

Actions by the Legislature.  At the January 5 public hearing in the MPS auditorium, we will speak directly to members of the State Legislature.  What Milwaukee parents and community members say there will be crucial to the future of MPS – how Milwaukee schools will be run, and whether or not you have a voice in how they are run.  Your presence and your testimony at this hearing will largely determine the future of our schools !!
 
For a mayor to take over a Wisconsin school district, the State Legislature would have to pass a new law.  State Senator Lena Taylor and State Rep. Pedro Colon are trying to convince the rest of the Legislature to do it.  Taylor and Colon would give the Mayor – Barrett now and someone else after he’s gone – sole power to appoint a new MPS Superintendent and a new board of politicians who would serve at the Mayor’s pleasure, on advice from MMAC, the pro-voucher business group. 

 

State Senator Spencer Coggs and State Rep. Tamara Grigsby have been developing an alternative bill that REJECTS a takeover.  They have come to us and listened to our suggestions.  Although our Coalition may not agree with all of the details in the Coggs-Grigsby idea, we agree with it in principle. 

 

YOU, YOUR GOVERNANCE COUNCIL, AND THE PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND PRINCIPAL OF YOUR SCHOOL ARE NEEDED JANUARY 5.  And please come to our meeting this Tuesday, Dec. 22.