The Milwaukee Post

By DAVE FIDLIN Special to the Post MILWAUKEE — While a number of unknowns hang in the balance, officials within Milwaukee Public Schools are brac- ing for a $1.3 million decrease in revenue as the process of building a budget around the upcoming 2016-17 school year progresses. But that shortfall took a backseat as near- ly three-dozen city residents addressed the MPS School Board during a formal hearing on the budget. The overwhelming majority of speakers implored the board to allocate $471,073 for a Black Lives Matter-inspired curriculum. That particular line item has been included in Superintendent Darienne Driver's pro- posed budget, which clocks in at $1.17 billion. The curriculum, outlined in a lengthy resolution that was first introduced by School Board member Larry Miller, would enable the district to hire three new social studies teachers and infuse cultural studies into MPS' curriculum. Black Lives Matter is a three-word phrase that has entered the cultural vernacular in recent years as a series of high-profile offi- cer-involved shootings of black men have gained national attention. Although the phrase is attached to the curriculum, MPS officials adamantly assert none of the allocated funding would go toward the official social justice organiza- tion that bears the same name. Khalil Coleman, 17, was among the speak- ers at the hearing, which was held Tuesday. In addition to rounding out his high school education, Coleman said he serves as a men- tor and is involved in an assortment of civic engagement activities. "We need an honest dialogue of what kids are dealing with," Coleman said. "When we look at the statistics, we see young black kids are the ones being impacted." Jamaal Smith, who chairs the education committee of the NAACP's Milwaukee branch, also favored the Black Lives Matter curriculum. "We shouldn't even be having a debate about it," Smith said. "Our children lack a sense of self. (The resolution) clearly states we're not negating that all lives matter. But this is the start of a community schools plan that we've been pursuing." Several speakers touched on a few other concerns, though almost every comment aired at the two-hour meeting touched on a societal issue. Emily June Breffle, who has been a sub- stitute teacher at MPS this school year, sug- gested the district allocate funds for soil sci- ence programs. Pointing to the food deserts that dot por- tions of Milwaukee's central city, Breffle said she believed the district should do its part in combating the problem so children are not heavily reliant on processed foods. "When we eat junky food, we feel junky and we act junky," Breffle said. Thus far in the budget-building process, several details, including a proposed proper- ty tax levy, have not yet been fully fleshed out. Some of the revenue shortfall will be off- set by a series of cost-saving measures, Driver said, including a $40 million reduc- tion in retiree and health care benefits. Driver said the district plans to increase direct spending on students in the classroom by $26.6 million. Ninety cents of every dollar spent within MPS' operations would go into the classroom, Driver said. The figure cur- rently stands at 87 cents per dollar. The MPS School Board was scheduled to act on the Black Lives Matter proposal and other components within the tentative 2016- 17 budget at its regular meeting Thursday. 2 • Milwaukee County Post • May 27, 2016 Black Lives Matter-inspired curriculum dominates MPS budget discussion Volume 22, issue number 21 The Milwaukee Post (ISSN 1544-1776) is published weekly by Conley Media, Milwaukee County 3397 South Howell Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207 For all departments call: 414-744-6370 News display and advertising FAX: 414-375-7070 Classifieds: 800-762-6219 ext. 5005 Classified Fax: 262-334-6252 For display advertising inquires: 414-744-6370 Barry Richards: Advertising Representative — ext. 13 brichards@conleynet.com Julia LeGath: Advertising Representative — ext. 17 jlegath@conleynet.com Jim Baumgart Advertising Sales Director — 262-513-2621 jbaumgart@conleynet.com For editorial questions: Dan Muckelbauer Editor 262-513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Milwaukee Post 3397 S. 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