The Milwaukee Post

Teachers union, grass roots group to hold 'Walk In' today By DAVE FIDLIN Special to the Post MILWAUKEE — One by one, a crosssec- tion of public education supporters — par- ents, students, teachers and community members — will rally outside schools in sup- port of independence. The participants will hail from a variety of racial, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Their common bond: They are served by Milwaukee Public Schools. Nearly 100 of MPS' K-12 schools will take part in an organized event, known as a Walk In, today. It is one of several public demon- strations planned in the months ahead as a city organizers seek to thwart an attempt to have an outside commis- sioner oversee some of the district's underper- forming schools. As part of the plan, County Executive Chris Abele will appoint the commissioner. MPS' teachers union, the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association, is organizing the Walk Ins with a grass-roots group, Schools and Communities United. The MTEA has been adamantly opposed to the outside commissioner proposal since the plan first bubbled to the surface this spring. State Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and state Rep. Dale Kooyenga, R- Brookfield, co-authored legislation that out- lined the plan. "This is a privatization scheme; there's no doubt about it," MTEA President Kim Schroeder said. "They do this under the ban- ner of trying to improve the schools. The problem is, this has never been proven to have worked in the past." After working through different channels in Madison, Gov. Scott Walker included the MPS commissioner plan in his 2015-17 bien- nial budget. But a number of questions remain unan- swered as a new school year emerges, includ- ing who would fund the commissioner's salary and which schools would be targeted on the list. By next spring, one to three of MPS' schools could be shifted to the commis- sioner's oversight, and an in-flux timeline suggests Abele could make a decision on the appointee and specific schools this fall. If a news release by Darling could be used as any sort of gauge, Auer Avenue Elementary School could be one of the tar- geted schools. It hit rock bottom on profi- ciency scores in reading during the 2014-15 school year. The MTEA held one of its first demon- strations against the commissioner plan this spring as the prior school year was winding down. Darling, in return, took jabs at the organization. "If the teacher's union was as focused on the kids as they are in fighting reform, Auer's reading proficiency scores wouldn't be zero percent," Darling said in the state- ment. "Even if the unions are giving up on schools like Auer, I won't." While MPS Superintendent Darienne Driver has expressed a willingness to follow through with the plan, if it is implemented, her spokesman this week said the focus at the moment is on the new school year. "We continue to review and analyze the legislation to ensure we understand its com- plexity and its impact on the students in our community," MPS spokesman Tony Tagliavia said. "With the school year now underway, our focus is on improving student outcomes throughout the district." Abele, who has expressed a willingness to carry out the plan, has largely been mum about how he would go about appointing and funding a commissioner since Walker signed his biennial budget. When asked about the status of the process, Abele's spokesman, Nate Holton, directed a reporter to an origi- nal news release that was written in mid- May. "I'm committed to work hard to take this proposal and ensure that its implementation is as successful as it can possibly be," Abele said in the release. "The families in Milwaukee deserve no less." Speaking on behalf of the MTEA, Schroeder said educators across Milwaukee hold a similar commitment, but remain demoralized after enduring several rounds of cuts to public education — including, but not limited to, the Act 10 legislation that stripped teachers unions across the state of most collective bargaining rights. "When you take funding out of public education, this is what happens," Schroeder sad. "It's like buying a car, taking all the gas out and expecting it to still run. It doesn't really make logical sense." 2 • Milwaukee County Post • September 18, 2015 MPS supporters decry planned takeover of some schools Volume 21, issue number 38 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@conleyent.com For editorial questions: Dan Muckelbauer Editor 262-513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Milwaukee Post 3397 S. Howell Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207 Periodicals Postage Paid at Milwaukee, WI. 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