Education
Republicans announce hearings on UW free speech issues
Republicans on the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities announced on Tuesday they’d be holding a series of hearings about free speech and “intellectual diversity” on Wisconsin’s public university campuses. Republicans in the state have frequently complained that conservative voices are prevented from participating in campus discussions and earlier this year the University of Wisconsin […]
Weird politics, silent candidates and an insidious news vacuum in Waunakee
In a news void, wild conspiracies take hold, pitting neighbors against neighbors, poisoning civic dialogue and, in some cases, driving the stealth takeover of local government bodies by people with no concern for the real needs of communities. Case in point: Waunakee. Waunakee gained national notoriety a year ago after rightwing radio talk show host […]
Richland Co. board members release plan to save UW-Richland campus
A duo of Richland County board members released a plan Monday that aims to pull the UW-Richland campus from the brink of closure by adding bachelor degree programs, rebuilding the school’s recruitment efforts and sharing space with other local educational institutions. The Richland Center community has been fighting since late last year to keep the […]
GOP bill establishing a federal parental bill of rights passed in U.S. House
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans on Friday passed a bill designed to empower parents to inspect books and other teaching materials in local public schools, but Democrats sharply criticized the measure, saying it would censor teachers and ban books. The legislation, called the Parents Bill of Rights, passed on a 213-208 vote. It would codify […]
Tomahawk mother calls for action after racially insensitive performance
A Tomahawk mother is asking her daughters’ school district to take action, following a fourth grade performance of a Black folk song that featured what seemed to be a student pretending to be a slave catcher chasing another student, pretending to be an enslaved person. “Run, chillun, run, the pattyroller will catch you,” fourth graders […]
GOP bill mandating federal Parents Bill of Rights passed by U.S. House committee
WASHINGTON — A national “Parents Bill of Rights” is headed for a full U.S. House vote after the House Committee on Education and the Workforce early Thursday approved the measure designed to empower parents to inspect books and other teaching materials in schools. Lawmakers on the committee debated the GOP-backed bill that would federally mandate […]
Democrats highlight Evers’ free school meals budget proposal
Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Jill Underly and Democratic lawmakers renewed calls on Monday for Wisconsin to provide free school meals to all students, which they say would improve student wellbeing and academic outcomes, ease financial burdens for families and support Wisconsin’s local economies. Underly, state lawmakers and other stakeholders highlighted the proposal along with two […]
Debate over school resource officers moves to the Capitol
Two Republican-backed bills on school safety made their way to the Assembly Committee on Education last week. Public and private high schools would be required to report data on crimes and incidents that occur on their property under Assembly Bill 53. If 100 incidents occur during a semester then the other bill, Assembly Bill 69, […]
UW System president proposes 5% tuition increase
University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman has proposed a 5% increase in tuition for in-state students, potentially raising the cost of public higher education in the state for the first time since lawmakers instituted a freeze on tuition more than a decade ago. Rothman will ask the UW System Board of Regents to approve […]
Biden student debt relief plan met with skepticism from U.S. Supreme Court conservatives
WASHINGTON — The majority conservative wing of the U.S. Supreme Court appeared skeptical Tuesday that the Biden administration had the authority to implement a federal student debt relief program that was estimated to potentially aid millions of borrowers. The conservative justices, who hold a 6-3 majority on the court, questioned whether the Department of Education […]
Black student loan borrowers at risk as U.S. Supreme Court weighs forgiveness plan
WASHINGTON — As the Biden administration prepares to defend its student debt cancellation program before the U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 28, data shows that Black borrowers have the most to lose should a majority conservative court strike down the policy. Black borrowers hold a disproportionate share of student loan debt, and many likely were […]
Student activists respond to suggestion that police return to Milwaukee schools
Deploying more police officers to Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is again on the table. Nearly three years ago, student activists worked to sever the school district’s ties to the police department. Now, with police calls to several MPS schools increasing, the mayor’s office has signaled that officers could return to some schools. The nod came […]