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Background
A working classroom is one where the students are safe and healthy.
Recent events in Madison, Coon Valley and throughout the country have
given rise to concern over indoor environmental quality in schools.
And concerns persist over school safety following highly publicized
school violence incidents. Educators, parents and other officials are
calling for legislative action to prevent these kinds of incidents from
happening again.
Other states, including Minnesota and Connecticut, have recently taken action to address environmental quality in schools. The Consumer Federation of America has developed model legislation on indoor air quality in schools, and WEAC is working with Wisconsin legislators to have legislation drafted as the Wisconsin School Indoor Environmental Quality Act.
The National Education Goals Panel - a bipartisan organization of federal and state officials -- complimented Wisconsin for improvements in safe, disciplined and alcohol-and drug-free schools. According to the report, only three percent of Wisconsin's students reported that they did not go to school because they felt unsafe.
Nevertheless, those involved with our schools believe three percent of students feeling unsafe is three percent too many. They say the state must commit itself to making sure that every child feels safe at school.
Legislative history
WEAC led efforts to secure passage of 1997 WI Act 335. This law gives
a teacher the authority to remove a pupil from the classroom if the
pupil violates a locally developed code of conduct or is dangerous,
unruly or disruptive, or exhibits behavior that interferes with the
teacher's ability to teach effectively.
During the 1999 legislative session, WEAC Board Member Maria Wenzel served on a bipartisan legislative study committee on school safety and discipline. The committee recommended various improvements to Wisconsin's laws, ranging from adding safety and discipline data to school performance reports, to requiring that every school have a safety plan. These recommendations were signed into law as part of the 1999-2001 state budget.
In September 1999, the Wisconsin Safe Schools Task Force released a report outlining 23 recommendations to keep Wisconsin schools safe for children. WEAC Legislative Committee Chair Michael Walsh served as a public member of that task force. The task force was appointed by Attorney General James Doyle and State Superintendent of Public Instruction John Benson.
WEAC position
WEAC supports the following:
Improve environmental quality in schools
Pass the Wisconsin School Indoor Environmental Quality Act, which, among other things, would require the development of plans by the state and all local school districts that will guide local decisions in the maintenance and construction of schools and the quality of the environment in which children receive instruction.
Adopt revenue cap exemptions for school security measures
Provide school districts with an exemption from revenue caps for costs
related to prevention of criminal activities in schools.
Promote anti-bullying curriculum
Implement programs to promote peer mediation and anti-bullying curriculum in schools.
Telephones in classrooms
Create program to expand the availability of telephones in classrooms.
Add support professionalsl to school discipline law
Include Education Support Professionals (ESP) to the school discipline law so they have the authority to keep classrooms working.
Talking points
Additional information
Contact Bob Burke in the WEAC Government Relations Division at 800-362-
8034 ext. 254 or by e-mail at burkeb@weac.org
with any reactions, comments or questions.
Posted July 26, 2002