All news
Governor Walker creates state of chaos for schools
Posted: 2/25/2011 8:46:00 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2011
Contact: Brian Washington, 202-403-4808
GOVERNOR WALKER CREATES STATE OF CHAOS FOR SCHOOLS
MADISON – The state of chaos that has been created by Governor Walker in Wisconsin took yet another turn for the worse this week, as several school boards were panicked into issuing non-renewal notices to their entire teaching staff or large portions of them.
“The move by these boards of education, prompted by the governor’s references to impending cuts to public schools, has set off this flurry of action which will have lasting negative impacts on students, educators and schools,” said Mary Bell, a teacher and president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council. “The drastic and careless actions of our governor have thrown local schools unnecessarily into turmoil.”
The impact of this turmoil is felt by dedicated teachers and education support staff from all corners of Wisconsin.
Teachers from Hustisford, Freedom, Sauk Prairie and Belleview are among those in the state who, despite having dedicated themselves to their students for years, have discovered they will receive non-renewal notices. Emotions at Merton Primary School spanned from sadness to uncertainty as affected teachers there filed into the superintendent’s office to be told they’d no longer have jobs when school lets out this spring.
“This is an awful way to be treated when teachers and support staff give all they can, every day, to meet the needs of their students,” Bell said. “The uncertainty and anxiety that’s been created is harmful to the educators affected, their colleagues, their families and their students. Educators understand these are tough times – but we’re essentially cutting off discussions between the districts and the teachers about how to work through these budget challenges together. That’s why it’s so harmful to eliminate collective bargaining – these discussions work.”
While school boards are portraying the non-renewal notices as “layoffs”, non-renewals are really designed to be issued to educators who are deemed to be ineffective or with whom the district may have a performance concern. They are not to be used for budgetary layoffs.
“But due to the drama the governor insists on thrusting on schools and hard-working professionals, these non-renewals are being issued en masse in some districts,” explained Bell. “There are other options that can be used to ensure local school boards can react to the crippling cuts the governor keeps threatening, but he seems intent on using scare tactics to put pressure on teachers.
“Governor Walker is going too far – and Wisconsinites need to take notice of what’s happening before their families and friends are hurt by the chaos his actions have caused,” Bell said.
Not all school districts are resorting to non-renewal notices to prepare for Walker’s impending cuts. The Madison Metropolitan School District and representatives of the local teachers' union today reached an agreement delaying a decision on staffing matters until mid-May. Sun Prairie also took a collaborative approach.
“The ability for school boards and educators to work together to problem solve is at the heart of collective bargaining,” said Bell. “That’s why hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites are bound and determined to have their voices heard on the governor’s ‘budget repair bill’. Educators have given into the concessions he’s asked for – but our voices should not be silenced in our schools.”
##
To arrange an interview with a Wisconsin educator who has been impacted by the use of non-renewal notices at the local level, please contact Brian Washington, 202-403-4808.
