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State Superintendent John Benson -- who was recommended by WEAC members -- won re-election Tuesday, capturing 55% of the vote against conservative challenger Linda Cross.
In the other statewide race, Supreme Court Justice Jon Wilcox defeated challenger Walter Kelly. Kelly had been recommended by WEAC members.
"This is a big vote of confidence in John Benson and in Wisconsin public schools," WEAC President Terry Craney said Tuesday night. "It's a vote against religious school vouchers and in favor of positive, progressive school improvement."
Benson had campaigned on his record of success -- during his tenure as superintendent, student performance scores continued to rise and dropout rates fell to record lows. Craney said Benson provided real involvement for parents, teachers and communities in their efforts to create high educational standards.
Cross had no administrative experience and was not qualified to serve as a school principal. She held some very conservative views, including support for religious school vouchers. Cross got her job as a teacher during the famous Hortonville teachers strike of 1974 when she crossed the picket lines as a strikebreaker. She still holds the same job in Hortonville.
Craney said Tuesday's results are a signal of support for Benson's rational approach to developing a new set of state educational standards, his opposition to religious school vouchers, his strong battle to preserve an independent Department of Public Instruction and his pursuit of strong policies for school discipline and safety.
"We hope everyone can now move ahead together, behind John Benson's leadership, to make Wisconsin's excellent public school system even better," Craney said.
Four of the six candidates recommended by members of the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association and Madison Teachers Inc. won election to school boards in those cities Tuesday.
In Milwaukee -- WEAC's largest local affiliate -- Charlene Hardin and and Lawrence O'Neil won, although the third recommended candidate, Gregory Coffman, lost.
Hardin defeated incumbent Jared Johnson by just five votes out of 2,904 votes cast.
In Madison -- WEAC's second largest local affiliate -- Deborah Lawson and Juan Jose Lopez won, although the third recommended candidate, Andrea Houlihan, lost.
The most highly contested race was between incumbent Lawson and challenger Thomas Ragatz. Ragatz, who ran primarily on a platform of cutting school spending, was publicly supported by prominent Republicans. Ragatz had raised nearly three times as much as Lawson.
Posted April 1, 1997; Updated April 2, 1997