Council Endorses MPS Reform Plan

A plan to reform Milwaukee Public Schools drafted by a coalition of Milwaukee African-American religious and civic leaders was “loudly applauded” by a labor group this week.

The Milwaukee County Labor Council endorsed the Milwaukee Minority Ministerial Alliance’s proposal to restore vocational and technical education in the school system. Labor Council Secretary-Treasurer John Goldstein said the alliance was “taking the moral initiative and saying that what is now going on in the Milwaukee Public Schools is just not acceptable.”

The alliance has developed a five-part plan to “re-establish modern, up-to-date technical education” in Milwaukee schools.

The plan calls for vocational/trade/technical training in all schools beginning in the 4th grade and continuing through middle and high school.

Credit requirements for MPS graduation would be adjusted to allow students in trade or vocational training to receive at least half of their credits in trade and technical courses.

“To have largely stripped technical education from Milwaukee’s public schools has left our city unable to fill the job needs it has today and has placed the growth of our economy - much less the healthy growth of our economy - in serious jeopardy,” the Rev. Roy Nabors, speaking for the Alliance, told reporters.

Posted February 19, 1997