News Briefs - September 18

Legislative Council committees named

School calendars and school safety are two issues which special state committees will study in coming months. The Legislative Council has announced creation of a variety of special bipartisan study committees that include citizen members. Panels of interest to WEAC members include: School Calendar: Rep. Joe Handrick, chair; Children At Risk: Sen. Peggy Rosenzweig, chair; School Discipline and Safety: Sen. Alberta Darling, chair; Services for Visually Handicapped Students: Rep. Luther Olsen chair. WEAC was successful in securing the appointment of WEAC members to several committees.

Commercialization of public schools on the rise

The 1990s have become the “decade of sponsored schools and commercialized classrooms,” according to a new study. The UW-Milwaukee’s Center for the Analysis of Commercialism in Education reviewed reports of seven types of commercial activities in schools between 1990 and 1997. Professor Alex Molnar says the center found the number of citations of commercial activities rose 154% in that period.

Attorney General calls for school violence plans

Attorney General Jim Doyle is proposing that Wisconsin school districts prepare violence prevention plans. Doyle told seminars on school violence that districts should develop plans for preventing and dealing with violence. Doyle and other speakers at seminars throughout the state said even though school district officials have been very good at preventing incidents, there is still more to be done as violence escalates.

Posted September 18, 1998