Public School Funding: Fact and Fiction (Part 1)
On July 16th, I heard a news report on WSAU AM 55 that contradicted what I had read two days earlier in the Wausau
Daily Herald. While this occurs occasionally (and perhaps more often than I know), because the subject was the effect that the recently passed Wisconsin 2009-2011 biennial budget was having on public school budgets, it caught my ear and soon my eye as well.
As a former (and hopefully again very soon) public high school social studies teacher, I am personally aware of the issues facing public education, both in terms of curricula and financially, in the United States. As I prepared to speak at the Wisconsin Rapids Tea Party that evening, I began to gather information about one of the points I felt led to address, that being the funding of what we say in this country are our priorities, one of which is public education. What began with a single phone call to the superintendent of the Wausau School District's office to pgather information for my speech led to another call to the Wisconsin Association of School Boards and to two lengthy conversations with the Wausau superintendent that day and Friday, July 17th.
By the time I had finished my second conversation with the superintendent from Wausau, I realized that a story needed to be written on this subject, and by the time I finished over four hours of conversations with legislators, four district superintendents, two business managers, and a former school board presidents last week, I knew too much to put into a single article. I also did not know enough to write the whole story, and I still do not know enough, so more interviews are being scheduled this week.
In the meantime, I promised you last week that I would begin the series of articles on the subject of public school funding in Wisconsin today, and I met the deadline.
Tomorrow, in part 2 of the series, I will explore the background of the issues surrounding school district funding and labor relations, presenting information provided by a legislator and former school board member and a school district business manager with more than 30 years experience on the "business side" of education.
Until then, be blessed.
From the Editor's Desk ArchivesHealth Care Reform: Protecting the Disabled (Part 5) (July 24, 2009)
Health Care Reform: Protecting the Disabled (Part 4) (July 23, 2009)
Health Care Reform: Protecting the Disabled (Part 3) (July 22, 2009)
Health Care Reform: Protecting the Disabled (Part 2) (July 21, 2009)
Health Care Reform: Protecting the Disabled (Part 1) (July 20, 2009)
And Liberty and Justice for All (July 13, 2009)
