Walker’s statements misrepresent reality, school officials say

[undeterred]

ALICIA ABERCROMBIE [email protected] JournalTimes.com | Posted: Thursday, July 21, 2011 7:02 am


GREENFIELD — Gov. Scott Walker’s statements that the 2011-13 state education budget puts schools in a good financial position misrepresents the reality for most districts, school officials and parents said during a press conference Wednesday.

School administrators from across the state, including Racine Unified Superintendent Jim Shaw, gathered at the Greenfield School District Administrative Office in Greenfield to speak out against the $800 million in cuts to public education. Each of the 18 officials said the budget will cause larger class sizes, fewer arts and library programs and lower-quality services for their district. For Racine Unified, it means far less money for special and bilingual education services as well, Shaw said.

“We have students with above-average needs in Racine, but we already spend below average,” he said, citing Unified’s high percentage of minority students and students living below the poverty level. “We’re facing a $25 million dollar problem in Racine for the 2011-12 budget year. Next year we’re going to be facing another $10 million deficit for 2012-13.”

Shaw said the district has been forced to make instructional cuts to make up the losses, including the loss of 125 staff members, a wage freeze for remaining faculty and $19 million reduction in benefits. The cuts could continue into next year with more reductions in staff and increases in Unified’s class sizes, he said. “We’ve done all the accounting tricks we can, but we’ve exhausted our solutions,” Shaw said. “I’m especially concerned about how this effects poor children and diverse children in Racine.”

Other school superintendents and board members echoed Shaw, saying the budget would result in a reduction in the quality of public education for Wisconsin’s children.



Read more: http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_718f8750-b391-11e0-9a6b-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1SqDRfciL

[Yon_Yonson]

1. 'Misrepresent reality' is a political correct way of saying Herr Walker is lying

[undeterred]

2. Does Walker understand that businesses will not want

to come to Wisconsin if the public schools are SHIT?

[Yon_Yonson]

3. I think Herr Walker is clueless

He is a psychopath and a dancing puppet for corporate amerika.

[4dsc]

4. Republicans I know are rejoycing over this matter.

Remember when you go to the polls that republicans are attacking our education system.