Education
Crandon Mine Purchase Anniversary Celebration Held Last Saturday
By Tina L. Van Zile, Environmental Director
Last Saturday was the 20th Anniversary Celebration for the historic Crandon Mine Purchase. Events were held at the Mole Lake Casino and Lodge Conference Center and the Forest County Potawatomi Community Center. We started the day off with an opening drum song from the Sokaogon Singers, and their second song brought in the Sokaogon Chippewa Veterans Color Guard.
Chairman Robert Van Zile, Jr. and Chairman James A. Crawford each welcomed everyone to the glorious day. Then Chairman Van Zile offered a prayer for ...
Ban Censorship Not Books
“If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be open to all – except the censor. We must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms. Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors.” President John F Kennedy
Efforts to ban books and to censor what is taught in public schools have increased dramatically in the last two years. Since 2021, a handful of right-w...
DON’T DEFUND THE MARATHON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
On Wednesday, November 8, at 6 PM, the Wausau UU Social Justice will be having Beth Rosenberg Martin speak about the current state of things at the Marathon County Public Library and what we can do to become involved. We need full funding and common-sense people on our County Board to deliver this for starters.
The public is welcome. Please visit the Facebook page Don’t Defund the Marathon County Public Library and sign the petition also.
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF OFFENSE
With almost unanimous bipartisan support, the U.S. Congress now spends nearly a trillion dollars a year – repeat that – a trillion dollars a year, on the Department of Defense. If one includes the Department of Homeland Security and the care of disabled veterans, it is actually more than a trillion. This represents the lion’s portion of the U.S. discretionary budget.
What this “defense” budget means in real terms is that all of the physical resources, all of the knowledge, all of the science and engineering, all of the development, all of the jobs, that ...
Memories and Condolences for Theresa Miles
It is with sad hearts we bid farewell to Theresa ("Myrt") R. Miles, who passed away on Monday, August 1, 2023, after a courageous nine-year battle with cancer. At a time when public education has been under siege, Theresa stood out historically as a champion of public education from the start of her career. She began her career in Wausau in 1973, teaching at GD Jones before moving to Rib Mountain Elementary. At Rib, she taught first grade for 30 years. She also became the "literacy coordinator" in the WSD, coaching other teachers in the district. Numerous students ...
Learning From Finland on Public Education
“Finland is leading the way because of common-sense practices and a holistic teaching environment that strives for equity over excellence.” World Economic Forum, “10 reasons why Finland's education system is the best in the world,” September 10, 2018.
“We prepare children to learn how to learn, not how to take a test,” Finland’s head of the Ministry of Education and Culture (a former teacher). Finland does not do standardized student achievement testing like in the United States.
Finland is a world leader in education. For many years Finland has been ...
BOOK BANNING AND OTHER CENSORSHIP
No one should be dictating what you can and cannot read. It appears this is becoming a trend in our nation. We need you to help stop it in its tracks. We do not need a rating system either. If you are old enough to go to the library yourself, you’re old enough to pick out books. In the world we live in, the library is the one safe place where children can get solid factual materials. Take a moment to watch the video at the bottom of this article by Donna Jo Napoli, “What Children (and Everyone else) Need to Read.” Please come to the Wausau library on Monday, August ...
Quality Schools for Wisconsin
“It takes a village to raise a child,” an African proverb.
The problems facing Wisconsin's public schools are complex. There are no quick or easy fixes. But neither are the problems insurmountable. Like with many issues the problems in education are solvable. We have the knowledge and resources to make needed improvements. We lack the will to make it happen.
Many of these problems are structural. They are the result of the outdated educational system and funding mechanisms. I am not a expert on education but I have a lifetime of being a student, adult learner, ...
Writer challenges legislator Robin Vos on stand against DEI programs at UW System
Here are two questions for the readers:
Do you contact Wisconsin legislators?
Do the legislators respond?
Recently, I sent an email to Assembly Speaker (Robin) Vos regarding statements Vos has made during and after the 2023-2025 budget session. Here are some of the statements I addressed in the email.
Speaker Vos said he is embarrassed to be an alumni of UW-Whitewater. He stated he and his fellow Republicans will withhold the $32 million allocated to the UW-System in the 2023-2025 budget.
What is his reason? He disagrees with the DEI (Diversity, Equity and ...