Education
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 ...
Wisconsin Education Issues
Education is an essential component of modern societies. It is self-evident that virtually everything in our current social, economic, political, and technological world is impacted by education.
Given this obvious reality, it is inexplicable to me that education – especially universal public education – is under attack in so many ways. Funding for K-12 schools, tech colleges, and universities is inadequate and being eroded by inflation. Students are being expected to pay for higher education with student loan debt. School “choice” and vouchers divert public money ...
THANK YOU TO WI PUBLIC EDUCATION NETWORK AND FAIR MAPS
FROM OUR PARTNERS AT WI PUBLIC EDUCATION NETWORK
Public Education is the Life Blood of Every Community
Here’s what you can do right now:
Sign our petitionto become a budget ambassador yourself and show lawmakers — and Team Public—that you’re on the side of kids, whatever it takes. en.wisconsinnetwork.org/budgetamb
Contact your lawmakersand ask them to take the bold actions necessary to fix the proposed package on the table and instead pass a budget that closes the gaps and meets kids’ needs. Find your lawmakers here or call 800-362-9472 for ...