Milwaukee wins major Victory over Edreform. | BustED Pencils

Milwaukee wins major Victory over Edreform. | BustED Pencils:

Milwaukee wins major Victory over Edreform

In the state budget passed this year in Wisconsin was a provision that essentially legalized the theft of public schools from their local communities.  The Kooyenga-Darling heistproposal stated that,

select MPS schools with failing grades would become independent charter schools that do not employ unionized teachers or answer to the Milwaukee School Board.

Instead, those schools would be overseen by a new local board that would entertain proposals from charter-school operators and award five-year contracts to operators that present the most compelling plans, according to the proposal.

Within months, some Milwaukee parents, children, and teachers found themselves in “failing schools” that were now considered an “Opportunity.” These failing schools had the opportunity to be taken over by County Executive Chris Abele.   Abele would “name a commissioner with parallel authority to Milwaukee Public Schools.”  Also, teachers and staff,

at the public schools run by new operators — or directly by the commissioner — would have to re-apply for their jobs and, if hired, would waive their right to be represented by a union.

Demond Means—superintendent of the Mequon-Theinsville district— was appointed commissioner by Abele.  However, after a short time, it became obvious that the communities in which these failing schools were located had a problem being considered an “opportunity.” They realized quickly that Abele was going to use Means to implement the Kooyenga-Darling legislation and begin the privatization of their community schools.

From the beginning Abele and Means were met with skepticism.  An uncooperative group of teachers, parents and students resisted the privatization of their public schools  This promoted Abele and Means to issue a statement asking for local support and reminding the resistance,

You have clearly expressed your displeasure with this legislation and we have said from the beginning that this legislation is not how we would have approached a turnaround effort. We did not seek this legislation nor did we have any input into its drafting. However, as elected officials, we take an oath to uphold the law.

Cue the resistance!

And then yesterday came the stunning news that Dr. Demond Means was voluntarily Milwaukee wins major Victory over Edreform. | BustED Pencils: