Good morning, my name is John Jagler and I represent the 13th Senate District in South-Central Wisconsin. Milwaukee is vitally important for Wisconsin. Having grown up in Oak Creek and worked in the city for most of my career, Milwaukee holds a special place in my heart. That is why the recent string of news out of the city is so painful to hear.
The school board is breaking the law by refusing to put School Resource Officers back in the schools, students in several different buildings are suffering from lead poisoning and the latest round of NAEP scores were abysmal. The adults who are supposed to be running the district are failing the kids of MPS.
I have had the great fortune of touring several different charter and private schools in the city as the Chair of the Education Committee. Many of these schools are thriving centers of learning and growth for their eager students. The best schools in the city share one thing, high standards for their students.
The adults have failed Milwaukee. The Department of Public Instruction is lowering the definition of proficient on the state standardized test so more students look like they are succeeding. But the reality is that you can’t just give everyone a passing grade and pat yourself on the back. The kids know they are being left behind. We need to pass Assembly Bill 1, a bill that would return our testing standards back to the higher levels we used to expect. The state needs to step in and stop the bleeding.
Video: https://youtu.be/qtzRJyYTvd4
