Sure, Walker and the Republicans are trying to bust unions for political gain. But they are also deliberately destroying education in Wisconsin. It isn't enough that teachers are taking a 5-10% cut in pay to cover health care and pension contributions.
Walker held a press conference today to refute separate releases Tuesday by the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau and the state Department of Public Instruction that cuts to education in the next budget would be more in the order of 1.6 billion, rather than the 900 million indicated by Walker.
Here's the money quote:
Gov. Scott Walker defended his proposed cuts to education and shared revenue today, releasing numbers that he says show the reductions will be offset by the austerity measures passed by the Legislature last week. He also argued districts and locals can go above and beyond the health care and pension contributions now required of public employees to save money thanks to changes in collective bargaining.
"In every case, they can accommodate and adjust what they offer at the local level to make sure they have maximum flexibility to preserve jobs and, ultimately, to protect the curriculum," said Walker.
"Go above and beyond" translates to "Now districts can pay teachers whatever they feel like paying." Walker is telling the local school districts that in order to deal with the drastically reduced state aid, it isn't going to be enough to just to get some measly health care and pension contributions. The districts are going to have to cut teacher salaries severely to accomplish the first part of Walker's vision for education in Wisconsin.
The second part of his vision is also in the budget. Increased funding for voucher schools. Eliminate income restrictions for enrollment in voucher schools. Eliminate testing requirements for voucher schools but keep them intact for public schools. Don't require voucher schools to serve special needs students.
I'm not exaggerating. If Walker gets his way, it's the end of public schools as we know them in Wisconsin.
We have to stop this guy, or we forfeit the future of Wisconsin's children.