|
|
|
|
On Wednesday, I introduced a bill to provide parents with additional flexibility to address the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact it will have on students and families for the 2020-2021 school year. Under current law, students may open enroll to another district only if they apply during the spring prior to a fall semester. This bill allows parents to use the alternative open enrollment process to enroll their child in a different district if they believe their home district's chosen instructional model is not in their child’s best interest.
The bill also gives parents the tools to make this decision without the threat of a veto from their home district. Finally, the bill removes the enrollment cap that currently limits how many students from a specific district can participate in the state choice programs and allows choice applications to be processed on a rolling basis throughout this coming school year.
Many Wisconsin school districts are opting to forgo in-person instruction or utilize hybrid models effectively requiring parents to stay home and act as at-home educators. This can be catastrophic for student achievement and for working parents who can’t afford to stay home.
It is imperative that for the 2020-2021 school year we expand options for parents to use the open enrollment and choice programs to find an instructional model that best fits their child’s needs. Conversely, if a parent feels that virtual learning is the best option for their children, they should have the opportunity to enroll in a virtual charter or district that has experience in implementing it.
Data continues to show that for certain students there are adverse side effects of virtual learning as a placeholder for in-person instruction with some reporting as much as one years’ worth of educational regression in students. Parents and students should not be trapped in a district utilizing an instructional model that is harmful for their families.
|
|
|
Time For Governor Evers To Get To Work And Lead
|
|
I haven’t been this frustrated in my nearly 50 years. In the middle of a virus that has become a political football at the expense of the governed, we are being forced to stand by and watch our cities fall into chaos. For the second time this summer, my Capitol office was vandalized by a violent mob of rioters. While the damage to my office pales in comparison to the destruction of property and livelihoods happening in both Madison and Kenosha, it is emblematic of the growing disregard for the rule of law by some elected officials.
Following the shooting of Jacob Blake, Governor Evers issued a statement designed to fan the flames of outrage without having any of the details necessary to make such a judgement. In these situations, we should be getting facts through the investigatory process before rushing to judgement for political gain. If police officers break the law, then they should be held accountable to the full extent of the law, and vice versa.
Everyone has the right to peacefully protest. However, we place ourselves in a dangerous position if some in society are allowed to break the law in the name of justice. As our cities continue to be looted, burned, and destroyed, law abiding citizens are growing more and more frustrated as they helplessly watch this destruction take place. Governor Evers once again has shown very little interest in upholding the rule of law, a key function of his position.
Governor Evers has the resources and the responsibility to put a stop to this violence and destruction, yet he foments division and destruction while hiding in the Governor's Mansion with police protection. We should not allow him to continue to betray his oath of office. Wisconsinites deserve better.
|
|
|
Working for Wisconsin Award
|
|
|
Thank you Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce for the recognition and the 'Working for Wisconsin' award you presented to me at Bevco Engineering in Sussex. Bevco engineers and manufacturers electrical control systems that are used in a number of different industries, including health care. It was great to see their continued growth and commitment to Waukesha County. Thank you to Chris and his team for having me out!
|
|
|
Wisconsin Academy of
Family Physicians
|
|
|
I want to thank the Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians (WAFP) for their recognition and the 'Friend of Family Medicine' award. During the 2019-2020 legislative session, I helped pass legislation to protect Wisconsin’s patients and embolden the practice of family medicine. WAFP is a statewide association committed to promoting high professional and ethical standards in the practice of Family Medicine. They are the single largest physician specialty group in Wisconsin, focusing on improving the quality of medical care across the state as well as research and educational programs for medical students.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
