The Wisconsin Education Association Council’s call to break up the Milwaukee Public School system is not sitting well with the union that represents the district’s teachers.
In addition to breaking up MPS, the state teachers union proposed a new approach to teacher evaluation that would include allowing underperforming teachers to be fired and changing the pay structure to place more emphasis on those who take hard-to-fill jobs.
Republicans have been working on a series of education reforms, including a bill from GOP state Sen. Luther Olsen that would allow districts to use student performance as a tool for rewarding, disciplining and removing teachers from the classroom.
WEAC president Mary Bell said the proposals were not a pre-emptive strike.
“Our union is saying no to the status quo,” she said.
Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association (MTEA) president Mike Langyel said WEAC proposed the district breakup without the local union’s input.
Langyel said he first heard of the proposal during a Monday morning call with WEAC officials and asked for a continuing dialogue on the idea. But WEAC went ahead with its announcement the following day.
Asked why WEAC moved forward without MTEA’s support, Langyel demurred.
“It’s been an interesting two days. Let me just leave it at that,” Langyel said.
– WisPolitics.com
