Wisconsin Educators Continue to Stand Strong
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- Published on Feb 08, 2012
- Written by Mary Modder
The past year has been an unprecedented time. Nationally all eyes have been on Wisconsin, and we have seen state and national politics seep into so many aspects of our lives. As a Kenosha educator for over 20 years, I never thought I’d find myself in the middle of all of this.
Over the past year, however, something has changed. Wisconsin’s long-held traditions of fairness and of valuing public schools were attacked. We could not sit by without raising our voices. I’ve talked with many educators, who have spoken out this past year because we will soon be limited in our ability to have a voice in local school decisions. Our contract contains over 80 pages of language that we have bargained for with the District. This document contains the culmination of decades of compromises and the give and take of negotiations with the District. That is what we were fighting for last spring and why we are determined to reclaim our state.
It’s unfortunate that choices made at the state level have negatively affected our local schools -- choices like $1.6 billion in school funding cuts while at the same time tax breaks were given to out-of-state corporations. That’s what led us to proudly stand alongside nurses, fire fighters, families, and neighbors to challenge extreme laws that are more about politics than making things better. We’re everyday people, taxpayers, and voters. We won’t ever have the money or influence that politicians have. However, we do share values – Wisconsin values – like caring about children and the elderly and valuing education.
Looking back on a year of division in our state, it hasn’t been easy. However, our energy and commitment to the Wisconsin we remember is still strong, that Wisconsin found common ground instead of division, and that Wisconsin valued all of its citizens and didn’t shut them out of decisions.
That’s the Wisconsin educators like me want for our own children and our students. That’s the Wisconsin we’re committed to reclaiming.
