Walker doesn't want Flexibility for Public Education

Below is my email exchange with Governor Walker’s office on the same question that I posed to Senator Fitzgerald regarding background checks for educators.  For those who read my last article “Education and Flexibility,” tell me if you find it odd how both the senator and the governor used the exact same term as the key descriptive in their response.

Personally, I do not see it as a coincidence by any stretch.  I truly believe that it is yet another indicator of how well coordinated the GOP is being coached on their public messaging for this topic.  

I encourage you to read the two articles and do your own comparison of the responses by Senator Fitzgerald and Governor Walker.  Tell if you feel like the messaging is or is not walking in lock step with a well organized plan to stay unified and deceive the public of their true intentions?

Sincerely,


Gary




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Governor Walker,

Your budget removed the requirement that teachers at independent charter schools be licensed by the state; instead requiring teachers at those schools have only a bachelor's degree of some kind.

The switch apparently allows people with revoked teaching licenses to potentially end up back in the classroom. Charter schools could voluntarily make background checks part of their employment requirements, but it would not be state mandated as is imposed upon educators of public schools.

Please explain your rationale for signing that piece of legislation into law, and s there any reason why you would not consider dropping the mandate for all educators?

Governor Walker, as a constituent I truly look forward to your response to my questions as I am certain that there must be a reasonable explanation to your actions that I am simply overlooking.

Sincerely,

Gary

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From: Hansen, Alex - GOV [mailto:Alex.Hansen@wisconsin.gov]
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 10:22 AM
To: Gary
Subject: RE: constituent response

Gary,

Thank you for your recent e-mail. Here is a response to your following question.

In an effort to give charter schools more operational flexibility, the standard licensing requirement was altered. Currently, Senate Bill 22 is being reviewed by the state legislature. This proposal will detail specific requirements for charter school teacher licensing and requirements. I would suggest that you offer your input on SB 22 to your state legislators while it is being debated and reviewed. A copy of the proposal, as well as an analysis by the non-partisan Legislative Reference Bureau, can be found here: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/data/SB-22.pdf.

Thanks again for contacting Governor Walker's office. Please stay in touch as we work together to move Wisconsin forward.

Sincerely,

Alex Hansen

Office of the Governor

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