For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Madison, WI – Vice President Mike Pence has come to Madison to celebrate National School Choice Week.
AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas responded to Pence’s visit as follows: “Vice President Pence has no business talking about education in Wisconsin, since the Trump administration has consistently attempted to cut billions in federal funding for education, while increasing funding for private and charter schools,” said Kohlhaas.
“In Wisconsin, we’ve seen the problems with ‘school choice’ close up,” said Dina Brennan, Co-President of the Chippewa Falls Federation of Teachers (AFT Local 1907). “This year our state legislature will redirect $223 million in state aid for public schools to fund private and charter schools—an increase of 68% since 2012. Our public school districts are left holding the bag, deciding between program cuts for kids or a referendum to increase property taxes.”
“We need to be promoting policies that invest in our communities,” said Kohlhaas. “If the Vice President wants to help, he should be advocating for increased public school funding, instead of finding yet more tax cuts for the wealthy.”
###