Uppity Wisconsin

Last week the Governor brought together concerned Legislators to discuss the struggling Milwaukee Public Schools. Invited to the meeting were officials with experience turning around failing school districts in Boston and Chicago. The discussion centered on proposals to significantly overhaul the Milwaukee Public Schools system.

Many of our schools are struggling to provide a quality education, but the problems Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) face make our troubles pale in comparison. Milwaukee’s public schools have failed. According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, in the last three years, MPS students have not met Adequate Yearly Progress in math and reading. And a review of statistics for the last five years clearly demonstrates this is not an uncommon result.

Just last week, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that more than 6 out of 10 MSP eighth graders scored at or below the most basic level of math proficiency in a national study comparing achievement levels of public school students in the nation’s largest cities. Only students in Detroit scored worse than Milwaukee students.

As the debate rages over how to fix what's wrong with Milwaukee public schools, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has found a new cause for alarm: Our schools leave our kids so ill-prepared that they can't even make the grade as cannon fodder any more.

It seems an unusually high percentage of Milwaukee's young people are failing to clear the basic hurdles to enter the military because they have dropped out of school, have criminal records, or are too out of shape physically. This has the newspaper so concerned that it devoted both an editorial and an op ed column by one of its editorial board members last week.

First came the editorial, headlined Not fit enough to serve:

A recent report says 75% of young people ages 17 to 24 are unable to join to the military because they are either too unfit, fail to graduate from high school or have a criminal record.

... These statistics argue for a greater emphasis on physical and academic education and illustrate the severity of a health crisis in America.

Military officials say the numbers are a threat to the military, because they are choosing from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.

This is the initial organizing meeting for the Community for Change organization.  Together we...
...Work on local issues that impact Racine County
...Train volunteers in the organizing techniques we used to elect President Obama
...Elect state and local candidates who share the same vision for our country
...Help President Obama pass legislation through grassroots efforts
 

You can RSVP here.  Come join us as we decide how to continue the momentum of the election. I hope to see you there!

THANKS, MICHELLE

Michelle Malkin gets an advance peak at "The 50 Rules Kids Won't Learn in School" and has some kind words.

"Charles J. Sykes has long been one of my favorite chroniclers of our dumbed-down education and the corrupting effects of the self-esteem movement. I just received his new book, set for release on August 21, titled “50 Rules Kids Won’t Learn in School: Real-World Antidotes to Feel-Good Education.” Witty, acerbic, reality-grounded. It’s a great purchase for college-bound friends/family or parents with school-age kids. "

The book will be officially released in about two weeks.... watch this space for updates and announcements.

An advance peak?

This from the guy who wrote "Dumbing Down Our Schools?"

A rule Sykes forgot: Sometimes, Spell Check ain't enough.  Ya hafta spell your own self.

UPDATE: The spelling's been corrected.