Now that Paul Thomas, Anthony Cody, Diane Ravitch, and others have reframed my thinking about school reform, it is time to begin practicing what these Social Context Reformers preach.
Consequently, I am excited to support A Penny For Kids legislation proposed by
the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools (WAES). A one-cent sales
tax for Wisconsin kids is vital and sensible. If passed, the sales tax
will raise about $850 million annually to addressing the growing needs of
Wisconsin’s children and schools hit hard by the recent state cuts.
This is not an end-around to bolster public teacher pay. In actuality, a Penny for Kids could bring some healing to our divided state. Pay close attention to the bipartisan potential of this initiative. It does not increase property taxes. It is not a request for higher pay or better benefits for public workers. The proposal leaves intact all the recent cuts.
