The Spreading Disease in Wisconsin Education

    
      Most often the events that will have the greatest impacts in our lives are similar to cancer: They start small and appear so insignificant that we tend to be unaware of them, or make light of them, or simply ignore them. Barely visible to our eyes and un-alarming to our touch, few of us are able to recognize the significance of the small little mole on the skin, or the teensy- weensy lump in a breast, during their early stages.
     However, unawareness of an impending disaster doesn’t minimize its inevitability. Tsunami, hurricanes, floods and tornadoes will come into our lives despite our level of preparation or stage of awareness; and so will cancer that begins as a miniscule mole or little lump. And so will many of the events that will have the greatest impact in our lives.
     Most events in Wisconsin education, in this post-collective bargaining era, are in the early stages of the cancer that is spreading in school districts throughout the state, but they are hardly noticeable, except to those of us who are conducting thorough inspection in search of these lumps and lesions.
     Public school funding in the upcoming years; the intentional unfair distribution of state funds to districts; reduction of teachers’ rights, authorities, voices, salaries and benefits; the privatization of public education; the reduction in health care and entitlements and their consequences on the education of children living in poverty . . . are a few of these barely noticeable lumps and lesions.   
     I am very fearful that in this period of denial of the disease, we might not seek treatment until it’s too late.
     God, I hope I am wrong!
By
James A. Porter   

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