Unpopular Proposals For MPS

Last November 1st the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, very properly, contained a number of stories and columns illuminating and commenting on the Milwaukee Public Schools and other educational issues. However and for the most part, the various writers today and in-the-past have avoided some of the possible-to-probable methods of improving those schools by cutting unneeded costs and attending to unpopular facts

As a part of my Wisconsin taxes go to support MPS. I feel free to make the below comments.

First and foremost, MPS should immediately discharge not less than 50% of all employees not involved with direct services (eg Teaching, nurses, maintenance, security) to students and those involved in directly mentoring of first-year, new, teachers. Those persons who generate the screams that a lack of tax increases will result in losses in music, arts, advanced science-and-math and other programs should be satisfied as the moneys saved by their departure will directly and indirectly allow the continuation of those programs without tax increases.

I expect howls on this suggestion! However, all inter-school athletic competition should be eliminated to use the freed-up monies for the initiation of ability-based, disiplined and general exercise programs for all pupils and students with an expected, as research proves, improvement in academic performance which athletic programs for a few do not provide. Reduction in the costs of equipment, buildings and grounds maintenance, liability insurance and like costs can also be expected.

A very unpopular thought, fact and concept is that illegal aliens and their families should be excluded from all government benefits as they cost citizens and legal aliens much more than they contribute to the common good (Remember that term?). Therefore, MPS (And all other schools and government units) should do all possible to ID "illegals" and have them removed from the USA. As a side-benefit of this, more entry level jobs will be available to the so highly unemployed Black youths and young adults, perhaps providing more two-parent families to the benefit of students' education.

Thirdly, all school staff suspected of acts of sexual and other abuse of others (In or out of school) should be reported to the police for investigation. If charged, they should be suspended from duties; If convicted, fired-for-cause and NOT allowed to resign---With that act entered in the permanent personnel file and reported to the State Superintendent of Schools. Conviction of any felony or crime-of-assault should result in the same actions as proper civil conduct is an essential part of teachers (And principals) being a proper example for the young. Any contrary contract provision is against public policy! A weighing of public interests will overcome contract law. (These events should and must be a matter of public record (In accordance with the law and the MJSs' position on "openness in government").