An open letter from the Students of Wisconsin:

 

Hey Scott Walker,

As students, the cuts to state education funding in Governor Scott Walker’s Biennial Budget—as well as the loss of collective bargaining for teachers—will have an immediate and devastating effect on our educational experience, and as such we have a unique perspective on these issues. Students across the state have been involved in the movement in protest of Governor Walker’s agenda since momentum began to build, and we as an affected demographic will not sit quietly or disengage ourselves from these issues. We hold the following:

1. That a strong public education system is not only our right as young people, but is vital to the success of the democratic process.

2. That the reforms proposed by Governor Walker and Republicans in the state government are an outright attack on the solvency and quality of the education system. Not only is competitive compensation required to promote a strong teacher pool in this state, but the working conditions that teachers will not be able to negotiate are the conditions that shape our learning environment. Furthermore, the cuts in categorical aid to school programs, and prohibitions against tax increases at the local level that would help ease the damage of these cuts, are unacceptable.

3. That the importance of balancing the state budget should not outweigh the importance of the programs that the state provides. We understand the need of a financially solvent government, but object that the budget debate has been framed in such a way as to eliminate carefully implemented, graduated income tax increases from the discussion completely.

In an effort to balance the importance of education with that of having our voices heard, we will walk out of class this Friday, March 11th before our last period of the day. We call for students all across the country to do the same and to take this opportunity to discuss not only the events in Wisconsin but the future of public education as a whole.

Respectfully,

Jesse Banks
Senior at Madison East High School
Coordinator, Wisconsin Youth in Solidarity

Asher Heimermann
Junior at George D. Warriner High School
Coordinator, HeyScottWalker.com