It’s time to focus on learning, not on political games

State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly issued the following statement today relating to current legislation.

 

“Back to school is a time for learning and fresh starts, a time for communities to come together in their commitment to our students.

 

And yet, at this pivotal moment when we should be focused on doing what is best for our children, our legislative leaders are choosing to focus instead on ramming through bills that stand to cause real harm to students and that have barely seen the light of day. Make no mistake, they know exactly what they are doing: using our children as pawns in a culture war. They will not win in the long-term, but they will hurt our students, our educators, and our democratic principles in the process.

 

So today, I call on the leaders of the legislature to slow down and to instead prioritize the safety and in-person education of our children. Why the rush? These bills should be written and researched thoughtfully. They should be debated openly and thoroughly; our children deserve a robust discussion of their content and implications, not a truncated process. Our children also deserve legislative leaders who will prioritize their health and their learning, instead of playing political games. Leaders should take their cue from Wisconsin’s students and educators to focus on what is really important – a strong start to the school year.

 

I implore our legislative leaders to take their time on these bills and proceed with all stakeholder input. Our students are the future of this state, and they deserve better.”