The Weekly Report Card

A look back at the previous week’s news:

The first week of the year usually brings feelings of hope for change; some people make resolutions to quit smoking, lose weight or seek better employment. Others resolve to change their worlds in a bigger way – they run for elected office. Hats off to all the residents who this week turned in their nomination papers and are seeking change within their communities by running for public office. Some names are familiar, like Fred Dooley of RealDebateWisconsin and Brian Dey, a current RUSD school board member who is seeking a seat on the Caledonia village board. One name is even more familiar (to me anyway) because I share his surname – Taylor Wishau of Burlington. Taylor, a 17-year-old senior is seeking a spot on the Burlington School Board. Taylor is a wunderkind of sorts – his understanding of politics is rare (and so refreshing!) in someone so young.

Good luck to all of you on April 3rd!

Weekly Report Grade: A

The first week of the year also should have also brought hopes of change within the Racine Unified School District. The district, for years, has done little in the area of redistricting creating a very expensive and lopsided mess. With the promise of the results of the in-depth demographic study, the taxpayers of eastern Racine County once again had their hopes crushed. The data which was presented at this week’s RUSD study session did not include approximately 2400 students, which consists of the students at the charter and magnet schools and the children who attend a school outside of their attendance boundary. This latest snafu was blamed on a “problem with the technology”. I believe it is due to a “problem with the communication”. How a decision can be made if the board does not have all the needed information?

Weekly Report Grade: F