MADISON, Wis. — A Better Wisconsin Together is applauding a lawsuit filed this week that could help put an end to Wisconsin Republicans’ decades-long starvation of local public schools.
“We stand with the students, parents, advocates, educators, school districts, and community members demanding better for our public schools,” said Lucy Ripp, communications director at A Better Wisconsin Together. “This suit is a tremendous step forward in protecting Wisconsin kids and taxpayers from being used as political pawns by Republicans in our legislature.”
Ripp continued, “The chronic underfunding of public schools across the state, and subsequent skyrocketing property tax bills for Wisconsin families, has been a deliberate choice year after year from the GOP majority in our legislature, and it’s about time they’re forced to fix it.”
Recent reporting confirms that nearly 70 schools across Wisconsin have been forced to close their doors in the past two years, and more could follow, due to rising costs and Republicans blocking the funding needed to keep the lights on.
Forced to find a way to cover essential costs that Republicans won’t fund, the schools that manage to stay open have at record rates had to ask local taxpayers to raise their own property taxes so that kids can keep learning.
When given an opportunity in the most recent state budget cycle to finally do what’s right for Wisconsin kids, Republican lawmakers rejected every attempt from Governor Evers and legislative Democrats to increase general school aid and hold the line on local property taxes.
“It shouldn’t have to be this way,” said Ripp. “The hard work and resiliency of local teachers and students will always keep our public schools strong, but it’s up to our GOP-controlled legislature to make sure they have the funds, resources, and support to do so. We are hopeful this new legal action will help get us there.”
