Evers opposes voucher lawsuit
Plaintiffs seek to abolish taxpayer-funded system
MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers says he opposes abolishing the state’s oldest school voucher program through a lawsuit filed by some of the governor’s strongest supporters.
Evers, a former state superintendent and public school educator, said eliminating the taxpayer-funded voucher system in Milwaukee could have “traumatic” effects on the nearly 30,000 students who attend more than 100 private schools with the subsidies.
“It wasn’t just created yesterday. It was created decades ago, and I think ending it in such a way is going to be traumatic to a whole bunch of families and kids,” Evers said in an interview with the Journal Sentinel.
“It’s not that I think I’m a huge supporter of the vouchers but I also understand that uprooting the lives of a whole bunch of kids is not the way to address it. I’m not sure what the way to address it is right now, but just saying ‘Boom — it’s over,’ that’s going to be a problem.”
Evers also said it would likely be difficult for Milwaukee Public Schools to absorb tens of thousands of students quickly.
“They start every year, seeking 20, 30 or more teachers that they don’t have — it will be messy, to say the least,” Evers said. “So I think I think we have to look at other things — holding them more accountable and things like that. That’s where we should be giving our emphasis now.”
The lawsuit, brought by Julie Underwood, former University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education dean, and other Wisconsin residents is funded by the liberal Minocqua Brewing Super PAC. Underwood has donated thousands to Evers’ campaigns for governor and campaigns for state superintendent.
It seeks to upend the state’s system of education by eliminating funding for independent charter schools and the state’s four taxpayerfunded school voucher programs while also lifting state-imposed limits on the amount of funding public schools can receive without a referendum.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected a petition by the lawsuit’s plaintiffs to take up the challenge directly, bypassing lower courts. Kirk Bangstad, who oversees the Minocqua Brewing Super PAC, said he will bring the lawsuit to circuit court.
Evers has proposed in each of his state budget plans to freeze enrollment in the state’s four voucher programs, including Milwaukee’s. His proposals have been rejected by Republicans who control the state Legislature.