Protests in Wisocnsin continue, school closures spread to Milwaukee
The teachers unions in Wisconsin are continuing to revolt against the anti-public union provisions of Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposal, with more and more schools closing down from teachers calling in sick en masse.
In the capital city of Madison, where the “sick-out” began on Wednesday, the school closings have continued into its third day, the local CBS affiliate reports.
And among the many other districts with closures throughout the state, now another big shoe has dropped. The Milwaukee Public Schools, the largest district in the state, has closed its schools Friday.
The NBC affiliate in Milwaukee reports:
“Last night, we went to bed knowing that we had maybe about 225 called in absent. This morning, I was watching our call center, our requests for subs. It was a very busy place. As of 5:00 a.m., we had 628 absentee calls for teachers,” explained [district spokeswoman Raseann] St. Aubin.
“With these staff shortages, we will not be able to provide safe and appropriate class settings in our schools,” said Dr. Thornton in a statement.