Nov

17

An Academic Expert Weighs in for Mayoral School Control

Posted by: Alan J. Borsuk | November 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Professor Kenneth K. Wong of Brown University and several associates put out a book two years ago titled “The Education Mayor: Improving America’s Schools,” which immediately became the book to read if you were interested in mayoral control of public schools. And Wong is probably the number one figure in academic research about how mayoral [...]

Nov

12

$250 Million Worth of Fuss

Posted by: Alan J. Borsuk | November 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment

The U.S. Department of Education released the final rules Thursday for the high-stakes competition called the Race to the Top. That’s the $4.35 billion in grants to be given out in the next year to spur states to take major steps aimed at improving a host of aspects of schooling, including the quality of teachers [...]

Nov

9

Representation, Outcomes, and Fairness in Legal Proceedings

Posted by: Jessica E. Slavin | November 9, 2009 | 3 Comments

As my colleague Rebecca Blemberg recently blogged about, California has moved in the direction of recognizing a right to counsel for civil litigants with critical legal needs.
The concept of a constitutional right to counsel in certain civil cases is often referred to as “Civil Gideon,” after the Supreme Court decision that established the right to [...]

Nov

8

Bullying in Schools–Teaching Respect and Compassion Through Restorative Processes

Posted by: Janine P. Geske | November 8, 2009 | 3 Comments

All too often, we see and hear people trying to intimidate others-whether it involves politics, religion, driving habits, employment, sports, family or any other topic that creates conflict. Rather than civil and respectful discourse on tough topics, many routinely call each other derogatory names and describe the other as “evil,” “Hitler-like” “self-centered,” etc. We see [...]

Nov

5

Big Demand for a Win-Win Way to Resolve Mortgage Crises

Posted by: Alan J. Borsuk | November 5, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Unfortunately, business is booming when it comes to foreclosure problems in Wisconsin. Fortunately, the Milwaukee Foreclosure Mediation Program is succeeding at helping a growing number of those problems end with people keeping their homes and financial institutions satisfied with new arrangements.
Debra Tuttle, chief mediator for the program, said during a panel discussion at a conference [...]

Nov

5

Myron Gordon, R.I.P.

Posted by: Richard M. Esenberg | November 5, 2009 | 1 Comment

I only really knew Myron Gordon as a judge on senior status and tried only one case before him. It was a challenge by the NAACP to the method of electing judges in Milwaukee County. The plaintiffs alleged that county-wide elections of judges denied black voters the opportunity to elect candidates of their own choice [...]

Nov

3

Will State Education Reforms Get a Boost from Obama?

Posted by: Alan J. Borsuk | November 3, 2009 | 1 Comment

When, if ever, has a president of the United States inserted himself as directly into a legislative issue in Wisconsin as President Barack Obama is doing by visiting Madison on Wednesday? Obama’s visit to a middle school a couple miles from the State Capitol will focus on education – and it comes as Gov. Jim [...]

Nov

2

Water, Jobs, and the Way Forward

Posted by: Alan J. Borsuk | November 2, 2009 | 2 Comments

Does Lake Lanier hold an important message about the possibility for economic growth in the Milwaukee area? If so, it’s a message that business and political leaders in Wisconsin need to move with urgency, boldness, and vision if they want to make southeast Wisconsin the hub of freshwater-related business in North America.
That was a key [...]

Oct

22

Marquette Law School Celebrates Pro Bono Week

Posted by: Daniel A. Idzikowski | October 22, 2009 | 1 Comment

Yesterday, I had the good fortune to attend two inspiring events – the Milwaukee Bar Association’s first Pro Bono Publico Awards ceremony, held at the annual State of the Court luncheon. Marquette 3L Meghan O’Connor was among the honorees. Meghan was awarded this honor for her substantial pro bono commitment at the Law [...]

Oct

19

Mayoral Control: Second Thoughts? Third Thoughts?

Posted by: Michael M. O'Hear | October 19, 2009 | 2 Comments

At the Marquette Educator, Dean Bill Henk has an interesting new post on the proposed mayoral takeover of Milwaukee Public Schools.  Bill chronicles Mayor Barrett’s hesitant, on-again-off-again embrace of the proposed takeover.  Contrary to the conventional wisdom that politicians always want more power, Barrett is displaying a marked lack of enthusiasm for taking on responsibility for [...]

Oct

18

Justinians Honor Professor Blinka

Posted by: Joseph D. Kearney | October 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Last weekend, together with a number of colleagues (including Professor Emeritus James D. Ghiardi and Professors Irene Calboli and Thomas J. Hammer), I attended the Justinian Society’s annual Columbus Day dinner. The society consists primarily of Italian-American lawyers and their families and meets at the Third Ward’s Italian Community Center (which, former Milwaukee County Circuit [...]

Oct

8

The Lincoln Bicentennial Commission

Posted by: Daniel D. Blinka | October 8, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Last week’s highly successful Legacies of Lincoln conference at the Law School, co-sponsored by the History Department, generated much praise and many compliments from both participants and the audience.  For those unable to attend as well as those hungering for more insights about Lincoln, please visit the Law School’s website or consider attending the program described [...]

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