There are many clear divisions between the two candidates for Wisconsin superintendent of public instruction when it comes to how each would do the job over the next four years \u2013 and a good selection of those differences were visible Tuesday when the two debated at Marquette Law School.<\/p>\n
Two-term incumbent Tony Evers and challenger Lowell Holtz, former superintendent of Beloit and Whitnall, will face off in the statewide election on April 4.<\/p>\n
The Law School session, a week before election day, brought some heat \u2013 the two had sharp words, particularly over an exchange between candidates Lowell Holtz and John Humphries, a third candidate who lost in a February primary. In December, Humphries and Holtz met at a restaurant. \u00a0It remains murky who said what, but notes from that conversation say they talked about one of them working for the other, should the other win. The \u201closer\u201d would get a high paying job that would include broad power of several of the state\u2019s largest school districts. \u00a0In Tuesday\u2019s debate, Evers said the exchange brought Holtz\u2019s integrity into question. Holtz said Evers\u2019 version was false, but did not clarify what went on between Humphries and him.<\/p>\n
But there was light as well as heat at Tuesday\u2019s one-hour debate. The race has been regarded by some as a referendum on the use of publicly-funded vouchers to allow students to attend private schools, including religious schools. Indeed, they do differ sharply on this, with Evers generally a critic of vouchers and Holtz a supporter.<\/p>\n
But they differ on much more.<\/p>\n
For example, money \u2013 Evers said a key part of his job is fighting for money for schools so kids have adequate resources. Holtz said research shows there is little correlation between how much money is spent by schools and student outcomes.<\/p>\n
And the state budget \u2013 Evers said he would fight for Gov. Scott Walker\u2019s proposal to increase spending per student in all education sectors statewide by about $200 in each of the next two years. Holtz did not make a clear commitment on that. \u201cIt\u2019ll be interesting to see how it comes out of joint finance,\u201d he said, referring to the legislature\u2019s budget writing committee.<\/p>\n
And the root of low achievement levels overall in Milwaukee. Holtz said the problems is not kids, parents, teachers, or principals, but \u201cthe system\u201d which is holding back innovation and not supporting high expectations and high behavior standards. Evers said he wasn\u2019t excusing what educators can do, but the impact of \u201cabject poverty\u201d on children\u2019s lives is a major factor.<\/p>\n
And the changes coming with the new administration of President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Holtz said the new approach in Washington was creating \u201can excellent opportunity to get rid of some of the federal overreach into state rights. For example, the common core,\u201d the set of learning expectations most states have adopted. Evers said Trump\u2019s proposed cuts to professional training funds for teachers, after-school programs for kids, and other services alarmed him. \u201cThis is the first public policy position this president has taken on education and he\u2019s wiping us out,\u201d Evers said.<\/p>\n
(I expect to write more about this in my education column for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this weekend. )<\/p>\n
I am not the one who should go far in praising the debate \u2013 I was the moderator, for one thing. But I would say if you were there, you saw a clear set of differences between the two candidates over how and where they would lead the state Department of Public Instruction in the next four years. Whatever your views, you found motivation there to vote next Tuesday in what is pretty certain to be a low turnout (maybe 20 percent) election.<\/p>\n
And if you weren\u2019t there, you can watch it by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n Or you catch the news media coverage, including the Journal Sentinel<\/a>, WUWM public radio<\/a>, Channel 4, <\/a>Channel 6<\/a>, and Channel 58.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There are many clear divisions between the two candidates for Wisconsin superintendent of public instruction when it comes to how each would do the job over the next four years \u2013 and a good selection of those differences were visible Tuesday when the two debated at Marquette Law School. 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