A Tale of Two Easts, or How the Madison School District Is Different From Ian's Pizza

Madison School Board Member Ed Hughes:

Here's a confession: I am disappointed to read that Governor Walker's two sons are going to live with their grandparents so that they can continue to attend Wauwatosa East High School next year, rather than move into the Governor's Mansion with their parents and transfer to Madison East High School, the school my children attended.

I'm disappointed not because I was looking forward to the hazing those Walker kids would get. Instead, cock-eyed optimist that I am, I was hoping that the Walker kids would have a good experience at East (henceforth "East" refers to Madison East, not Tosa East).

I don't know anything about the Walker boys and I can certainly understand why they wouldn't want to change high schools if they are happy where they are. But East has some fine programs; I expect that East students would quickly be able to relate to the new students on the basis of who they are rather than to whom they are related; and I expect that East teachers would act with the degree of professionalism we'd all expect in helping the new students with their transition. Yes, yes, I know - that may all be too much to hope for in these deeply polarizing times.

Mainly, I'm sorry because the district can always use additional enrollment. Our state funding and our state-imposed spending limit are both dependent upon our student count.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at June 11, 2011 2:39 AM
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