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GBA president urges board to oppose voucher-driven cuts, urges state funding increase
Summary
Brent Bergstrom, president of the Green Bay Education Association, told the Green Bay Area Public School District board on March 17 that state funding shortfalls and diversion of public dollars to private voucher programs are harming public schools and staff.
Brent Bergstrom, president of the Green Bay Education Association, addressed the board during the public forum, urging sustained local and legislative pressure to boost public school funding and criticizing the diversion of public dollars to private voucher programs.
Bergstrom identified himself as a music educator and GBA president representing over 1,300 education staff. "Time and time again, [legislators] have funneled money out of public schools'which 90 to 95% of students across the country attend'to fund private voucher schools instead with our public dollars," he said. He recommended the school board "wait on freezing any riders until we see a budget passed by the state legislature."
Bergstrom said special education reimbursement for public schools in 2023-24 was reimbursed at 29% while voucher schools received 90% reimbursement, and urged passage of Governor Tony Evers' proposed budget, which he said would raise public-school special education reimbursement to about 60%. "Public school families should be fuming at the inequity of funding for our kids. Make it make sense," Bergstrom said.
He also criticized benefit-plan changes discussed by the district as placing "more financial strain on our staff across the district," noting educators are already coping with stagnant or declining relative funding. "Our community trusts us with their kids. Trust the educators when we say the funding that the state is failing to provide to serve our kids isn't working," he said.
Ending: Bergstrom closed by urging parents and community members to contact state legislators and to press for funding that supports smaller class sizes and adequate resources, concluding: "When we fight, we win. We're not backing down."
Provenance: topicintro: "Brent Bergstrom. 3984 Woodland Road, Green Bay. My name is Brent Bergstrom... I'm the Green Bay Education Association president..." (transcript block 419.9). topicfinish: Bergstrom closing: "When we fight. When we fight. We're not backing down. Thank you." (transcript block 704.14).
