WI Senator Urges Wauwatosa Schools To Go Back In-Person

WAUWATOSA, WI—Sen. Dale Kooyenga, (R-Brookfield) sent a letter encouraging the Wauwatosa School District to move students to entirely in-person learning. Kooyenga says he will advocate to direct state funding to schools that return to in-person learning.

Kooyenga's district includes Brookfield and some parts of Wauwatosa and Milwaukee.

The letter was addressed to Wauwatosa Superintendent Dr. Phillip Ertl and the Wauwatosa School Board.

The Wauwatosa School Board voted to transition Phase Into Learning students in middle and high school back to weekly in-person instruction beginning April 5. Elementary students already attend school in-person.

In his letter, Kooyenga said children are suffering a major setback due to virtual education, especially economically disadvantaged students.

"I fear that the collateral damage done to our children, especially poor and minority children, will be felt for years to come in districts like the Wauwatosa School District. The case in favor of returning to in- person education as soon as possible is strong, nonpartisan, and growing with each new piece of evidence.

Therefore, in the coming weeks I will be advocating for and working on adjusting school funding to direct more state dollars to schools that have returned to in-person education. In the meantime, I strongly urge you to develop a plan to return students in the Wauwatosa School District to in-person learning without delay."

The Wauwatosa School District responded to Patch with the following statement:

"We will continue to make informed, thoughtful decisions that are in the best interest of our students and staff. Our elementary students currently attend class in-person five days per week, and we look forward to bringing our middle and high school students back to five-day-per-week instruction on April 5, 2021, as determined by the School Board."

You can read Sen. Kooyenga's full letter below.