“Atlas Shrugged -- why worry about anyone but yourself?” People had better start doing some Googles on this if they do not know what it means. Ayn Rand is at the heart of the Republican plans for this country. Just look at Paul Ryan's budget – lifted from the philosophy of Ayn Rand and of all things, he requires his staff to read her writings. This is the road map for where the Tea Party Republicans want to take our country.

Some of you commenting do not understand the reality of voucher schools in Milwaukee. Here are some facts: 1) holding voucher school accountable just started, because they were using tax-payer dollars without being held accountable with the same testing, (2) Tax-dollars to support vouchers and MPS actually drain money away from public schools across the state, (3) as another has posted: the premise behind vouchers was to give students from economically disadvantaged homes opportunities to attend private schools -- why would such a fundamental change be valuable?

Connect the dots. This is NOT the same as an opportunity to choose one public school over another, such as attending your choice of high school within a district or your choice of a school in a neighboring district.

Walker is locked into the destruction of public schools and construction of privatized schools -- pretty amazing when WI schools rank as among the best in the nation. Now businesses who make their money on writing textbooks and assessments will have even more of the dollars from taxpayers, or, children in poverty will have less opportunity to turn their lives around and become contributors to society. Atlas Shrugged -- why worry about anyone but yourself?

Why should voucher students not have to take the same tests every other student in the state must take especially considering they did worse on those test in the most recent results. Apparently if they take the test and do worse the answer is not to test so there is no basis to flunk the voucher system. Sounds like another plan to make sure future students are less ready for the real world.If you want worse schools and less educated children then Walker has the plan for you.

Patriot: Are you in favor of tax dollars going to private schools, some of which are religious? If so, don't you think it hypocritical of you to NOT contribute to a Muslim school. I certainly don't want my tax dollars paying for privatized education.

An uneducated man spouting off about what is best for education. Interesting how those with little education are the most critical of public education and public school teachers.

hrmm...How is Gov. Walker flying around the state and country, and who is paying for it? Sounds like an Open Records request waiting to happen.

I do not want any more of my tax dollars going to private businesses! That is what private schools are. Enrollment in Wisconsin private schools dropped more than 11% over the past decade. I feel this is another attempt to replay campaign contributions for Walker and bailout failing businesses. If he has it his way, we would give almost $6500 of our tax dollars to private schools. Even the Charter Schools he want are to be run by private businesses. We need to stop bailing out failing businesses with tax dollars and work on saving the services our socity needs.

School choice should be made available to all of Wisconsin. Government schools cost more than $10,000 per student. I would love to put my kids through the school of my choice with vouchers. That would be the only way I could swing it, financially. Public schools are way too costly and are killing us tax payers, and yet kids are not getting a proper education in so many cases.

From Wolkiller ""Interstate 90/39 shootings related to officer-involved fatal shooting in Tomah"; why did they not report the name of the guy they shot and why did they block all comments on this???"
Since no one answered you yet, I will. They likely blocked the comments to stop the many posters on here from blaming the shooting on Walker and a few blaming it on a union represented police officer.
Several weeks ago posters blamed the doubling in suicides in 2010 from 2008 on Walker despite the fact that both the national government and state government was controlled at both the executive and legislative branches by the Democrats during that time. DON'T confuse me with facts .. my mind is made up seems to be the education level of far too many posters on the Gazette Extra. Guess we will blame their education level on Walker and the cons also --- or on the union teachers and the liberal school boards (all depends on which way your mind has already been made up).

Retiredfed: I agree with you. I think it is reprehensible that Walker takes money away from public schools to help pay for the private schools. If you want your child to go to private school, you should have to pay for that on your own. The taxpayers should not be subsidizing this.

So the Governors plan is to lower the standards for Charter Schools and remove the low income requirement for vouchers. He is in effect dumbing down education, taking much needed money from public schools and providing his well healed supports with a subsidy to pay for the private school that they would have sent their kids anyway. What a way to lead!

truth,
the SHAME SHAME SHAME on you for being so partisan that you don't get what people are truly upset about.
.
This is not about your "choice" it is about Gov. Walker taking money from public education and putting it in private education.
.
Private education, BTW, that in the program he wants expanded, FAILED to do as well as the public schools.
.
I guess ignorance is bliss!

Sarahb1 I agree this is such a joke behind the big Joker and he will do anything to disgard the ones who need it most and a majority cannot afford private schools and many more won't be able to either if he continues to take take take from the working class.

factsplease well said the Ones who can afford a program meant for low income is another way for walker to give the wealthy more of the workers money He will get us one way or another. He is against Education one minute and now that he has a chance to use a program to help the needy to help his rich pals. He will do anything to TAKE FROM THE POOR and Give to the RICH. Robbing the poor to benefit the rich his MOTTO.

justonepost- I'll admit I don't know a lot about the testing situation, but I do know a lot of kids who don't "fit the mold" get kicked to the curb by public schools..Thats the issue thats important to me.

truth1- Thanks. We all need a laugh, and need to laugh at ourselves now and then.

factsplease- Would it change your mind if I told you I did my post graduate studies at the Scooter Walker/Koch Brothers School of Kick 'Em "Til They're Down, Then Kick 'Em Some More?

nugnrose- ..omg...LOLOL....thanks for the laugh.
Jethro Bodeen HS....LOLOL..

factsplease-don't forget about your big campaign contributers, after all re-election or should I say re-count is just around the corner.

Sorry nugnrose, I'm saving all the high paying jobs for my friends and family.

Just another big show on the part of Walker. He loves to go around the state doing just that. Proartist: Thanks for making it plain and simple. Everyone should be able to understand exactly what you said.

truth,
You can have your "choice" but why not follow the same standards?
.
If our goal is quality education… why would ANY tax dollars go to schools that are not subject to standardized testing? Republicans LOVE standardized tests when it works for them but now, when the results from Milw. Vouchers weren’t positive he wants all voucher school exempt??
.
This isn’t about choice it is about dishonesty and corruption. Governor Walker has already proven himself a sell-out with the Koch brothers but now, this involves education and that is scary.
.
If he truly believes in the voucher program being a positive for the education of our children then he won’t hide them from the tests. If he has a hidden agenda, other than “choice”, then wanting to hide voucher students from standardized testing would be a top priority.
.
Seriously truth, how can you defend this action? There is smoke and FIRE and it is out of control with this guy.
.
You may not love public education but I do. What about my choice? What about my kids and their ability to go to a public school and obtain the same GREAT, YES GREAT education I received, my parents, grandparents, etc… received.
.
Why the unequal field?
.
Please explain that part.

factsplease- I'm thinking you're going to need a Headmaster for your Muslim/Scientology/Yearning For Zion school. I'm qualified, I have a hy skool edjumucation, I can reed and do syferin. I will only charge $175,000/year for my services. I'll send you a copy of my diploma from Jethro Bodeen Hy Skool.

For my Muslim/Scientology/Yearning For Zion school, I won't need certified teachers and my kids won't have to take standardized tests. So I'll be paying minimum wage, have 50 kids per "teacher", house it in a rent-free church, and feed them Sarah Palin's cookies for lunch. I should clear a few million in a year or so and I'll be off to the Cayman Islands to retire! Thanks Scotty!

Shame on people for wanting to take away my choices.
SHAME...SHAME....SHAME
.
Some are for choices ONLY when everyone else chooses the same thing they want.
SHAME....SHAME.....SHAME

Soooo, spend less on public education and spend more for profit driven private education. Nice.

Gee, the Delavan High School class of '86 must be sooooo proud.

American Federation for Children donated $25,000 to Wisconsin Republicans during the last election. Interesting.

I think I'll start a Muslim/Scientology/Yearning for Zion polygamist school and I'll only take vouchers. See if that gets under Mr. Walker's skin. ;)

This is just one more example of Walker's true intent behind the smokescreen of a trumped-up budget deficit they created with corporate give-aways. It's a convoluted mind-set in which whether about women's health or worker's rights or education, the basis is simply extreme revisionist and uber-conservative ideology where ANY means - legal or illegal - justifies the ends.

Factsplease: That's exactly it. Walker has decided the issue for us with his mandate. He doesn't care what we think, if we don't want our tax money going to support a specific religious school, or like you say, Scientologists, that's just too bad. He gave his orders, and we must follow, or else.

I'll bet most of the lefties on here are not allowed to talk at home.

"choice"

I thought "choice" was good and "taking away choices" was bad.....

I just read the part where he wants to take away the necessity for the charter school kids to take the same state standardized tests as the public school. Gee, could that have anything to do with the fact that Milwaukee's charter students scored worse that their public school counterparts? Is he already fearful of the poor results?

Tell me again how Walker knows ANYTHING about education. He doesn't even HAVE one.

So many issues with this, so little time:
"Milwaukee voucher students score lower in math and the same in reading as similar public school students, according to new state test results."
Gee, I wonder why he doesn't want them taking the test any more?
-
The idea was the give kids from bad inner city schools a chance to go to a better school. So now he wants public funds to pay for rich kids to go to religious schools? How did that leap happen? What about separation of church and state? What if I don't want my tax money going to support a specific religious school that I don't agree with? What if Scientologists or some other "fringe" group starts a school and we have to allow our tax dollars to be spent "educating" kids in these practices?
Out of time...