Milwaukee Public Schools cuts; teachers union calls them "chaotic"

Milwaukee Public Schools cuts; teachers union calls them "chaotic"

It is budget season, and with that comes cuts at Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). The Milwaukee teachers union calls those cuts chaotic. 

MILWAUKEE - It is budget season, and with that comes cuts at Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). The Milwaukee teachers union calls those cuts chaotic. 

MPS budget issues

What we know:

The teachers union, Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association (MTEA), is calling for MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius to have a special session regarding budget cuts.

Back in March, the superintendent announced roughly 200 layoffs to help close a $46 million budget shortfall next school year. MPS officials say that will support smaller class size guidelines. 

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On Monday, April 6, the teachers union, alongside an MPS student and parent, asked for those cuts to be reversed by maintaining or increasing hours for critical frontline staff – paraprofessionals and children's health assistants, for example. They are also asking for a cost of living adjustment for workers, and a pause on the budget process. 

Superintendent Cassellius said it is a challenging budget, saying she is prioritizing classrooms, support to students and protecting special education.

What they're saying:

"The superintendent claims she can not give in, given MPS' budget deficit. However, we questioned that statement when MPS has failed to examine all MPS contracts which are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. They have more than doubled the size of highly paid administrators in her cabinet," said Ingrid Walker-Henry, MTEA president. 

"Like I said, $50 million, it may seem in a $1.6 billion budget, 'Oh that's not that much money.' Well, we know that it's 263 jobs for just $30 million. We could've easily doubled that and that would've been almost 500 jobs. That's real people, real families. This is very serious. I take it very serious," Cassellius said. 

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The cuts will not go into effect until the next school year. 

Cassellius said there is a special session scheduled for May. The budget is expected to be approved in June.