PODCAST: State of Education in the Walker Era: Part Five

Mark talks with Elm Creative Arts School teacher Jenny McKillen for this week's installment of TCD's award-winning podcast, "Backstage with Mark Metcalf."

It was just over one year ago when Gov. Walker’s proposal to cut funding for public education and eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees was met with staunch opposition at the Capitol square in Madison inciting a fiery debate, one that remains at the forefront of political discourse here in the great state of Wisconsin.

[audio:https://urbanmilwaukeedial.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/TCDPodcastMarkMetcalfJennyMcKillen.mp3|titles=Backstage with Mark Metcalf: Jenny McKillen, Elm Creative Arts School]

Jenny McKillen is a third grade teacher at Elm Creative Arts School in Milwaukee. This is Jenny’s seventh year at Elm and 26th year in Milwaukee Public Schools. Cuts to education have greatly affected schools across the state, but this is especially the case at Elm, as cuts to arts education have had a significant impact on the way the school operates.

Jenny and I discussed the changes at Elm, the challenges of larger class sizes, changes to collective bargaining and what’s in store on the road ahead.

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Click here for Part One of this series, with Tom Beebe of Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, here for Part Two with Fox Point-Bayside teacher and chief negotiator Mark Conforti, here for Part Three, with Jasmine Alinder of I Love My Public School, and here for Part Four, with Christina Ratatori of ta.da and a.r.t.

“Backstage with Mark Metcalf” has received an Excellence in Journalism award for “Best Blog” from the Milwaukee Press Club! We will find out whether we won gold, silver or bronze at the Gridiron Awards Dinner on May 18.

Many thanks to all of our guests, listeners and to WMSE for making this possible. We couldn’t have done it without you!

“Backstage with Mark Metcalf” is recorded at the ThirdCoast Digest office in the Shops of Grand Avenue.