The Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) takeover legislation is like a vampire, a state Capitol insider told the Shepherd. It isn’t dead until someone drives a stake through it. And while the highly controversial MPS takeover bill—authored by state Sen. Lena Taylor and state Rep. Pedro Colon, both Milwaukee Democrats—is on life support in the state Legislature, it isn’t dead yet...

National pro-privatization organizations led by former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel education reporter Joe Williams and backed by Wall Street hedge fund managers are emerging...

We’re not going to argue that Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is doing a stellar job of educating our kids, just like we won’t argue that Milwaukee as a whole is some sort of urban idyll. Both the city and the school district are plagued by a tremendous number of families in need, high-crime neighborhoods, too-few jobs and a crumbling infrastructure. Yet the city and school district also have inspired students...

MPS Board President Michael Bonds has sent an open letter to Gov. Jim Doyle, Mayor Tom Barrett, and State Superintendent Tony Evers outlining why a mayoral takeover of the district, which would require a change in state law, is a bad idea. Some excerpts: Destroying democracy and disenfranchising thousands of voters: “Your takeover effort...