The choice is clear. It’s not even close. It’s uncommon to have massive attention thrust upon the non-partisan Spring Primary election. Wisconsinites have the opportunity to make sweeping changes in education and bring sorely needed change. Educational Consultant Brittany Kinser is the clear choice for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Primary election is Feb. 18, and Brittany Kinser needs your vote.
The ink seems barely dry on the November election, and the new administration of President Donald Trump has been working at warp speed, so it’s odd to have election talk already. Kinser must be one of the top two vote-getters in a three-way race to advance to the April 1 General Election.
This race, to head up the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is always dominated by the juggernaut behemoth of the Wisconsin Education Association (WEA), the state’s main teachers union. This election gets tucked in after the Presidential election and typically doesn’t garner much statewide attention, particularly from Republicans or conservatives. This year, we’re paying attention.
I attended a WisPolitics candidate forum that featured Kinser and Sauk Prairie Superintendent Jeff Wright. Embattled incumbent State Superintendent Jill Underly skipped the event. Much of the event focused on the vast array of challenges and poor communication that have festered under her leadership at DPI.
I wanted to meet Kinser and hear from her. I’m currently in my third stint on a school board and have been very active in educational advocacy for over fifteen years, focusing on fiscal responsibility and transparency. My years on a public board were highlighted by Common Core and the Act 10 riots.
I’m in my second stint at a faith-based school that participates in the Wisconsin Statewide Choice program. This endorsement is my own.
Brittany Kinser has been an educational leader. In a touch of irony, then State Superintendent-now Governor Evers honored her with a “Beating the Odds” award for her innovative work as an elementary school principal. Her comments at the forum were rooted in finding ways for kids to succeed, regardless of the educational setting, be it public, private, charter, choice, or other mechanism. Her website talks about a fundamental need to set high standards for our kids to achieve, along with a focus on the basics. It’s what all Wisconsin kids need today.
Underly, the incumbent seeking re-election has been a trainwreck. I wrote a column in September criticizing Underly’s move to lower the “cut scores” on required testing to conflate student results, deceiving students, parents, and educators themselves. She also changed the “language” used to describe levels of achievement. None of those moves helps our kids. Governor Evers was also among those who railed on a number of Underly’s actions. She had also lowered the standards for school districts regarding their performances on the State’s annual School Report cards, in a squalid attempt to paint a rosy picture. We need better leadership.
The deception was made clear when the national NAEP scores were released, and showed just 31% of Wisconsin students reading at grade level, while “Underly’s” standards showed 52%. During a State Assembly Education Committee public hearing February 6th, DPI officials tried to defend the new standards, but met with strident criticism and disdain for their actions.
Wright said during the forum that WEA’s displeasure with Underly caused them to put out feelers for a replacement. Wright, a former unsuccessful State Assembly candidate who doesn’t live in the district where he works, stepped up. It would be more of the same as Underly. Wright shares the same disdain for the Wisconsin School Choice program. During the forum, he callously broke the privacy of an individual student’s challenges, intent on undermining Choice schools. It was brazen, insensitive, and clearly unprofessional. He also said Wisconsin’s well-known “Act 10” should be repealed, despite numerous court victories over more than a decade. He’s not the right choice for Wisconsin kids.
Brittany Kinser offers a breath of fresh air from the mire of the educational elites. She’s committed to a focus on fundamentals. She supports the opportunities that are available to many in challenging environments to find a better setting in the Wisconsin School Choice programs. She understands the needs and challenges of both urban and rural schools. She’s receiving support from folks all across the political spectrum, and from staunch advocates for academic freedom and parental rights, like Moms for Liberty, school choice advocates, and more. She’s the non-partisan common sense candidate who will give us all a seat at the table in educating our next generation of leaders.
We all want our kids to succeed. We want kids prepared to tackle the rigor of higher learning, and ready to step into the workforce well-equipped. We have one choice to make that happen. Join me in supporting Brittany Kinser this February 18th. A vote for the kids of Wisconsin.
