Here & Now

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Frederica Freyberg

GOVERNOR TONY EVERS' THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED HE IS GIVING $90 MILLION MORE DOLLARS OF COVID RELIEF AID TO WISCONSIN K-12 SCHOOLS. THIS ADDITIONAL BOOST COMES AS STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE ARE BACK IN SCHOOLS. MANY OF WHICH ARE STRUGGLING TO PUT A LICENSED TEACHER AT THE FRONT OF THE CLASSROOM. HERE AND NOW SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER ZAC SCHULTZ CAUGHT UP WITH THE LEADING CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEY THINK CAUSED THE STAFFING SHORTAGE AND WHAT THE STATE CAN DO TO HELP.

APPLAUSE

Frederica Freyberg

>> AND IT ALL STARTS WITH EDUCATION. >>

Zac Schultz

REPUBLICAN TIMMM MICHELS HAS A FEW LINES IN HIS SPEECH THAT REFERS TO WISCONSIN. BUT THE NEW LINE TALKS ABOUT PARENTS TO SHUT DOWN QUOTE, WOKE TEACHERS THAT TALK ABOUT CRITICAL RACE THEORY. >> WE ARE GOING TO PUT PARENTS BACK IN CHARGE OF EDUCATION AND STOP THE CRT AND GET BACK TO THE ABC'S. >> WHEN ASKED DIRECTLY ABOUT THE STAFFING SHORTAGE, MICHA MICHELS SAYS ITS TEACHERS. >> THE TEACHERS ARE FRUSTRATED. I HEAR THAT FROM TEACHERS. THAT NOT MY OPINION. EVERYWHERE WE GO TEACHERS ARE SAYING, "I LOVE MY STUDENTS, I LOVE WORKING HARD, I LOVE TEACHING, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT HAS BECOME SO POLITICAL AND SOL BUREAUCRATIC." >> TONY EVERS AGREES POLITICS ARE DRIVING TEACHERS OUT BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. >> I THINK PEOPLE HAVE DISRESPECTED TEACHERS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. AND THEY DON'T GET PAID ENOUGH. SO THOSE ARE KIND OF TWO BASIC THINGS. THOSE THIN THINGS ARE NOT GOINGE CHANGED OVER NIGHT. AND SO I DO BELIEVE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR SCHOOLS AND PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED. >> AS FOR WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT, MICHELS SAYS THE SOLUTION ISN'T IN THE STATE BUDGET. MEANING MORE FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS. >> IT STARTS WITH LEADERSHIP AT THE VERY TOP. AND IT STARTS WITH THE GUIDANCE WE ARE GIVING THOSE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND DPI AND ALL THE OTHER INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE. >> BUT EVERS SAY THE SOLUTIONS IS QUITE SIMPLE. >> I THINK INCREASING THE TEACHER'S WAGES. AND START TO RESPECT WHAT THEY DO. >> REPORTING FROM