Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly on Tuesday approved a pair of bills relating to school safety. One would require schools to gather data on disorderly conduct and violent crimes that are reported to police with charges or tickets issued. The bill would also require schools to report the data to the Department of Public Instruction, which would add it to annual school report cards.
“This is a tool that parents deserve and community members deserve. So they could find out what’s going on and see how safe their kids are at school right now,” said author, Representative Cindi Duchow (R-Town of Delafield).
Companion legislation from Representative William Penterman (R-Columbus) would require hiring of a school resource officer if serious offenses become a problem.
“If there are 100 incidences which are spelled out in the bill, what would fall under that, that take place within a five month period,” Penterman explained. “And then 25 of those result in a arrests being made taking place, again, on school grounds, in the school classroom, for sporting events, any of those sort of things, then that would require a school resource officer to need to be hired at that school by the start of the next school year. “
The bill also calls for Governor Tony Evers to use federal COVID-19 funds to reimburse costs over the next three school years. Neither bill received any Democratic votes.