Governor Jim Doyle says he’s not giving up in his fight for mayoral control of Milwaukee Public Schools, even as state legislators signal that the issue is dead. “There’s still time, and I’m pretty optimistic for this in both the Senate and the Assembly,” Doyle said Thursday. “I think people are coming very clearly to the realization that just to allow the Milwaukee Public Schools to go on like this is just not an acceptable alternative.”
Doyle had called for a special session of the legislature at the end of last year, but lawmakers Thursday adjourned without taking up the bill. “There appears to be a lack of votes in the Assembly for the mayoral takeover bill,” said Madison Democrat, state Representative Mark Pocan, in a statement. “The recent news from White House Education Secretary Arne Duncan that mayoral takeover is not necessary for Race to the Top funding and the hiring of a new Milwaukee Schools superintendent are further indicators that for now the mayoral takeover issue of Milwaukee Public Schools is over.”
Doyle in recent weeks has continued to insist that there is a link between mayoral control of MPS, and the success of Wisconsin’s Race to the Top application, and he indicated that he’s not going away on the issue. “This is critical that we get this done. It’s critical that we get it done in the time frame of the Race to the Top application. I’m going to keep at it, and I know that I’ve got a lot of legislative support for it.”
AUDIO: Governor Jim Doyle (:35 MP3) AUDIO: Governor Jim Doyle (:35 MP3)