A state lawmaker wants to see deeper cuts in spending on public education, with Wisconsin facing a record budget deficit.
Governor Doyle says he hopes to spare education much of the pain, as the state wrestles with a $5.4 billion budget shortfall. Republican state Senator Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) thinks that's a mistake. He says school districts need to be more flexible with the fringe benefits they offer to faculty staff, which he believes should not be left along when facing a budget crisis.
Grothman also remains critical of expansions in four-year-old kindergarten programs around the state. He thinks they're a poor investment, claming there's little evidence they actually help children learn.
Grothman says public schools should face cuts, just like every other state program.