Ideological groups behind Wauwatosa school board candidates | Opinion

The headline of a March 4 opinion column about the Wauwatosa School Board campaign asks, "Can school board reform slate win in age of culture wars?"

The author argues a reform slate of candidates is offering voters a bi-partisan path forward "focused on the nuts-and-bolts of good governance and financial accountability."

That promise hasn't matched the reality of the campaign. Consider a sampling of the urgent, caps-lock warnings you'll see if you visit the social media pages of Chris Merker , a candidate for Wauwatosa School Board: "CAPTURED BY PARTISAN INTERESTS;" "PENNY STUPID. POUND STUPID;" "CRISIS."

Merker is the leader of a slate of board candidates that also includes Heather Birk, Todd Koehler and Dan Stemper. The " 2030 slate" is running against newcomer Melissa Lamers as well as incumbents Liz Heimerl-Rolland, Lynne Woehrle and Jason Wautier.

Wisconsin school districts, including Wauwatosa, face financial challenges

Like public school districts throughout Wisconsin, Wauwatosa faces serious financial challenges. Despite more than $4 billion in state reserves, Wisconsin's public schools received zero dollars in new per pupil funding in each year of the 2025-27 state budget.

Opinion: Can school board reform slate win in age of culture wars?

Over the past 16 years, state funding to public school students has fallen behind inflation by about $3,500 per student, per year. The legislature promised public schools an increase in the reimbursement rate for special education costs to 45% in the budget, but the funding they allocated only ended up covering 35% of costs. This percentage is all but assured to be even less next school year unless new legislation is approved that would boost the rate to 60%.

Progressive-aligned candidates, including Heimerl-Rolland, Woehrle, Lamers and Wautier, have committed to advocate for much needed increased state funding. These candidates as well as Heather Birk have indicated support for a lawsuit that would require the legislature to uphold its constitutional obligation to provide every child in Wisconsin with a free and equitable public education.

But in a March 25 Facebook post critical of a statement from Woehrle detailing her plans on how to move the district forward, Merker pointed to something other than the dearth of state funding as the main financial problem the district is facing.

"The problem is the spending," Merker insisted in his post, calling the incumbent board president's ideas — such as improved student recruitment, monthly balanced budgets, competitive bidding and yes, increased state funding –— "penny stupid, pound stupid."

In any spirited campaign, you'll see finger-pointing and lofty goals. What's different in this race is that all that has come from the conservative-aligned "2030 slate" are warnings about the current leadership of our district. The warnings in their campaign materials and public statements are not accompanied by solutions or plans they would implement to address the urgent challenges they warn about.

2030 Slate promises recall elections of remaining board seats

On the "What's Next" page of the " 2030 Task Force " website – which the 2030 slate insists isn't a campaign website despite its inclusion of endorsements, campaign plans and a name that matches that of their slate – just one specific plan is laid out should the 2030 slate be elected: to immediately thrust our community into recall elections.

Under a header that reads "Recall Readiness in 2026 — The Other Three Seats," the 2030 slate lays out specific plans to "organize a recall drive to give voters a choice" on the three Board seats that are not on the ballot this April.

The 2030 slate's promise to immediately recall the three remaining Board members is a promise of more chaos and division at a time when whoever is on the Board should be focused on collaborating with one another to stabilize our district for the benefit of district students and families. The 2030 slate offers no insight into how they would govern if elected.

Partisan and ideological groups align behind candidates

In the weeks leading up to the election, powerful partisan and ideological groups and leaders have begun appealing to voters in support of their preferred candidates.

This week, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin sent mailers urging voters to pick progressive candidates Heimerl-Rolland, Woehrle, Wautier and Lamers.

Letter: I am disappointed that Dan O'Donnell is still on the air

The same day, controversial conservative radio host Dan O'Donnell launched his new " Ultimate Conservative Voter Guide " in which he endorsed Merker, Koehler, Birk and Stemper. O'Donnell called his guide "the most comprehensive conservative voter guide in Wisconsin history."

Fair Wisconsin, a group committed to "LGBTQ+ equity and justice," issued endorsements of Heimerl-Rolland, Woehrle, Wautier and Lamers.

While partisan groups and leaders make clear who they believe aligns with their values, the choice is up to voters on April 7.

Jon Knudson is a public schools advocate and Wauwatosa School District parent.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Group ignores impact of stagnant state aid on school budgets | Opinion