This is what we will often refer to as a teachable moment.

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There are currently 55 failing schools in MPS and not once has Bob Peterson ever referred to them as “an insult to the Milwaukee community.” Nope. In fact, you will be hard pressed to find the last statement from Bob Peterson showing any outrage and frustration at failing schools in Milwaukee.

But when Republican state lawmakers suggest that enough is enough and we must try something new for the sake of students locked in failing MPS schools, Peterson, a white guy himself, wants to run racism up the flag pole to make the idea as toxic as possible.

Does this sound like a man concerned about education? Does this sound like a man concerned about failing schools? Does this sound like a man who has any other interests at heart other than preserving a status quo that is failing thousands of students year after year?

Peterson and others will be quick to attack the race and the geography of Kooyenga and Darling, using “suburban’ and “white” as pejoratives to undermine their credibility. In response, Kooyenga said Monday in an interview with Charlie Sykes that it would be more racist for him and others to say ‘life is good in my district and we don’t care about MPS.’

Kooyenga is absolutely right.

Is it really racist for Kooyenga, Darling, and Republicans in Madison to look at the failing status quo at 55 schools in Milwaukee and say we want a change? Is it racist to say we want to empower children and offer them opportunity and a future? Is it really racist to say we’re not content to leave thousands of poor, mostly minority children behind in failing schools? Does that attitude and sentiment really sound racist? And if it doesn’t, what does it say about Bob Peterson and his perspective?

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Authored by Collin Roth
Originally published here

Published with permission