Wisconsin has made national headlines for the past two weeks due to Governor Scott Walker’s Budget Repair Bill.
Many people throughout the state of Wisconsin and neighboring states have traveled to Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, to express their opinions by attending various rallies and protests.
In addition to the rallies in Madison, rallies have occurred throughout the state.
According to Mr. Alex Morrell of the Green Bay Press Gazette, there have been some rallies in Green Bay. “Protesters on Thursday evening gathered at the Ray Nitschke Memorial and Walnut Street bridges in Green Bay and the Claude Allouez Bridge in De Pere,” said Mr. Morrell.
Based upon anecdotal research conducted at Green Bay Notre Dame Academy, students and staff members have varying views about the bill, the Senate Democrats who have left the state, the protestors and the unions that the majority of the protestors belong to.
NDA main office secretary Mrs. Patty Mineau said, “I agree with what Walker is doing. The federal employees don’t have collective bargaining and Obama has frozen their wages. I think that they [the teachers] should help out because it takes some of the burden off of the middle class tax-payers.”
Four students in agreement with Mrs. Mineau are seniors Brian Roitstein, Scott Windey, Konrad Roznik and Matt Elmer.
Roitstein comes from a family that is involved in politics. He said, “My family is really involved in politics and I’m also interested in politics. I listen to my family members’ opinions, but I also look at the facts and form my own opinions.”
In regard to the protestors of Governor Walker’s bill, Roitstein said, “It’s ridiculous that the teachers are parading around. What is that showing the kids?”
Windey agreed with Roitstein, saying, “Teachers need to go back to their jobs and stop whining.”
Roznik, a member of NDA’s Political Action Club, added, “The teachers will still have more benefits than most of the working class Americans. Everyone wants to cut spending, but then no one seems to want to give up anything.”
Although teachers and other opponents of Governor Walker’s bill have the freedom to oppose the bill, some of the protestors are not protesting in a respectable manner.
According to Mr. Todd Richmond of CNSnews.com, “The demonstrations have left the Capitol a mess. The normally sparkling floors are smeared with dirt, protesters' signs cover the marble walls, air mattresses and blankets lay in hallways and state troopers guard every corridor, limiting movement in the building.”
Roitstein has heard and read about the various protests currently occurring in Madison and said, “Democratic people are being overly aggressive and way too inappropriate to the highest extent in their protesting.”
In order to be in Madison to protest, many teachers are calling in sick to work. Some doctors are even writing fake sick notes for teachers so that they can protest.
Ms. Stefanie Jochman, NDA English teacher, knows some teachers that work in public schools, and she does not always agree with how the media is covering the protesting teachers. She said, “The public school teachers I know love their jobs and love the kids they teach and would only choose not to be in the classroom if they thought that their ability to do their best for their students was being challenged.”
Governor Walker’s bill cannot be passed yet, because Democratic senators needed for a quorum have left the state.
In regard to the actions of the senators, Elmer, another member of NDA’s Political Action Club, questioned, “Who voted those second-graders in?”
Roitstein is not pleased that the Democrats have not been showing up for work. “The Republicans didn’t run from the health care bill like the Democrats have run from this bill,” he said.
There has been much discussion about unions lately because of Governor Walker’s proposal. In Wisconsin some people strongly oppose unions and others who are strongly in favor of unions.
“I honestly think unions are like cults now. They have completely strayed away from what they should be,” said Roitstein.
Mr. Matt Schultz, NDA history teacher said, “Unions are not what they once were. They sometimes take advantage of their workers.”
He also said, “I think that the teachers and unions have a point to stand up for their rights. I ultimately think that teachers will not participate in anything outside of their contracts such as writing letters of recommendation and staying after school to help their students anymore if they aren’t listened to.”
Roznik said, “Most people don’t want to be in a union. If people are given the opportunity not to be in the union, unions will come to an end.”
Elmer agreed, “Unions only work if everyone is a part of it.”
Seniors Joe Klonowski, Adam Strebel, Mimi Trin and Emily Erdman offered their views regarding Governor Walker’s bill.
Klonowski’s said, “I’m all for the budget cuts. I just don’t know if I’m for labor union cuts.”
Strebel, a member of Youth in Government simply stated, “I don’t agree with the bill entirely,” and Trin, another member of Political Action Club said, “My host mom is a public school teacher here. I disagree with this policy.”
Erdman, another member of Youth in Government, stated, “I wish I was in Madison right now. I know a lot of people who are upset about this. I don’t really have a judgment on this issue yet, but I do think that we could probably cut the money elsewhere. I also wonder what will happen to the education system and the unions if the bill gets passed.”
Overall, this proposal is really no surprise to voters as Walker campaigned for over a year on restraining government spending.
Elmer commented on this as he said, “Walker is doing what the people want even though the unions are the loudest,” and senior Greta Schmitt, whose father is the mayor of Green Bay, agreed with Elmer as she said, “It’s hard to do the right thing. The liberals are really vocal, but the polls show that more people are supporting Walker.”