Milwaukee mayor, state superintendent weigh in after MPS' Keith Posley resigns

After a five-hour, closed-door meeting about his employment Monday night, Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Keith Posley announced his resignation.

Posley's departure comes after state and federal officials raised alarms about MPS' financial reporting delays and Head Start operations, jeopardizing the funding the district receives.

Ahead of the meeting, local officials released statements expressing disappointment in MPS. The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, which opposed the referendum passed this spring, said the community should consider a "more accountable governance structure" for the school board.

On Friday, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said he wanted to see more information before judging whether Posley should lose his job and said not submitting financial reports was a problem. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson declined to weigh in Monday.

After Posley announced his resignation, Johnson and others released additional statements. Here's a running list:

Milwaukee's mayor says he hopes new leadership will be 'an impetus'

In a statement released Tuesday morning, Johnson thanked Posley for his service in Milwaukee. Johnson said he looks forward to working closely with the school board, the MPS Office of Accountability and Efficiency and the state Department of Public Instruction to "monitor their progress in bringing this matter to a close."

"I hope the resolution of the financial reporting issues and the appointment of new leadership at MPS will serve as an impetus for leaders and community members alike to work more closely together to benefit all children, and not be used as an opportunity to further divide us," Johnson said.

Johnson said he was "alarmed" to hear about the "looming crisis" facing the district. He said his office has communicated regularly with MPS and the state in the last few weeks and had established monthly meetings with the superintendent.

Asked Tuesday for his thoughts on the city taking over the school district, Johnson said he was old enough to remember a proposed mayoral takeover of Milwaukee Public Schools and "the fact that this community vehemently rejected that effort."

"There are extremes here, the extremes being the status quo that we've seen as relates to public schools and the extreme of mayoral takeover, which by the way, doesn't necessarily present itself to be a panacea," he said at a press conference on another topic.

He said there is space between those extremes that hasn't been explored.

State superintendent says DPI will work with MPS on a daily basis

State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly, who leads the state Department of Public Instruction, said the state will continue engaging with MPS "on a daily basis."

“In Wisconsin's system of local control, elected school boards make decisions about district superintendent staffing. No matter how the board chooses to move forward, under my leadership, the DPI will continue working with the MPS team to resolve the current challenge. As we go forward, our primary focus is on improving outcomes for all of Milwaukee’s children," Underly said in a statement Tuesday morning.

MTEA President Ingrid Walker-Henry says school board members must 'instill confidence and communicate their plans'

MTEA President Ingrid Walker-Henry said in a statement that MPS students, workers, families and residents "deserve an MPS Administration that will fight for our future, especially in the face of a Republican state legislature and suburban business lobby that seeks to harm Milwaukee’s public schools."

"As the district addresses the delayed financial reports and the search begins for the next Superintendent, the School Board must instill confidence and communicate their plans moving forward and give regular updates," she said Tuesday afternoon. "MPS students and workers need the Board to pass a budget that guarantees the resources they deserve when they return in fall. Retention and recruitment of public education workers for our students is of utmost priority and MTEA calls on the MPS Board to schedule a date to pass a budget in the very near future to ensure MPS classrooms are fully staffed going into the 2024-25 school year."

Milwaukee alderman says anger brought 'a certain blindness and lack of focus,' calls on mayor to lead on MPS reforms

Ald. Scott Spiker in a statement called Posley "an honorable man who served the district he loved as best as he knew how" and said the anger at Monday night's meeting led to "a certain blindness and lack of focus."

"Lost in that anger was the fact that the Board moved to hear the public commentary on the financial mismanagement that led to Dr. Posley’s 'voluntary' resignation together with the public commentary on the business-as-usual 2024/2025 MPS budget.

"Lost in that anger was the fact that this meant there was next to zero discussion of the details of that budget by the public, despite the fact that the Board advertised this as an opportunity for the public to have their voices heard on this important matter.

"Lost in that anger was the critical fact that the early April passage of the $252 million MPS referendum in no way obligates the Board to raise the levy $140 million this year; it merely allows them to do so. It is entirely within their purview not to raise the levy and thus, impose an additional burden on the taxpayers they, ostensibly, serve."

Spiker called the problems that led to Posley's resignation "deep and systemic" and said the school board members, while good people, are "in over their heads."

He also called on Mayor Cavalier Johnson to "play a useful role in pushing forward much-needed and long-delayed reform."

City Forward Collective calls for a clean slate and fresh start

City Forward Collective said in an amended Tuesday statement that accepting Posley's resignation was an appropriate initial step, but called for further change. They raised concerns that MPS could raise property taxes again to account for the district's mistakes, on top of the referendum already approved.

"Superintendent Posley’s departure represents necessary accountability — but it is clear the challenges at MPS are far deeper than one person. We join others across the city in calling for a clean slate, a fresh start, and a fundamentally new approach to governance for Milwaukee Public Schools," said Colleston Morgan, Executive Director of City Forward Collective.

City Forward Collective said it believes the mayor "has an important role to play in leading this conversation."

LIT says consequences of 'bad leadership and misguided priorities' will fall on Milwaukee's students

Leaders Igniting Transformation, or LIT, in a statement said the MPS superintendent and administration must make students' and families' success and wellbeing as the primary focus.

"As we learn more in the days and weeks, LIT urges the people of Milwaukee to stay focused on what’s most important: students and investing in public education at all levels," the group said in the statement. "Milwaukee’s young people are our future, and we all have a role to play in supporting their needs. So whether you vote in local elections, fight back against budget cuts, become a student mentor or volunteer, or advocate at upcoming school board meetings for better leadership, listen to students. Elevate their voices. Push for a safer and more just MPS for all."

State Sen. Chris Larson calls mistakes made under Posley 'unacceptable'

State Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, in a statement said that the mistakes made under Posley were "unacceptable" and that he backed the leadership change.

"I reject the irresponsible and frantic conjecture by some elected officials and talking heads who have their own agenda," he said. "It is critical that we maintain our democratic checks and balances and soundly reject any attempted takeover, dissection, or further attacks on our kids’ schools, both here in Milwaukee and across the state.

"We must never lose sight of the goal of providing a quality, tuition-free public education for every child in a system where parents and the public have a say. That right is guaranteed by our state’s constitution."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mayor Johnson, state superintendent react after Keith Posley resigns