by Benjamin Yount
Milwaukee’s school superintendent is out of a job, but the city’s school board did not fire him.
Superintendent Keith Posley reigned early Tuesday morning after a marathon school board meeting.
“As a superintendent, you take responsibility for everything. Anything that happens, it’s under my watch, so I take responsibility for it,” Posley (pictured above) told reporters after his resignation. “If the grass is not cut, it’s my responsibility. Right? If the windows are broke out, it’s my responsibility. I take that responsibility.”
Posley was already facing criticism for a new school budget that looked to cut about 300 jobs, half being teaching positions. Posley also told Milwaukee voters back April that a $252 million property tax increase would help avoid those kinds of cuts.
Opposition went to another level when Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction last week notified the MPS school board the district may lose state funding because of reports that were due last year.
Advocates demanded someone at MPS be held accountable.
The school board, early Tuesday, said it held Posley accountable by accepting his resignation.
The terms of his resignation were not immediately available.
“Regional superintendent for the Southwest Region, Eduardo Galvan, will support and facilitate day-to-day operations for students and families while MPS searches for an interim superintendent,” MPSS’ school board said in a statement.
Posley’s resignation does not end Milwaukee Public Schools’ troubles.
The district must now finalize its budget for the 2024-2025 school year by the end of June. And the district must finish and submit its late reports to the state as soon as possible.
DPI officials have warned if it doesn’t get MPS’ reports on time, schools across Wisconsin could see their state aid impacted.
Milwaukee’s school board also announced Tuesday they’ve hired an outside expert, for $48,000 for two months, to help finalize those reports.
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Benjamin Yount is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Superintendent Keith Posley” by Lincoln Avenue MPS.
