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Milwaukee Public Schools, Wisconsin, elections (2021)

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Milwaukee Public Schools elections
Primary date
February 16, 2021
General election date
April 6, 2021
Enrollment ('17-'18)
75,539 students

Four of the nine seats on the Milwaukee Public Schools school board in Wisconsin were up for general election on April 6, 2021. Two of the four seats up for election were contested. Aisha Carr defeated Dana Kelley in the general election for the District 4 seat on city's north side with a 15.0-point margin. Jilly Gokalgandhi defeated Alex Brower in the general election for the District 5 seat on the city's east side with a 9.8-point margin. Marcela Garcia and Henry Leonard ran unopposed and were elected in the general elections for Districts 6 and 7, respectively.[1] All four seats were open after three incumbents did not file for re-election and the fourth, Annie Woodward, did not submit the required number of signatures to appear on the ballot.[2]

As a result of the election, the number of school board members endorsed by the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association (MTEA), the city's largest teachers' union, decreased from nine to six.[3] At the time of the election, all nine incumbents on the Milwaukee Public Schools school board had been endorsed by the MTEA in either the 2017 or 2019 elections.[4] The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Annysa Johnson wrote that this was "the first time in memory that every single person on the nine-member board has been endorsed by the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association."[5] In 2021, the union issued endorsements in three of the four races: Kelley in District 4, Brower in District 5, and Leonard in District 7.

District 4

Carr defeated Kelley in the general election in District 4 for the seat that was held by Woodward. Carr previously worked as a high school special education teacher in the district before joining the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center as its youth opportunity director.[6] She ran for the seat against Woodward in 2017, where she received 48 percent of the vote to Woodward's 52 percent. Kelley was an assistant pastor and an organizer for a local branch of Citizen Action of Wisconsin.[1]

Carr received endorsements from state Sen. Lena Taylor (D) and state Reps. David Bowen (D), Evan Goyke (D) and LaKeshia Myers (D).[7][8][9] Kelley was endorsed by the MTEA, the Milwaukee and national Democratic Socialists of America, and two incumbent school board members.[10]

District 5

Gokalgandhi defeated Brower in the District 5 general election. Brower was a substitute teacher in the district and served as president of the substitute teachers' union before becoming executive director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans.[11] Gokalgandhi was a community schools coordinator in the district before joining American Family Insurance as an equity in education strategist.[12][1]

Brower received endorsements from the MTEA, the Milwaukee and national Democratic Socialists of America and four incumbent school board members.[13] Gokalgandhi was endorsed by the Milwaukee branches of the United Auto Workers and American Federation of Teachers and five incumbent school board members.[14][15]

COVID-19

A key issue in both contested races was the plan to re-open schools to in-person learning during the coronavirus pandemic. In District 4, both Carr and Kelley opposed the district's plan to re-open schools to in-person learning in April, 2021. Both candidates said schools should continue virtual learning for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. Carr said some in-person instruction for students with special needs who require individualized education plans should be allowed with proper safety measures in place.[16] In District 5, Brower said schools should not re-open until all members of the community were given the opportunity to be vaccinated. Gokalgandhi said it should wait until all school staff were given the opportunity.[1]

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:

District 4District 5

Carr
Kelley
Brower
Gokalgandhi


Candidates and election results

District 4

General election

General election for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 4

Aisha Carr defeated Dana Kelley in the general election for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 4 on April 6, 2021.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Aisha Carr
Aisha Carr (Nonpartisan)
 
57.2
 
2,001
Image of Dana Kelley
Dana Kelley (Nonpartisan)
 
42.3
 
1,479
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.5
 
19

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 3,499
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 4

Aisha Carr and Dana Kelley defeated Cheryl Hayes and Victor Nwagbaraocha in the primary for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 4 on February 16, 2021.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Aisha Carr
Aisha Carr (Nonpartisan)
 
44.7
 
880
✔
Image of Dana Kelley
Dana Kelley (Nonpartisan)
 
30.8
 
607
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Cheryl Hayes (Nonpartisan)
 
14.0
 
276
Image of Victor Nwagbaraocha
Victor Nwagbaraocha (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
10.0
 
197
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.5
 
9

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,969
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

District 5

General election

General election for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 5

Jilly Gokalgandhi defeated Alex Brower in the general election for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 5 on April 6, 2021.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jilly Gokalgandhi
Jilly Gokalgandhi (Nonpartisan)
 
54.6
 
5,229
Image of Alex Brower
Alex Brower (Nonpartisan)
 
44.8
 
4,293
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.6
 
58

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 9,580
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 5

Alex Brower and Jilly Gokalgandhi defeated Abbie Fishman and Kahri Phelps Okoro in the primary for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 5 on February 16, 2021.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alex Brower
Alex Brower (Nonpartisan)
 
37.0
 
2,031
✔
Image of Jilly Gokalgandhi
Jilly Gokalgandhi (Nonpartisan)
 
33.9
 
1,862
Image of Abbie Fishman
Abbie Fishman (Nonpartisan)
 
16.4
 
902
Image of Kahri Phelps Okoro
Kahri Phelps Okoro (Nonpartisan)
 
12.2
 
669
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.5
 
29

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 5,493
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

District 6

General election

General election for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 6

Marcela Garcia won election in the general election for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 6 on April 6, 2021.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Marcela Garcia (Nonpartisan)
 
100.0
 
1,051

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,051
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Marcela Garcia advanced from the primary for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 6.

District 7

General election

General election for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 7

Henry Leonard won election in the general election for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 7 on April 6, 2021.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Henry Leonard (Nonpartisan)
 
100.0
 
3,883

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 3,883
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Henry Leonard advanced from the primary for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 7.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[17]

District 4

Aisha Carr

Aisha Carr

Image of Aisha Carr

WebsiteFacebook

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Carr received a master's in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master's in urban special education from Cardinal Stritch University. She also received a bachelor's degree in social work. Carr worked as a legislative aide to U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D) and as a high school special education teacher in the district before joining the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center as its opportunity youth re-engagement director.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

In a candidate questionnaire, Carr said some of the most important issues she would address include racial, social, academic, and economic disparities, the recruitment and retention of Black and Brown educators, increased accountability for traditional and charter schools, and encouraging restorative rather than punitive disciplinary policies.

Carr said her professional background prepared her to serve on the school board. She referenced her work piloting the district's Black Lives Matter Resolution and Restorative Practice Program initiatives. Carr said that she "has devoted her entire professional career to the advancement of students of color, fighting for racial and educational equity."

Regarding the coronavirus pandemic, Carr said schools should not reopen for in-person learning for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. She said some in-person education should be allowed for students with special needs. Carr proposed developing a district-wide Crisis Intervention Team to respond to the needs of students, families, and educators.

Show sources

Sources: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Socialist slate among newcomers vying for four open seats on Milwaukee School Board," Feb. 5, 2021, Aisha Carr's campaign website, "Campaign Issues," accessed March 5, 2021; Aisha Carr's campaign website, "Meet Aisha Carr," accessed March 5, 2021, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, "Election 2021: Meet the school board candidates for District 4," Feb. 10, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 4 in 2021.

Dana Kelley

Dana Kelley

Image of Dana Kelley

WebsiteFacebook

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Kelley received an associate's degree in biblical studies from Midwest Bible College and completed courses at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Milwaukee Area Technical College. At the time of the election, Kelley was an assistant pastor of the Reviving Faith Movement Church and a lead organizer of North Side Rising, a Milwaukee branch of Citizen Action of Wisconsin.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

In a candidate questionnaire, Kelley said, "The most important issues facing the board and District 4 in particular is equality." Kelley cited the privatization of public schooling as a main factor, saying, "we must work and fight against parasitic privatization ... We must also work to encourage parents to bring their children back to MPS."

Kelley described herself as a servant leader, referencing her pastoral and volunteering experience. She said, "I am someone who believes in radical change ... I am running for this office as a democratic socialist, which means that I hope to empower regular people to make economic decisions that affect all of us. Socialism means community control."

In her campaign platform, Kelley identified her four key points for the district: ensuring quality education for children of color, advocating for public schools and increasing accountability for charter schools, implementing a Green New Deal for the district, and democratizing education by opening up school decision making to the broader community.

Show sources

Sources: Dana Kelley's campaign website, "Platform," accessed March 5, 2021, Dana Kelley's campaign website, "Meet Dana," accessed March 5, 2021; Dana Kelley's campaign website, "Meet Dana," accessed March 5, 2021, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, "Election 2021: Meet the school board candidates for District 4," Feb. 10, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 4 in 2021.

District 5

Alex Brower

Alex Brower

Image of Alex Brower

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Brower received a bachelor's degree in political science from Beloit College. Brower worked as a substitute teacher in the Milwaukee Public School system and served as the president of the substitute teachers' union before becoming the executive director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans. Brower was also elected treasurer of the Milwaukee Democratic Socialists of America.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Brower cited his experience working in and with the Milwaukee School District, saying, "As an experienced MPS educator, former union president and active community leader, I have defied the skeptics to win real gains for our community." 

In his campaign platform, Brower said he would create a Green New Deal for the school district, prioritize policies that support Black, Brown, and indigenous students, bring all charter schools under the purview of the Milwaukee School Board, and open district decision-making up to the broader community.

Regarding school reopening during the coronavirus pandemic, Brower said, "I will oppose any reopening until 1) vaccines are widely available to students, staff and their families, 2) we have free, widely available and mandatory PPE ... 3) there is a significant reduction in cases and 4) we can practice social distancing with smaller class sizes."

Show sources

Sources: Alex Brower's campaign website, "Platform," accessed March 4, 2021, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Socialist slate among newcomers vying for four open seats on Milwaukee School Board," Feb. 5, 2021; Alex Brower's campaign website, "Meet Alex Brower," accessed March 4, 2021, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, "Election 2021: Meet the school board candidates for District 5," Feb. 11, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 5 in 2021.

Jilly Gokalgandhi

Jilly Gokalgandhi

Image of Jilly Gokalgandhi

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Gokalgandhi received a bachelor's degree in international affairs and economics from Marquette University in 2014. Her professional experience includes working as a policy analyst and grants writer with the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board. Gokalgandhi also worked as a community school coordinator in the Greater Milwaukee area before becoming an equity in education strategist with American Family Insurance.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Gokalgandhi said, "The current most pressing issue that MPS faces is the COVID-19 crisis and what happens once all of our educators are vaccinated and back in the building." She said she opposed reopening schools until vaccines were made widely available and community spread was under control.

In her campaign platform, Gokalgandhi said she would promote anti-racist and culturally relevant teaching. She cited her personal history of immigrating to the U.S. as a child, saying, "I inherently understand why these things are important because when I grew up, I didn't see my story, my heritage reflected in history books or literature."

Gokalgandhi said she opposes the privatization of public schools and public funding for vouchers. She said she would seek funding for schools in order to retain high-quality educators and to support English language learners and students with special needs.

Show sources

Sources: Jilly Gokalgandhi's campaign website, "Platform," accessed March 4, 2021, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Socialist slate among newcomers vying for four open seats on Milwaukee School Board," Feb. 5, 2021; LinkedIn, "Jilly Gokalgandhi," accessed March 4, 2021, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, "Election 2021: Meet the school board candidates for District 5," Feb. 11, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Milwaukee Public Schools Board of School Directors District 5 in 2021.

Campaign finance

District 4

District 5


Click "Show more" to view campaign finance information for the uncontested elections in Districts 6 and 7
Show more

District 6

District 7

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.

District 4

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorsement Carr Kelley
Newspapers and editorials
Shepherd Express[18] ✔ ✔
Elected officials
State Rep. David Bowen (D)[19] ✔
State Rep. Evan Goyke (D) ✔[9] ✔[20]
State Rep. LaKeshia Myers (D)[21] ✔
State Sen. Lena Taylor (D)[7] ✔
County Supervisor Ryan Clancy (Dist. 4)[22] ✔
School Board Dir. Marva Herndon (Dist. 1)[22] ✔
School Board Dir. Erika Siemsen (Dist. 2)[22] ✔
Milwaukee City Attorney Tearman Spencer[23] ✔
Individuals
Milwaukee Democratic Party Chair Chris Walton (D)[24] ✔
Organizations
AFSCME[23] ✔
American Federation of Teachers - MATC[23] ✔
Black Leaders Organizing for Communities[25] ✔
Citizen Action of Wisconsin[10] ✔
Democratic Socialists of America[26][10] ✔
Leadership for Educational Equity[23] ✔
Our Wisconsin Revolution[27][10] ✔
Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association[10] ✔
Voces de la Frontera Action[28] ✔
Wisconsin Working Families Party[29] ✔


District 5

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorsement Brower Gokalgandhi
Newspapers and editorials
Shepherd Express[30] ✔
Elected officials
U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D)[15] ✔
State Rep. Jonathan Brostoff (D)[15] ✔
State Rep. Francesca Hong (D)[31] ✔
State Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D)[32] ✔
County Supervisor Ryan Clancy (Dist. 4)[13] ✔
County Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson (Dist. 5)[33] ✔
County Supervisor/School Board Dir. Sequanna Taylor (Dists. 2/3)[13] ✔
School Board Dir. Tony Baez (Dist. 6)[14] ✔
School Board Dir. Marva Herndon (Dist. 1)[13] ✔
School Board Dir. Megan O'Halloran (Dist. 8) ✔[13] ✔[14]
School Board Dir. Larry Miller (Dist. 5)[15] ✔
School Board Dir. Bob Peterson (At-large)[15] ✔
School Board Dir. Paula Phillips (Dist. 7)[14] ✔
School Board Dir. Erika Siemsen (Dist. 2)[13] ✔
Common Council Ald. Nik Kovac (Dist. 3)[34] ✔
Individuals
Frmr. State Sen. Gary Goyke (D)[13] ✔
Frmr. State Rep. Sandy Pasch (D)[13] ✔
School Board candidate, Dana Kelley (Dist. 4)[13] ✔
Frmr. School Board candidate, Abbie Fishman (Dist. 5)[35] ✔
Organizations
AFSCME[23] ✔
American Federation of Teachers - MATC[15] ✔
Black Leaders Organizing for Communities[36] ✔
Citizen Action of Wisconsin[15] ✔
Democratic Socialists of America[37][13] ✔
Green Party of Milwaukee County[13] ✔
Milwaukee Solidarity[13] ✔
Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association[13] ✔
Our Wisconsin Revolution - Milwaukee[38] ✔
United Auto Workers of SE Wisconsin[15] ✔
Wisconsin Conservation Voters[39] ✔
Wisconsin Progress[40] ✔


Click "Show more" to view noteworthy endorsements in the uncontested elections for District 6 and 7
Show more

District 6

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorsement Garcia
Elected officials
State Sen. Chris Larson (D)[41] ✔
State Rep. Jonathan Brostoff (D)[41] ✔
State Rep./County Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz Velez (D)[41] ✔
Milwaukee County Register of Deeds Israel Ramón[41] ✔
School Board Dir. Larry Miller (Dist. 5)[41] ✔
School Board Dir. Tony Baez (Dist. 6)[41] ✔
School Board Dir. Paula Phillips (Dist. 7)[41] ✔
School Board Dir. Bob Peterson (At-large)[41] ✔
Common Council Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa (Dist. 8)[41] ✔
Common Council Ald. Jose Perez (Dist. 12)[41] ✔
Common Council Ald. Marina Dimitrijevic (Dist. 14)[41] ✔
Individuals
Frmr. School Board Dir. Tatiana Joseph (Dist. 6)[41] ✔
Organizations
AFSCME PEOPLE[41] ✔
Milwauke Area Labor Council[41] ✔
Next Up Victory Fund[41] ✔
People for the American Way[41] ✔


District 7

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorsement Leonard
Elected officials
School Board Dir. Larry Miller (Dist. 5)[42] ✔
Organizations
AFSCME PEOPLE[43] ✔
Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association[44] ✔
Wisconsin Conservation Voters[45] ✔

Timeline

2021

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

District 5

Alex Brower

A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.


Jilly Gokalgandhi

"Citywide Representative/Former MTEA President Bob Peterson Endorsement" - Gokalgandhi campaign ad, released Feb. 4, 2021
"Focused on What Matters: Fighting for Our Children" - Gokalgandhi campaign ad, released Feb. 4, 2021

A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.


Debates and forums

District 4

March 27 forum

On March 27, 2021, Carr and Kelley participated in a candidate forum over Zoom hosted by DST Milwaukee Alumnae.[47]

Link to video

March 12 forum

On March 12, 2021, Carr and Kelley participated in a candidate forum over Zoom hosted by Metcalfe Park Community Bridges and Running Rebels.[48]

March 10 forum

On March 10, 2021, Carr and Kelley participated in a candidate forum over Zoom hosted by Milwaukee's Black Educators Caucus, the ACLU of Wisconsin, Leaders Igniting Transformation, and Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope. The forum focused on race and equity in the school district.[49]



Click the links below for summaries of the forum from:

March 4 forum

On March 4, 2021, Carr and Kelley participated in a candidate forum over Zoom hosted by Schools and Communities United, Leaders Igniting Transformation, and Parents for Public Schools-MKE.[50] The portion including Carr and Kelley begins around the 30-minute mark.

District 5

March 10 forum

On March 10, 2021, Brower and Gokalgandhi participated in a candidate forum over Zoom hosted by Milwaukee's Black Educators Caucus, the ACLU of Wisconsin, Leaders Igniting Transformation, and Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope. The forum focused on race and equity in the school district.[49]



Click the links below for summaries of the forum from:

Noteworthy events

Rejection of Annie Woodward's nominating petitions

On January 5, 2021, District 4 incumbent Annie Woodward submitted nominating petitions to run for re-election. Woodward was later removed from the ballot after election officials found that she failed to submit the required minimum number of valid signatures.[2]

Candidates for school board districts must submit a minimum of 400 valid signatures from voters who live in the given district. According to Claire Woodall-Vogg, the executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, Woodward submitted 461 signatures. Of that total, 283 were valid and 178 were invalid, dropping Woodward below the minimum signature requirement. According to Woodall-Vogg, the invalid signatures came from voters who either did not live in District 4 or who did not sign with a full name.[2]

Woodward was first elected in 2009 and re-elected twice. In 2013, Woodward ran unopposed in 2013 and, in 2017, she defeated Aisha Carr, receiving 51.9 percent of the vote to Carr's 47.6 percent.

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

District 4

Aisha Carr

Campaign website

Carr's campaign website stated the following:

“

School Health & Safety Plan (COVID-19)

1. Develop a district-wide pandemic Crisis Intervention Team to respond to and address the immediate needs and concerns of students, families and educators during COVID-19.
2. Provide in-person individualized instruction to students with special needs who require IEP services in accordance with IDEA State Regulations, with proper building sanitation and social distancing measures in place.
3. Follow the guidance of National Health and Scientific experts for school reopening clearance, with the necessary building ventilation, protective equipment, mandated masks and health reporting measures in place.
4. Utilize school buildings for the purpose of COVID-19 testing and community vaccinations to promote the health and wellness of marginalized communities with limited resources.

Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

1. Provide funding for cross-cultural and expeditionary learning initiatives for all Students and Educators to bridge learning gaps between theory and practice.
2. Recruit, retain and provide equitable and competitive compensation to Black and Brown Educators while offering mandated mentoring & financial resources to encourage long-term careers in the field of Education.
3. Allocate funding to invest in the mandatory training and development of school safety personnel and designated community leaders to promote restorative practices and dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline thus eliminating the presence of law enforcement officers and metal detectors in educational settings.
4. Provide on-going, mandatory equity and inclusion trainings district-wide. Trainings should include strategic and measureable plans to address district-wide racial, behavioral, academic and funding disparities assessed and measured by a community designated Equity & Inclusion Task Force.
5. High-quality, culturally responsive curriculum delivered by highly-trained, passionate educators and administrative leaders.

Equitable Funding & Universal Accountability

1. One size doesn't fit all and the District's overall budget doesn't meet the needs of every school and every student. Without equitable funding and universal accountability, an equitable educational experience is null and void. MPS funding needs to stay in the District. Any efforts to privatize Milwaukee Public Schools will be rejected.
2. Schools that are low performing should be placed on school improvement plans to measure progress and success. The funding should support the development of the school's culture, climate and educators. If the schools fail to demonstrate academic success, then the school(s) need to be placed on an improvement plan to demonstrating growth. This applies to MPS public and charter schools.
3. Develop district and school leaders’ capacity to understand the driving forces of district-wide inequities and how school-level financial data is related to other student data. Use this data, leadership and lens to deliver a more equitable and accountable budget for students within the district.
4. Per pupil funding should be based on a student's economic factors. [51]
 ”
—Aisha Carr's campaign website (2021)[52]


Dana Kelley

Campaign website

Kelley's campaign website stated the following:

“

I am running for Milwaukee Public School Board Member of District 4 because it is time for a change. We need a change in the quality of education that is offered to the students of District 4. There are so many obstacles to providing quality education in District 4: lack of funding and concern for our students, parents, and educators are key factors in the disparities between Milwaukee School District 4 and other parts of the city.

When I'm on the board, I'm going to fight for four things - I call them The Four Points for District 4:

1. Ensure quality education for children of color.
2. Fight for public schools.
3. Green New Deal for MPS.
4. Democratize education.

Let me tell you more about them...

The Four Points for District 4:

1. Once elected, I will advocate and lobby to ensure quality education for children of color by reinstating Music and Arts as mandatory parts of the student curriculum. Music and art serve as therapy for students who have tremendous life obstacles to overcome. Removing creative opportunities from our community of learners is a huge hindrance to providing a quality education.
Too often, our black students do not get the quality education they deserve. We need to empower our black students and their educators so we can ALL benefit from public schools. In addition, black students deserve an environment that supports their health – with quality and healthy food programs, mental health support in the schools instead of an unqualified police presence, and buildings free from toxic infrastructure such as lead and particulate matter, which affect the community of color disproportionately.
2. I will fight for public schools and hold charter schools accountable. Our community-owned public schools are under threat from privatization efforts. We need to strengthen our public school system in Milwaukee by keeping funds in MPS through an Accountability Clause for charter schools that are funded by MPS. My campaign manager, Tyra Thomas, has worked previously within charter schools and has a bird-eye perspective into the damage that charter schools have caused for MPS funding and test scores.
3. I will implement a Green New Deal for MPS by working to achieve MPS’ energy independence from fossil fuels and providing every student with an environment that supports their health. This includes providing high quality, healthy foods; providing mental health support instead of an unqualified police presence; and removing toxic infrastructure like lead.
4. I will democratize education by opening up school decision making to all stakeholders – parents, students, school staff, and community members. I will advocate for participatory budgeting and a citizen policy initiative process to bring decision making power to regular people. Everyone will have a voice that will be heard and valued to ensure that MPS does justice to the education of the bright and intelligent students who live in District 4.[51]
 ”
—Dana Kelley's campaign website (2021)[53]


District 5

Alex Brower

Campaign website

Brower's campaign website stated the following:

“

As a School Board Director, Alex Brower will…

Democratize education by opening up school and district-wide decision making to our community: parents, students, school staff, and residents. Our schools need to be community controlled. He will propose a democratic budgeting process where regular people decide how to spend the district’s money, a citizen policy initiative process to bring decision making power to regular people, and the creation of new seats on the school board to represent all of the communities in this city.

Fight for public schools by holding charter and voucher schools accountable. Our community-owned public schools continue to be under threat from privatization. We need to strengthen our public school system that serves all students in Milwaukee. MPS does not currently have an existing policy that holds charter schools to the same high standards of our public schools.

Create a Green New Deal for MPS by working to achieve MPS’ energy independence from fossil fuels and providing every student with an environment that supports their health, including providing high quality, healthy foods; mental health support instead of an unqualified police presence; and removing toxic infrastructure like lead.

Stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter at School and work to end the school-to-prison pipeline. Wisconsin is the worst place to grow up if you are a Black child, according to a recent report from The Annie E. Casey Foundation. Our schools need to prioritize policies that work for our Black, Brown and Indigenous students and do not criminalize their behavior in schools. Alex will work to expand restorative justice practices while immensely lowering the use of suspensions and expulsions, and prioritize the recruitment and retention of educators and staff of color.

Champion the struggle of MPS workers by providing healthcare to all full time employees regardless of what school they work in, ending the use of temp agencies, providing living wages, and doing everything possible to support and retain educators and staff of color.

Ensure every student has access to the high quality education they need and deserve. Alex will fight to get more funding to reduce class sizes and support English Language Learners and special education students. He will work to expand bilingual and arts education opportunities, and work to ensure that students get the best education they can, with all of the resources they need, while learning from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.[51]

”
—Alex Brower's campaign website (2021)[54]


Jilly Gokalgandhi

Campaign website

Gokalgandhi's campaign website stated the following:

“

Fighting for our children:

Protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of our community. Support our schools during COVID-19 by providing sanitization products and personal protective equipment for in-person learning and robust technology services for world-class virtual learning.

Fight for equitable funding. Fight to adequately fund schools to attract and retain high-quality dedicated teachers, support students with special needs and English language learners, and provide needed classroom supplies and technology.

Promote anti-racist and culturally relevant teaching. Commit to a robust anti-racism, anti-bullying professional development plan and school curriculum that supports, celebrates, and promotes our diverse student body and community.

Create a culture of shared decision-making. Adopt “Community Schools” values which ensures all stakeholders - teachers, students, parents, and community members - collaborate in decision-making.

Build inclusion for women and gender non-conforming students. In parallel with the Black & Latino Male Achievement Program, create an inclusive initiative for young women and gender non-conforming students to thrive inside and outside the classroom.

Protect public education and oppose privatization. Be the best stewards of taxpayer dollars by providing excellent public instruction.[51]

”
—Jilly Gokalgandhi's campaign website (2021)[55]


Click "Show more" to view campaign themes from the uncontested elections in Districts 6 and 7
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District 6

Marcela Garcia

Campaign website

Garcia's campaign website stated the following:

“

Equity for all students.
Equidad para todos los estudiantes.

Anti-racist education
We must confront the institutional racism within the structure of our educational system. Racial discrimination is systemic and is embedded within the policies and practices of institutional structures. We will work alongside teachers, parents and students to review and update curriculum that centers social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Sustain quality bilingual programs for all
We must collectively support bilingual learners and their families by establishing future oriented practices and programs that promote bilingualism. We must go beyond basic compliance with the law, and establish programs that instill the love of languages, especially our native tongues. We will ensure that barriers to equitable access to education are eliminated and grow the bilingual educators and administrators that will breathe life into this vision.

Support & Strengthen Public Education
Public schools provide access to an education for every child in our community—and their vibrancy is essential to the economic, civic and social health of our communities. We must be critical of how public funds are used, demand accountability and oppose privatization.

Nurture the artistic and creative development of students
Arts educational experiences positively impact student academic, social, and emotional outcomes and development. Students should have a well rounded education—balanced in core subjects and the arts—and schools the adequate staff that will rebuild effective art programs in every school.

Educación antirracista
Debemos enfrentar el racismo institucional dentro de la estructura de nuestro sistema educativo. La discriminación racial es sistémica y está integrada en las políticas y prácticas de las estructuras institucionales. Trabajaremos junto con maestros, padres y estudiantes para revisar y actualizar el plan de estudios que centra la justicia social, la diversidad, la equidad y la inclusión.

Mantener programas bilingües de calidad para todos
Debemos apoyar colectivamente a los estudiantes bilingües y sus familias mediante el establecimiento de prácticas y programas orientados al futuro que promuevan el bilingüismo. Debemos ir más allá del cumplimiento básico de la ley y establecer programas que inculquen el amor a los idiomas, especialmente a nuestras lenguas nativas. Nos aseguraremos de que se eliminen las barreras para el acceso equitativo a la educación y aumenten los educadores y administradores bilingües que darán vida a esta visión.

Apoyar y fortalecer la educación pública
Las escuelas públicas brindan acceso a una educación para todos los niños de nuestra comunidad, y su vitalidad es esencial para la salud económica, cívica y social de nuestras comunidades. Debemos ser críticos sobre cómo se utilizan los fondos públicos, exigir responsabilidad y oponernos a la privatización.

Fomentar el desarrollo artístico y creativo de los estudiantes
Las experiencias educativas artísticas tienen un impacto positivo en los resultados y el desarrollo académico, social y emocional de los estudiantes. Los estudiantes deben tener una educación completa, equilibrada en las materias básicas y las artes, y las escuelas deben contar con el personal adecuado que reconstruirá los programas de arte eficaces en todas las escuelas.[51]

”
—Marcela Garcia's campaign website (2021)[56]


District 7

Henry Leonard

Campaign website

Leonard's campaign Facebook stated the following:

“

Henry's Platform

1) Fair and Equitable Funding of MPS Schools
78% of Milwaukee citizens voted for classroom reforms. This includes:

  • Smaller class-size with greater teacher-to-student contact time.
  • Every MPS student receives Physical Education, Art, Music, and Technology education.
  • Every classroom must have the necessary resources to allow smooth and consistent instruction.

2) Revenue Accountabililty

  • Revenues set aside for our students is to be spent in the classroom where the greatest impact is needed.
  • Monies set aside for MPS schools needs to be spent on our students and MPS community-based programs.

3) Safe and Healthy Schools

  • Health nutritional food services.
  • School site mental health services.
  • Restorative based educational practices.

4) Improved School-to-Community Communication and Policy Input After 1,000's of parent conversations;

  • Greater communication processes for parents and community advocates.
  • Continued development of bi-lingual, multicultural, and special needs advisory committees.[51]
 ”
—Henry Leonard's campaign Facebook (2021)[57]

Additional elections on the ballot

See also: Wisconsin elections, 2021

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About the district

See also: Milwaukee Public Schools, Wisconsin

Milwaukee Public Schools is located in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The district served 75,749 students during the 2015-2016 school year.[58]

See also

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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Socialist slate among newcomers vying for four open seats on Milwaukee School Board," Feb. 5, 2021
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "None of the four Milwaukee School Board incumbents whose terms are ending will be on upcoming ballot," Jan. 28, 2021
  3. ↑ – Today%2C the Milwaukee Teachers,District 7%3A Henry Leonard Urban Milwaukee, "MTEA announces 2021 School Board, State Superintendent endorsement," Feb. 2, 2021
  4. ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "MPS teachers union appears poised for new era of political influence," April 12, 2019
  5. ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "MPS teachers union appears poised for new era of political influence," April 12, 2019
  6. ↑ Aisha Carr's campaign website, "Meet Aisha Carr," accessed March 5, 2021
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Facebook, "Aisha Carr for Milwaukee School Board," April 1, 2021
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Facebook, "Aisha Carr for Milwaukee School Board," March 22, 2021
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Milwaukee NNS, "Election 2021: Meet the school board candidates for District 4," Feb. 10, 2021
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Dana Kelley's campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed March 3, 2021
  11. ↑ Alex Brower, "Meet Alex Brower," accessed March 4, 2021
  12. ↑ Milwaukee NNS, "Election 2021: Meet the school board candidates for District 5," Feb. 11, 2021
  13. ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 Alex Brower's campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed March 3, 2021
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Email correspondence with Jilly Gokalgandhi dated March 6, 2021.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 Jilly Gokalgandhi's campaign website, "Got cred?" accessed March 3, 2021
  16. ↑ Aisha Carr's campaign website, "Campaign Issues," accessed March 5, 2021
  17. ↑ In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Shepherd Express, "MPS District 4: Dual Endorsement Aisha Carr and Dana Kelley," March 11, 2021
  19. ↑ Aisha Carr's campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed March 23, 2021
  20. ↑ Facebook, "Vote 4 Dana Kelley," March 29, 2021
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Facebook, "Aisha Carr for Milwaukee School Board," March 12, 2021
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Facebook, "Vote 4 Dana Kelley," Feb. 14, 2021
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee School Board guide: Here's what you need to make an informed vote with no incumbents running for four open seats," April 1, 2021
  24. ↑ Facebook, "Aisha Carr for Milwaukee School Board," April 5, 2021
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Facebook, "Black Leaders Organizing for Communities," March 23, 2021
  26. ↑ The national organization. Kelley was also endorsed by the Milwaukee branch.
  27. ↑ The statewide organization. Kelley was also endorsed by the Milwaukee branch.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Facebook, "Vote 4 Dana Kelley," March 6, 2021
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Facebook, "Wisconsin Working Families Party," Feb. 18, 2021
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Facebook, "Jilly for MPS," March 7, 2021
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Facebook, "Jilly Gokalgandhi for MPS," March 14, 2021
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Facebook, "Jilly Gokalgandhi for MPS," April 4, 2021
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 https://www.facebook.com/jilly4mps/photos/pcb.222858046295810/222855302962751/ Facebook, "Jilly Gokalgandhi for MPS," April 3, 2021]
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Facebook, "Jilly for MPS," March 2, 2021
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Facebook, "Alex Brower for School Board," March 4, 2021
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Facebook, "Jilly Gokalgandhi for MPS," March 26, 2021
  37. ↑ The national organization. Brower was also endorsed by the Milwaukee branch.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Facebook, "Our Wisconsin Revolution - Milwaukee," March 19, 2021
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 Facebook, "Jilly Gokalgandhi for MPS," March 18, 2021
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 Facebook, "Jilly Gokalgandhi for MPS," March 28, 2021
  41. ↑ 41.00 41.01 41.02 41.03 41.04 41.05 41.06 41.07 41.08 41.09 41.10 41.11 41.12 41.13 41.14 41.15 Marcela Garcia's campaign website, "Endorsements / Respaldos," accessed March 29, 2021
  42. ↑ Facebook, "Henry Leonard for School Board," Dec. 8, 2020
  43. ↑ Facebook, "Henry Leonard for School Board," March 15, 2021
  44. ↑ Facebook, "Henry Leonard for School Board," Jan. 27, 2021
  45. ↑ Facebook, "Henry Leonard for School Board," March 16, 2021
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Official Website of the City of Milwaukee, "Campaign Finance Reporting," accessed March 31, 2021
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 Facebook, "DST Milwaukee Alumnae," March 27, 2021
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Facebook, "Metcalfe Park Community Bridges," March 12, 2021
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 49.3 Facebook, "Black Educators Caucus MKE," March 10, 2021
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 Facebook, "MPS School Board Candidate Forum 3/4," March 4, 2021
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 51.4 51.5 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  52. ↑ Aisha Carr's campaign website, “Campaign Issues,” accessed March 23, 2021
  53. ↑ Dana Kelley's campaign website, “Platform,” accessed March 4, 2021
  54. ↑ Alex Brower's campaign website, “Platform,” accessed March 4, 2021
  55. ↑ Jilly Gokalgandhi's campaign website, “Platform,” accessed March 4, 2021
  56. ↑ Marcela Garcia's campaign website, “Platforma/Plataforma,” accessed March 29, 2021
  57. ↑ Facebook, “Henry Leonard for School Board,” Nov. 30, 2020
  58. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Local Education Agency (School District) Universe Survey Data," accessed January 29, 2018
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