Larry Miller, vice president of the Milwaukee Public School Board chose to blog about me in his blog. He stated nonfactual information in his blog about me. I wrote an open letter to him and the other school board members. I though I would share… His blog has been posted below letter:
June 15, 2012
Larry Miller, Vice President
2584 N. Farwell Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53211
Dear Mr. Miller: Your blog was recently brought to my attention, “Larry Miller’s Blog: Educate All Children.” You should know that I believe in freedom of speech and expression and I am pleased that you choose to exercise this right in your blog. However, I would prefer that you use factual information when blogging about me. The title of your blog is exactly my goal – to educate all children. There is no doubt in my mind that education must be reformed. I have publically stated on several occasions that I support high-quality education for all children.
As stated in your blog, I did attend the conference in New Jersey last month. I chose to go to this conference to explore and learn new ways of providing quality education models for the State of Wisconsin. But I did not sign any letter. My name was added to the newsletter in error. The Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) have provided a written letter of apology for their mistake.
My career record speaks for itself when it comes to justice and equality. My job as lawmaker is to provide accessibility to high-quality education for all children. This means if Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) are not doing the job then there should be other options available to parents. I believe that it is the parent’s choice to select the best school for their children. As a parent of three daughters I take education very seriously.
It is critical for our children to receive quality education in this global economy in order for them to be successful. High-quality education is the key to our community and it should be accessible to all children regardless of race, social-economic status, or what neighborhood in which they live.
You should also know that I worked very closely with Wisconsin Democratic Black Caucus during the June 5th recall election. I put my senate campaign on hold to assist the Democratic Party in getting the vote out. I rode the bus, marched, radio interviews, and attended several of the community events – you can view pictures on my Facebook page. I will continue to advocate for education reform, voting rights, and justice and equality for all people.
Mr. Miller, if you would like to know more about me and my political stance please give me a call to schedule a meeting.
Sincerely,
Rep. Elizabeth M. Coggs
Cc: Milwaukee Public School Board Members
