The past few years have seen a rise in interest in local elected offices, specifically in school board seats. These seats hold unequivocal power over what school districts can do in terms of advancing equity and excellence in education. We explore one facet of what became a playbook of anti-equity efforts in school districts during the COVID-19…

The history of the sixties at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is both typical of other large universities in the United States and, at the same time, distinctive within the national and even international upheaval that marked the era. Madison's history shows how higher education transformed in the decades after World War II, influenced…

Discusses the prevailing myth that education is not and should not be influenced by politics. Reviews the political histories of (1) a Wisconsin bill merging the State's two university systems, and (2) California's Proposition 13, as examples of political struggles over educational issues. (GC)

The effects of spot television commercials during political campaigns were studied. A telephone survey was conducted to see what effect such commercials had on voters in the 1970 Wisconsin and Colorado gubernatorial elections. The results showed that this approach is the most efficient way of reaching a vast majority of the electorate, although it…

This book reviews the history of vocational, technical, and adult education (VTAE) in Wisconsin, which has one of the most effective systems in the United States. The review shows that although the system has changed dramatically, its mission of education for employment has not. Nine chapters consider Wisconsin's VTAE system from statehood to the…

The current status of state policy on minimum competency testing in Wisconsin, and the political process that produced that policy, are explored in this report. The document presents the preliminary findings of research conducted for a doctoral dissertation. The research methodology, mentioned only briefly, involved participant observation,…

After questionable behavior was exhibited by photojournalists at the Bruno Richard Hauptmann trial in 1935, many states adopted a recommendation of the American Bar Association (Canon 35) and totally banned film and electronic coverage of courtroom proceedings. The ban of media became almost complete in this country after the Supreme Court…

This monograph and its companion, "Legislative Education Leadership in the States," portray the contemporary role of state legislators and map the structure of education leadership in terms of both the characteristics of influential legislators and staff and the nature of influence structures in state legislatures. This volume reports…