Republican urges rejection of latest school bill in Wisconsin

MADISON (AP) — The chairman of the Assembly Education Committee is urging fellow Republicans not to support a proposal that calls for imposing sanctions on poor performing public and private voucher schools.

Rep. Steve Kestell said in an email sent to Republican lawmakers on Monday that if passed, "we will get clobbered across the state on this issue, and we will deserve it."

Kestell is responding to the latest version of a long-debated school accountability measure.

The Senate has passed a version that does not include sanctions. But Republican Assembly Rep. Jim Steineke has introduced an alternative approach that does call for sanctions, but wouldn't impose them immediately.

Steineke says he disagrees with Kestell and the Assembly will vote on his version Thursday.

It's unclear whether it will survive in the Senate.