MPS board to vote Tuesday on return to in-person learning

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Public Schools officials will vote Tuesday, March 23 on a plan for students to return to the classroom. 

The administration posted an updated plan ahead of the vote, calling for students returning to class four days a week, with virtual learning on Wednesdays. 

That plan was revised Tuesday night during the school board meeting by the board president.

The new timeline proposed Tuesday night would have teachers returning April 12, pre-K through second-graders April 14, third-graders through eighth-graders on April 19 and freshmen and seniors on April 26. Sophomores and juniors would remain virtual through the end of the year.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said all teachers should be vaccinated in time to reopen in April, but some parents and teachers said there are still too many unanswered questions.

"We made sure that we were doing everything we possibly and humanly could to have all employees of the Milwaukee Public Schools eligible for vaccinations," said Barrett.

"Please realize that we are still completely unprepared to reopen," said Sarah Gruettner. "We have a had a year to properly plan to reopen, and instead, we continue to be reactive instead of proactive."

Hundreds of teachers got their shot on March 1, the day they became eligible, but the teachers union says the current timetable does not give them time to get their second and wait the two weeks for maximum protection. 

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