Frederica Freyberg:
The Milwaukee School Board president sees the move as a power grab that disenfranchises voters. Dr. Michael Bonds is here. President Bonds, thanks very much for joining us.

Michael Bonds:
Thank you for inviting me.

Frederica Freyberg:
Well, you know, the mayor says that with as much respect as he has for you, he says we have to do more, we are stuck at the bottom. Milwaukee has to make this change to allow Milwaukee to get resources for the children. What is your reaction to that?

Michael Bonds:
I disagree with the mayor because the voters went to the polls in April 2007 and 2009 and
selected a new board. Currently six of the nine board members are new. And this current board has probably put in close to $100 million back into the classroom in less than 2.5 years. We have restored academic resources like art, music, driver’s ed. We have strengthened academic requirements, require three years of math and science now as opposed to two. We are putting in quality programs, IV programs. We have dealt with the hard issues like legacy costs. We have cut millions in transportation. We have closed buildings and merged schools to deal with excess capacity. I would argue that this current board has not aborted the issues, but dealt with the issues. And I've argued that the mayor says it needs to be change in MPS and change needs to occur in the city where there's a $90 million budget deficit. The mayor constantly cites the achievement gap, but fails to cite Milwaukee leads the nation in income disparity, poverty, segregation between blacks and whites. So I thought that the mayor has not shown the ability to effectively lead the city, yet alone try to run a school district.

Frederica Freyberg:
I understand you intend to sue the mayor or city if his plan to take over the schools proceeds?

Michael Bonds:
What happened last night, my colleagues supported me on a seven to two vote to set aside $250,000 to defend any legal attempt to take over the school district. My colleagues are very supportive because I think the voters made it clear that when they went to the poll that they were unhappy with the status quo and they selected a new board. And then I thought that the governor, the mayor and Tony Evers had misled the public because there's nothing in the federal guideline that requires a change in the governing structure. Also, New York Times ranked the state who's likely to receive the dollar, and Wisconsin ranked at the bottom. The race to the top, impacts all 426 school districts. Milwaukee is the only school district that's being asked to change the governance structure. But it's even more of a broader issue. People's democratic right to vote are being asked to set aside for the potential of dollars and I don't think that you can have a price on voting.

Frederica Freyberg:
Now, to that the mayor says that far more people vote for mayor than they do for school board positions.  

Michael Bonds:
Well, you can always alter the time when elections are happening. If you follow the mayor’s logic, you can argue more people vote for president so maybe the president should appoint the mayor or Congress. I also have a concern that the mayor has sat on the sideline for five years and now he was just elected in 2004. We in 2009. Now he sees the potential of a dollar and now he wants to get involved, where he has sat on the sidelines for five years. I think that's kind of hypocritical, to be on the sideline for five years and now you see the potential in dollar, you want people to give up their constitutional rights.

Frederica Freyberg:
Now, how do you respond to the mayor's statement that your opposition is either a sad sign of self-interest or a deliberate attempt to run from the facts?

Michael Bonds:
I will argue that the mayor is the only one that's running from the facts. He have avoided the issues of poverty, unemployment, of crime. If you look at Milwaukee records, we got the seventh poorest city in the nation. We losing thousands of jobs each year. And the mayor has not shown any leadership on that. This board has directly attacked that issue. If you look at our record relative to the issues we have control over, and you look at the mayor record, I think you will see that the board has effectively and directly attacked the issue, whereas the mayor has not come out with way to deal with unemployment, poverty crime. City hall renovation, over $40 million cost, police communication was more. Then you have police overtime. And then also —

Frederica Freyberg:
You know what, President Bonds?

Michael Bonds:
Let me just finish. Has implemented all these fees. I will argue that's not a model of management.
What's important, he talked about the report prior to the new board.

Frederica Freyberg:
We need to leave it there. There is so much more to talk about and we will revisit this as this progresses, but thank you for your passion on this issue.

Michael Bonds:
It's something at the end of the day the voters will make the right decision.