Wisconsin: Assaults and threats against teachers have been on the rise; bill proposed to protect

Jan 12, 2018, WiscNews: Considine, education advocates critical of bill aimed at teacher protection http://www.wiscnews.com/baraboonewsrepublic/news/local/education/article_2ce4e966-3288-5c3e-bb81-0cda735229ea.html A bill intended to protect teachers in the classroom by requiring law enforcement to share information about students’ criminal records with schools is being met with criticism from local lawmakers, disability rights groups and education advocates. State Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac, who chairs the Assembly’s Education Committee, began circulating the Teacher Protection Act for signatures in October and testified on the measure Thursday before the Assembly Judiciary Committee. … Assaults and threats against teachers in both public and private schools have been on the rise nationally since 2003 after declining for a decade, according to a report issued last year by the U.S. Department of Education. The report said during the 2011-2012 school year, 25 percent of Wisconsin teachers said they had been attacked or threatened over the last year — the highest percentage in the country.