The state Assembly is considering a bill, AB 520, which would prevent any school from joining an "interscholastic athletic association" unless the athletic group elects to be governed by the new bill, which would force an association to be subject to the state's open government laws.
Essentially, this bill is a means to bring the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association under the umbrella of the open government laws - and it should be.
The WIAA is partially funded by membership fees from schools, which are paid for by taxpayers' dollars. Taxpayers have a right to know how any agency is spending their money.
Opponents of AB 520 claim the bill will expose sensitive information about students including disciplinary actions, eligibility and transfers. While no one, including the Times, wants to expose students to undue scrutiny, the fact is the state's open government laws already provide a means of protection for students. For example, student expulsion hearings are held in closed session meetings. The WIAA would be allowed those same protections under state open government laws.
As the attorney representing state newspapers argued at an Assembly Education Committee hearing last month, "The WIAA should have been subject to the Open Records and Meetings Laws for decades."
We couldn't agree more.
We call on Rep. Steve Hilgenberg, D-Dodgeville, a member of the Education Committee to vote "yes" on AB 520 as soon as it comes up for a vote in the committee, and for him to do the same should the bill be passed on to the full Assembly.
Hilgenberg's support of this bill will show he believes in the necessity for open government at all levels.
Newspapers, the public and, most importantly, parents of students impacted by the decisions of the WIAA deserve to have access to information that affects the lives of their sons or daughters.
Essentially, this bill is a means to bring the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association under the umbrella of the open government laws - and it should be.
The WIAA is partially funded by membership fees from schools, which are paid for by taxpayers' dollars. Taxpayers have a right to know how any agency is spending their money.
Opponents of AB 520 claim the bill will expose sensitive information about students including disciplinary actions, eligibility and transfers. While no one, including the Times, wants to expose students to undue scrutiny, the fact is the state's open government laws already provide a means of protection for students. For example, student expulsion hearings are held in closed session meetings. The WIAA would be allowed those same protections under state open government laws.
As the attorney representing state newspapers argued at an Assembly Education Committee hearing last month, "The WIAA should have been subject to the Open Records and Meetings Laws for decades."
We couldn't agree more.
We call on Rep. Steve Hilgenberg, D-Dodgeville, a member of the Education Committee to vote "yes" on AB 520 as soon as it comes up for a vote in the committee, and for him to do the same should the bill be passed on to the full Assembly.
Hilgenberg's support of this bill will show he believes in the necessity for open government at all levels.
Newspapers, the public and, most importantly, parents of students impacted by the decisions of the WIAA deserve to have access to information that affects the lives of their sons or daughters.
