The recently-appointed Department of Corrections Secretary said that he wants to rebuilds public trust following after the previous secretary resigned amid scandals at a youth detention facility, our guest tells us about plans for reform from the Department of Corrections.
Do this. Don’t do that. We’re surrounded by rules…but at what cost? We talk to a guest who says our obsession with “safety and security” is not actually making us safer. We also look at how community learning centers are trying to break the cycle of poverty in Wisconsin.
Featured in this Show
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On-Site Community Learning Centers Help Shrink Wisconsin's Achievement Gap
Wisconsin has some of the largest achievement gaps in education, along racial and economic lines. But low-income housing centers in the state are trying to change that.
These housing units, based in Madison and Milwaukee, offer on-site learning services including early childhood programs, K-12 education and college prep programs.
“What we’ve done is the built actual physical structures on each property that house computer labs, daycare centers areas, conference rooms and other education classes so that we can do some rather unique things,” said Carmen Porco, CEO of the nonprofit Housing Ministries of American Baptists in Wisconsin.
Some of those unique things include hiring development residents and provide them job training on managing the property, maintaining it and implementing the educational programs. They are also able to augment their abilities and curriculum by tapping the University of Wisconsin System, as well as the Madison and Milwaukee public school systems.
Porco, who oversees four low-income housing sites in Milwaukee and two Madison, said the centers have been a great success, with nearly 100 percent of students involved in the programs graduating from high school and 76 percent of those students going on to higher education.
“We’ve built within the community a new sense that this is not a poor community, this is not necessarily low-income, it’s becoming an education community,” said Porco.
Porco said the benefit in providing these education programs on site helps to build a sense of the community owning the institution as well as logistical help by eliminating transportation issues, providing daycare and easy parental access.
He said a side benefit is that many of the parents decide to pursue some of the adult education and college classes with much success too.
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New Department of Corrections Secretary Aims to Rebuild Public Trust
At a confirmation hearing before a state Senate committee yesterday, recently appointed Department of Corrections Secretary Jon Litscher said that he wants to rebuild public trust in the state’s corrections system. Our guest talks to us about what Litscher’s appointment means for the Department of Corrections, and some of the challenges he will inherit from the previous secretary, who resigned amid investigations abuse and misconduct claims at a state youth detention facility.
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Community Learning Centers Aim To Break Cycle Of Poverty
Students in poverty generally perform worse in school, but low-income living areas in Madison and Milwaukee want to change that with on-site learning centers. The director of these facilities explains the importance of education in overcoming poverty.
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Is Our Obsesssion With Safety Making Us Less Safe?
Our guest says our obsession with safety is making us less safe. She looks at everything from airport security to playground safety measures, and finds that the safety rules we put in place are putting us at risk and keeping us from living our fullest lives.
Episode Credits
- Rob Ferrett Host
- Veronica Rueckert Host
- Matt Oleson Producer
- Haleema Shah Producer
- Veronica Rueckert Producer
- Carmen Porco Guest
- Gilman Halsted Guest
- Tracey Brown Guest
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