Stop Lori Luther From Amending the City’s Emergency Ordinance
Beloit City Manager, Lori Curtis Luther is not an elected official – she is appointed and is supposed to answer to the City Council. Instead she is calling the all the shots and rather than holding her accountable, the City Council supports all of her decisions.
On Monday, 3/15/2021, at the 7pm City Council meeting, City Manager Lori Luther is proposing changes to the City Of Beloit’s current emergency ordinance that will give her virtually unlimited power in an “emergency” and remove all transparency from emergency operations.
For the last year, we have trusted our city manager to behave lawfully but she has not. Under state law, committees that are formed under ordinance are subject to open meetings laws. That means the public can view minutes, attend the meetings – so the public can be informed of recommendations being suggested and decided.
According to the current ordinance, when an emergency is declared, the Emergency Management Committee consists of professionals and handles the emergency in a specified manner with meetings subject to open meeting laws so the public can stay informed.
This did not happen in 2020. Lori ignored the ordinances and did not meet with the people designated under the emergency ordinances, did not meet at the designated locations, did not advise key people of the meetings she was holding, did not hold the meetings open, did not keep minutes, had secret meetings with the school superintendent (allegedly to keep schools closed longer to benefit her family personally), and basically ignored the ordinance designed to protect citizens in the event of a disaster. Ordinances can not be changed because laws are being broken.
In order to hide her illegal activity, Luther is now trying to have the ordinance changed to give her more power and less transparency going forward. If this passes and we no longer have an Emergency Management Committee by ordinance, then all accountability and transparency to the public is gone.
Item 8d needs to be REMOVED from the agenda and the current ordinance needs to be enforced.
Contact every one of the City Councilors and demand this be removed from the agenda or better yet, go to Beloit City Hall at 7pm on 3/15/2021 and speak in person.
Regina Dunkin: 608-751-5108, dunkinr@beloitwi.gov
Clinton Anderson: 608-302-7913, andersonc@beloitwi.gov
Sherry Blakeley: 608-362-1417 blakeleys@beloitwi.gov
Nancy Forbeck: 608-290-9130 forbeckn@beloitwi.gov
Brittany Keyes: 815-543-6715 keyesb@beloitwi.gov
Kevin Leavy 608-364-4625 leavyk@beloitwi.gov
Mark Prueschl 608-921-0676 preuschlm@beloitwi.gov
You can view the agenda item and proposed changes here or view below with our comments. Luthers Agenda Item
Below please find the emergency ordinance in its entirety. Changes Luther is proposing are in RED. Items she wants to remove are struck out. Our notes are italicized
1.10 – EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. (Rep. & recr. #3555)
(1) AUTHORITY. This section is enacted pursuant to the provisions of Ch. 323, Wis. Stats.
(2) POLICY AND PURPOSE.
(a) Emergency management requires the preparation for and the carrying out of all emergency functions, other than functions for which the military forces are primarily responsible, to minimize and repair injury and damage resulting from disasters of all kinds, including enemy action and natural and unforeseen disasters. It is, therefore, necessary to:
1. Establish a local comprehensive emergency management plan;
2. Provide for the exercise of necessary powers during emergencies resulting from disaster;
3. Provide for cooperation and mutual assistance between the City of Beloit and other political subdivisions; and
4. Collaborate with private individuals and entities for the purpose of preparing for, responding to, and recovering from such disasters and emergencies.
(b) It is further declared to be the purpose of this section and the policy of the City that all emergency management functions of the City shall be carried out pursuant to this section and the comprehensive emergency management plan developed hereunder, as part of a countywide emergency management program to the maximum extent practicable. Existing services and resources of this City shall be used as needed. All of this shall be carried out within the framework of Ch. 323, Wis. Stats.
(3) DEFINITIONS. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this section, the definitions outlined in Ch. 323, Wis. Stats. are hereby adopted and, by reference, made a part of this section as if fully set forth herein, including any subsequent amendments or revisions thereto.
(4) DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES. Luther wants to change it from Emergency Services to Director of Emergency Management (and appoint herself)
(a) Appointment . The Fire Chief (city manager), or his/her designee, shall be the Director of Emergency Management for the City of Beloit. For the purposes of this section, any reference to the Director of Emergency Management shall mean the director or his/her designee. Luther wants to remove the Fire Chief (who should have been involved from the beginning but never acted in this role since March of 2020) and add herself instead. Why is this necessary? Why was the Chief never called to duty for this “emergency”? Furthermore, why is she appointing herself to this position when she already has a great deal of power as City Manger in section (9)(a)(1)and (2)
(b) Duties and Authority .
1. The Director of Emergency Management shall have direct responsibility for the organization, administration, and operation of emergency management within the framework of the City’s emergency management plan, subject to the direction of the City Manager and the City Council.
2. The Director of Emergency Management shall serve as chairperson for the Emergency Management Committee. The Director of Emergency Management may establish subcommittees and/or task forces at any time to enhance training, planning, or to prepare various prevention and response strategies to individual risks. Subcommittees and task forces may contain members of the Emergency Management Committee as well as other selected individuals having specialized knowledge, skills, or training that can assist the City in assessing risk and preparing appropriate responses. Luther wants to remove this entire section. Why? She never did any of it. The Emergency Management Committee is subject to open meeting laws and she unlawfully chose to ignore this item in the statutes. She did everything in secret with zero accountability and zero transparency. Now she wants to make it permanent. She wants to remove all accountability, oversight, and transparency. Committees and subcommittees with specialized knowledge are a GOOD thing in an actual disaster.
3. The Director of Emergency Management shall coordinate all activities for emergency management within the City and shall maintain liaison and cooperate with emergency management in local, state and federal governments.
4. The Director of Emergency Management shall prepare a comprehensive plan for the emergency management of the City.
5. The Director of Emergency Management shall participate in county and state emergency management activities when requested, and shall have such additional responsibilities as may from time to time be required by the City Manager or the City Council.
6. In preparing and executing the emergency management plan, the Director of Emergency Management Services shall utilize the services, equipment, supplies, and facilities of the City to the maximum extent practicable. All City personnel are directed to cooperate with and extend such services and facilities to the Director of Emergency Management Services.
(5) EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
(a) Membership . There is hereby created a City of Beloit Emergency Management Committee. The Emergency Management Committee shall consist of the City Manager, the City Council President, all City department heads, the Director of Emergency Management, the Deputy Director of Emergency Management Services for Planning, and the Deputy Director of Emergency Management Services for Operations.
(b) Powers and Duties . The Emergency Management Committee shall be responsible for advising the City Council and shall have the authority to conduct all matters of business regarding hazard mitigation, emergency planning, response support, and disaster recovery of natural and man-made disasters.
(c) Meetings . The Emergency Management Committee shall meet periodically to coordinate emergency preparedness and shall convene as soon as possible upon the declaration of an emergency. Special meetings may be called at the direction of the committee chairperson.
(d) Response . Upon notice of a declaration of emergency, each committee member shall respond immediately to the emergency operations center to await further instructions. Luther wants to remove this entire section (5). Why? Because she illegally ignored it for the last year. She has a full-time job. Why is she going to be the only one in charge of emergencies?
The City Council president was supposed to be included in these meetings and had no idea what was going on and was never included. These meetings would have been subject to open meeting laws.
This removes transparency and accountability. It lets her get off the hook for breaking the law since March of 2020 and continue to make unilateral decisions with no oversight, accountability, or transparency. This isn’t an ‘outdated’ plan from the ‘90s as she told the Daily News. Its necessary in a real disaster. She just didn’t do it and wants to cover up her illegal activities.
(6) DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
(a) Appointment . The Director of Emergency Management Services may appoint one or more individuals to serve as Deputy Director(s) of Emergency Management Services to assist with performing emergency management activities.
(b) Powers and Duties . A Deputy Director of Emergency Management Services appointed in this section shall be under the supervision of the Director of Emergency Management Services and shall perform such day to day duties as are necessary to support planning, training and coordination of emergency management activities.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR The Emergency Management Coordinator shall be under the supervision of the Director of Emergency Management and shall perform such day to day duties as are necessary to support planning, training, and coordination of emergency management activities and other duties as assigned. Luther wants to replace item 6 which used to be a Deputy Director(s) appointed by the Fire Chief during an actual disaster as a temporary position only during the emergency.
She is replacing it with a person chosen by her, in a PERMANENT position (Patti Miller). Is the emergency going to go on forever? Why can’t we appoint someone as needed? What is her role when the emergency ends?
So now Luther is the self appointed Director of Emergency Management and gets to appoint her own Emergency Management Coordinator to work under her supervision. There will now be two positions she will have control over that she did not in the former ordinance.
(7) EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN. The Director of Emergency Management Services shall prepare a comprehensive plan for the emergency management of the City of Beloit. Each department of the City shall collaborate with the Director of Emergency Management Services for the purpose of creating an emergency management plan. The emergency management plan created hereunder is hereby approved and adopted by the City Council. The plan shall be filed with the City Clerk and shall be reviewed, updated and submitted to the City Council for approval at least once every 3 years. Luther is trying to strike out history here. Why remove that the plan was approved and adopted (which is was)? Also, where is the plan? Nobody has seen it or knows where to find it. Why isn’t it reviewed and updated every 3 years?
(8) DECLARATION OF EMERGENCIES.
(a) Declaration of Emergency by the City .
1. The City Council is empowered by §323.11, Wis. Stats., to declare, by ordinance or resolution, an emergency existing within the City of Beloit whenever conditions arise by reason of a riot or civil commotion, a disaster, or an imminent threat of a disaster, that impairs transportation, food or fuel supplies, medical care, fire, health or police protection, or other critical systems of the City of Beloit.
2. The City Council may, by ordinance or resolution, promulgate any orders, rules, and regulations relating to the conduct of persons and the use of property as shall be necessary and expedient to protect the public peace, health, safety, protection and welfare of persons or property, including prohibiting, restricting, and removing all unnecessary traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, from highways within the City, and to insure the cooperation necessary in emergency management activities.
3. The period of the emergency shall be limited by the ordinance or resolution to the time during which the emergency conditions exist or are likely to exist.
(b) Declaration by the Governor . The Governor for the State of Wisconsin is empowered by §323.10, Wis. Stats., to issue an executive order declaring a state of emergency for the State of Wisconsin, or any portion thereof, if the Governor determines that an emergency resulting from a disaster or the imminent threat of a disaster exists. The state of emergency shall not exceed 60 days, unless the state of emergency is extended by joint resolution of the Wisconsin State Legislature. The executive order may be revoked at the discretion of either the Governor by executive order or the Wisconsin State Legislature by joint resolution.
It is time to END the emergency. There is no emergency. This is for fires, floods, and tornados, not endemic viruses, especially with treatments and vaccines available. Citizens should not have to pursue legal action to end emergencies. They should end at the earliest available opportunity.
(9) EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATION.
(a) City Manager .
1. The City Manager shall oversee all operations at the emergency operations center and shall have final decision-making authority throughout the state of emergency.
2. Whenever necessary to respond to an emergency for which adequate ordinances or resolutions have not been adopted by the City Council, the City Manager, or in his/her absence, the person in charge as determined by the order of succession established in subsection (11), below, may, by proclamation, promulgate and enforce such orders, rules, and regulations that appear necessary and expedient. Any proclamation issued hereunder shall be subject to ratification, alteration, modification or repeal by the City Council as soon as the Council can meet. Subsequent action taken by the City Council shall not affect the validity of the proclamation issued by the City Manager.
3. The City Manager shall issue all necessary proclamations, warnings, and alerts as required by the emergency management plan.
(b) Emergency Operations Center Manager Incident Commander. The Emergency Operations Center Manager Incident Commander will shall be the member of the Emergency Management Committee and will be appointed by the City Manager and generally determined by whose response discipline would be the primary responder to the emergency (i.e. SWAT incident—Police Chief, snow emergency—Public Works Director). Here is a 3rd staffing position that is appointed by the City Manager. It also includes the removal of the Emergency Management Committee and its open meetings, transparency, & accountability. Who is this person currently? Is it also Luther?
(c) Operations .
1. Upon declaration of a state of emergency affecting the City of Beloit, members of the Emergency Management Committee the City Manager (Luther), all City Department Heads, the Director of Emergency Management (also Luther) and the Emergency Management Coordinator (Patti Miller -who Luther hired) shall serve as the Emergency Operations Center Command Staff under the general direction of the Director of Emergency Management Coordinator. (Also Luther) Additional staff may be appointed or designated to serve on the committee depending upon the emergency type, length or duration. So in an “emergency”, Luther is not only the director, but holds two positions under herself in the Command Staff and a 3rd command staffer is a person she appoints. She is in charge of 4 positions in an emergency with no transparency, accountability, or oversight. Keep in mind she did this anyway unlawfully since March of last year and is attempting to change the ordinance to cover her tracks.
2. Normal City operations shall continue unless suspended by order or directive of the City Manager. The City Manager may require City personnel to perform services performed in the normal and general course of employment to address the state of emergency.
3. The Emergency Operations Center Command Staff shall plan, direct, coordinate, and control all facets of emergency management operations from the moment an emergency has been formally declared and until the state of emergency is formally lifted.
4. During a state of emergency, the City Manager may contract with any person to provide equipment or services to be used to respond to a disaster, or the imminent threat of a disaster.
(10) LOCATION OF EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. The emergency operations center shall be located the Beloit Police Department Briefing Room at 100 State Street in the City of Beloit unless that site becomes unsuitable or unusable. In the event that the primary emergency operations center becomes unsuitable or unusable, the emergency operations center shall be located at the Fire Department Headquarters at 1111 Church Street in the City of Beloit. The emergency operations center shall serve as the primary location and control facility from which members of the Emergency Management Committee and their designees shall direct emergency management activities within the City. Luther wants to remove this entire section because she never did it. She ignored statutes unlawfully. This Center is necessary as a meeting place in an actual emergency such as a tornado as a primary location and control facility.
(11) SUCCESSION TO OFFICE. During an emergency, and in the absence of the City Manager, interim successors to the Office of the City Manager shall be in the order listed below:
(a) City Attorney.
(b) Police Chief.
(c) Fire Chief.
(d) Finance and Administrative Services Director.
(12) MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS. The City Manager may, subject to the approval of the City Council, enter into mutual aid agreements with other political subdivisions, agencies, and federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands of this state, and, upon prior approval of the Adjutant General, with such entities in bordering states. A copy of each agreement shall be filed with the Office of the Adjutant General of the Department of Military Affairs within 10 days after execution of the agreement.
(13) PROHIBITED CONDUCT. No person shall willfully obstruct, hinder, or delay any member of the emergency management organization in the enforcement of any order, rule, regulation, or plan issued pursuant to this section, or violate any order, rule, regulation, or plan issued pursuant to the authority contained in this section. Any person who shall violate any provision of the section shall upon conviction thereof be subject to a penalty as provided in §25.04 of this code.
Sample Rock Haven Letter
Dear Rock County Board Members,
As a local taxpayer and voter, I have become aware of and vigorously Oppose the Covid-19 vaccine mandate for the staff working at our taxpayer-funded county nursing home, Rock Haven.
Specifically, I ask You to:
1) Fully Repeal this Extreme Vaccine Mandate which has not been instituted in any of the other public or private healthcare entities in the stateline nor any other County-run department.
2) Reinstate the Rock Haven Staff Members who were fired for refusing to take a rushed vaccine that has not been approved by the FDA. Make these employees whole by providing them with backpay, compensation for any injuries they have sustained as a result of this vaccine they received under duress, and wipe their work records clean.
3) Immediately Terminate the Employment of Rock County Administrator Josh Smith (annual salary: $142,168) and Rock Haven Interim Administrator Sara Beran (annual salary: $109,768) for their direct role in pushing this extremist policy in violation of:
a) Administrative Compliance Policy 1.02
b) Contract Review Policy 2.01, and
c) Rock County Ordinance 18.613(d) – The appointing authority may lay off an employee when an employee can no longer perform the essential functions of the job.”
d) Their willful and disrespectful conduct in failing to keep the Rock County Board, the elected representatives of taxpayers, fully informed regarding their extreme policy mandate as it relates to the care of Rock County’s most vulnerable population.
e) Their creation of a hostile work environment by placing employees under duress leading to many staff members quitting, taking lay off, and ultimately creating a local nursing shortage.
f) Their willful and disrespectful conduct which has led to forcing taxpayers to provide Unemployment Compensation to affected workers. These workers received notice of this Extreme Mandate on Christmas Eve and only had a limited time to decide between their employment or their health and right to personal autonomy.
g) Their willful and disrespectful conduct which has led to forcing taxpayers to pay for unnecessary overtime expenses related to staff mandation.
h) Their willful and disrespectful conduct which has led to forcing taxpayers to pay the price of hiring expensive outside contract nurses from 6 agencies as referenced in a recent Janesville Gazette article.
i) Finally, their willful and disrespectful conduct which has attracted the attention of expensive litigation—the cost such lawsuits will likely again be borne by the hard-working taxpayers of Rock County.
CTA
The time for working hard, keeping your head down, and being a good citizen is over. It’s not enough. We need to work together to protect our freedoms. When the call to action comes in, please answer. We need all hands on deck!
CURRENT CALLS TO ACTION:
Local Campaigns:
The April 6 election is coming up soon! Consider helping your local candidates with yard signs, phone calls, texting, door knocking, or a donation. Find their contact details here.
School Districts:
Sign the petition to re-open Beloit Schools
Volunteer for the Beloit Learning & Activities Center – they are looking for adult or teenage volunteers 2 hours per week.
Parent volunteer form
Student registration
Cities & Municipalities:
City of Beloit – Mask mandate. Widespread peaceful non-compliance is the easiest solution. City managers can’t write statutory laws. The mandate is nothing more than a suggestion. If you prefer to make your voice known, make a public comment in person or via email at the City Council meetings (1st and 3rd Monday of the month, 7pm at City Hall) to end the emergency order and end the mask mandate.
Rock County:
Sign the petition to repeal the Rock Haven vaccine mandate
Donate to the Rock Haven GoFundMe
Contact your supervisor to tell them to repeal the Rock Haven vaccine mandate (find your district here) (find your supervisor’s contact information here)
Rock County Health Department – Mask mandate. Widespread peaceful non-compliance is the easiest solution. Health Departments can’t write statutory laws. The mandate is nothing more than a suggestion. If you prefer to make your voice known, make a public comment in person or via email at the Board of Health and the Board of Supervisors meetings to end the emergency order and end the mask mandate.
State:
Action Step #1: Please attend the public hearing in person on 3/3/21, 10am in the North Hearing Room at the State Capitol in Madison (note: this meeting will be officially scheduled on Monday 3/1. There is a small chance for a slight change)
Overflow rooms will be available and children are welcome.
Action Step #2: Call and email members of the Assembly Constitution and Ethics Committee to support AB23 & AB25
Sample email or phone script (or write your own with your personal story)
Rock Haven Fight Against Mandatory Vaccinations
The Nuremberg Code (1947) gave the conditions of informed consent, “without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, overreaching, or other ulterior form of constraint of coercion.”
Unesco Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights
Article 6 – Consent
1. Any preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic medical intervention is only to be carried out with the prior, free and informed consent of the person concerned, based on adequate information. The consent should, where appropriate, be express and may be withdrawn by the person concerned at any time and for any reason without disadvantage or prejudice.
2. Scientific research should only be carried out with the prior, free, express and informed consent of the person concerned. The information should be adequate, provided in a comprehensible form and should include modalities for withdrawal of consent. Consent may be withdrawn by the person concerned at any time and for any reason without any disadvantage or prejudice. Exceptions to this principle should be made only in accordance with ethical and legal standards adopted by States, consistent with the principles and provisions set out in this Declaration, in particular in Article 27, and international human rights law.
3. In appropriate cases of research carried out on a group of persons or a community, additional agreement of the legal representatives of the group or community concerned may be sought. In no case should a collective community agreement or the consent of a community leader or other authority substitute for an individual’s informed consent.
THE CIVIL LIBERTIES & HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS OF MANDATING COVID-19 VACCINE CANDIDATES
Please consider a donation to the GoFundMe link below to help the Rock Haven employees with legal and personal expenses due to the vaccine requirement and subsequent layoffs.
Under Federal Law, Can Your Employer Make You Get the COVID Vaccine?
2/11 Public Comment regarding the Rock Haven mandate at the Rock County Board of Supervisors Meeting:
2/11 Janesville Gazette: Rock Haven Staff Criticize Nursing Home Administration During Listening Session
Future of Rock Haven Ad-hoc Listening Session:
2/10 Health Services Committee Meeting:
2/9 Janesville Gazette: Attorneys Threaten Legal Action over Vaccine Mandate, Rock Haven Layoffs
2/5 Janesville Gazette: Rock Haven Compromise Good for Nobody
2/4 Wisconsin Spotlight.com Illegal and Unenforceable
2/4 News 3000 Madison: Rock Down Nearly 30 Staff Since Vaccine Mandate
2/4 Janesville Gazette: Rock Haven Administrator Says Staffing Fine, Despite Employee Concerns
2/4 Janesville Gazette (Opinion): People Must Stop What’s Happening at Rock Haven
2/3 Beloit Daily News Rock Haven Staff Resist Mandate
2/2 Janesville Gazette: Rock Haven Loses More Staff Over Vaccine Mandate
2/2 Wisconsin Spotlight: Forced to Vaccinate
2/2 Internal Memo to Josh & Sara
1/29 Janesville Gazette: Rock County Offers Exemptions to Rock Haven Employees
1/29 News 3000 Madison: Rock Co Board Decides Nursing Home Employees Still Required to Get Vaccines, With Exceptions
1/28 News 3000 It’s a bad precedent: Rock Co Board of Supervisors Could Challenge Vaccine
1/28 Board of Supervisors overturns Health Committee and mandates the vaccines with exemptions
1/28 News 3000 Madison – “It’s a Bad Precedent” Rock Co Board of Supervisors Could Challenge Vaccine Mandate
1/28 Health Services Committee meets and votes to remove the mandate completely
Supervisors who voted yes (to remove the vaccine mandate) Mary Beavers, Kathy Schulz, Tom Brien. Ron Bomkamp voted no because “Fauci wont give us anything that hurts us” Kevin Leavy was not at the meeting.
1/14 Board of Supervisors Meeting. Only 5 of 28 letters read:
12/23 Memo
Beloit Tutoring Center
St. John’s Lutheran Church, located at 1000 Bluff St in Beloit has graciously offered their classroom space to Rock County Advocates for In-Person Schools so that we can, in turn, offer programs to Beloit School District kids.Four Excellent Alternatives to Your Local Public School in Rock County
It has become clear, particularly in Beloit where schools have been closed for in-person learning for almost a year, that parents need to seek alternatives to public schools as long as teacher’s unions are running the show.
You pay property taxes (yes even if you rent, the taxes are built into your rent) and a large percentage of your annual property taxes are for public schools. If schools refuse to open then take your business elsewhere. The money goes with the student. With homeschooling, the money does not follow the student but the school district that refuses to open also doesn’t get the money if you pull your student out.
Keep in mind, if you want your local school to open and they refuse but you continue to stay enrolled, they still get the full funding for your student, whether they open their doors to your child or not. If you want to pressure them to open, enroll your student elsewhere.
The options listed below are open to everyone. Other than homeschooling, they are limited by capacity. You can literally try all four of the options listed below and then depending on where your child is accepted, you can make your choices and turn down the rest. Fortunately, homeschooling is an excellent alternative if all else fails.
Charter School – Lincoln Academy (Enrollment Window Feb 1-28)
Enroll in Lincoln Academy here
Lincoln Academy (Beloit) You can enroll February 1-28. The first year will just be K4-2 and 7-9 grade. There is no cost to attend here if you are accepted. Classes are limited to 50 students. If more than 50 applications are received, a completely random lottery will be held. Students with siblings enrolled or students with a parent employed by Lincoln will have enrollment priority.
Learn more about Lincoln here
Apply for a job at Lincoln Academy here
School Choice Vouchers: (Application Window Feb 1-April 15)
Apply for School Choice Here
If you are interested sending your children to a private school in Rock County but you don’t think you can afford it, apply for school choice vouchers. It’s a lot of fancy talk for “the state pays your tuition to a private school.” The program you would apply to is called the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program or statewide program (WPCP – Wisconsin Parental Choice Program). Parents have to apply every year and provide income documentation.
School choice is limited by the family income, limited to 5% of the district’s enrollment and is also limited by the availability of the school itself. Supporting documentation is provided by you directly to the schools so be prepared to contact the school after you complete your online School Choice application.
School Choice FAQ
List of Schools participating in school choice
Income Limits: Ignore the MPCP/RPCP column – that is for Milwaukee and Racine. WPCP is the rest of the state including Rock County.
Open Enrollment: (Enrollment Window Feb 1-April 30)
Apply for Open Enrollment here
If you live in Beloit where schools may never open for in-person learning again, look to neighboring school districts or even other virtual programs throughout the state. There is no tuition cost for the student but the family is responsible for transportation. The non-resident district can deny the application, most often because of space availability.
You are allowed to apply to up to 3 schools so definitely apply to all 3. You never know who will approve or deny your request or how your circumstances will change. There is no harm in doing it. You can even take your chances with a school like Beloit-Turner that is notoriously difficult to get into. You never know if a spot will open up. You will get a letter from the schools sometime in June letting you know if your child was accepted and then you will have 30 days or so to confirm if you want your child to attend.
If you want to explore a virtual charter school with more experience in virtual learning or different offerings than your local public school, there are many options throughout the state. They usually offer field trips and other events where your child can meet up with other students and teachers from their class. Some will give you a significant portion of the student funding back as a credit that you can use for music lessons, gym memberships for PE classes, computer equipment and anything else that can be considered educational.
Open Enrollment FAQ
Virtual Charter Schools in WI
Homeschooling: (Enroll year-round if pulling from public school or by October 15 each year)
Enroll in Homeschooling Here (PI-1206)
Homeschooling isn’t what it used to be. Stereotypes of religious fanatics or strict parents that only want to shelter their kids from reality are a distant memory. Homeschooling is a rich and wonderful choice that allows students to pursue thier passions and amazing flexibility for family travel and scheduling. It allows parents of young children to continue to bond, free from negative influences while providing a loving, quality education. I promise it’s easier than you think.
Another post-Covid benefit of homeschooling is that you wont have to worry about your child being forced to wear a mask 8 hours a day.
Here’s how you do it:
Fill out the the PI-1206 on or before October 15 every year (or as soon as you un-enroll your child from public school) This is required if your child will be six years old on or before September 1, but not if they are younger.
Provide 875 hours of instruction a year. That comes out to around 2.5 hours a day if you do it year round. The curriculum is up to you. You can purchase an expensive curriculum new, buy a used curriculum, or make your own. You can even unschool. Wisconsin has amazing homeschooling laws.
This is not designed to be a homeschooling guide or resource but just to put the idea in your head that it is very likely that the education and experiences you are able to provide for your child will be far better than what they will receive in a public school.
There are many homeschool meet up groups online for play, hiking, game nights, bonfires etc. If socialization is a concern, don’t let it be. With minimal effort, your child can have a fun filled social life without the constraints of public school.
Here are the resources to begin your homeschooling journey. Be warned, homeschooling parents are enthusiastic and this can be a fun rabbit hole to go down.
DPI homeschool FAQ
DPI Home Based Education Statutes
Home School Legal Defense Association: Start here for a homeschooling overview. Consider a membership if you start homeschooling.
Wisconsin Homeschooling Parents Association: Spend some time on this site if you are going to homeschool in WI. Learn the history of homeschooling and why we have some of the best homeschooling laws in the country (and what you should do to help protect those rights)
The Homeschool Mom: Everything you could possibly want to know about homeschooling
Did we miss anything? Leave a comment below if you have more information, want to recommend a virtual school, or you have some homeschooling advice.
Rock Haven Resolution Opposing Mandatory Vaccinations
Update 1/28/2021: The Committee voted 3-1 for the resolution (NO mandatory vaccinations for employees). That could still be overturned by the Board of Supervisors meeting at 6pm on January 28, 2021. Votes were as follows:
Watch it here:
The Rock County Health Services Board is voting this coming Thursday January 28 at 7:45 am in a committee on a resolution titled: Establishing a Policy Prohibiting Rock Haven from Requiring COVID-19 Vaccines for Staff.
THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THIS CALL TO ACTION.
1. This will go to committee at 7:45am on Thursday and they will vote (item 5a) AND 2. it will go to the Board of Supervisors at 6pm on Thursday and they could change the morning vote of the committee if they want. We need to contact BOTH the committee members AND all of the Board of Supervisors, particularly your own.
(Click here to see the full resolution) The committee will present their results in the Thursday evening Board of Supervisors meeting. The last Board of Supervisors meeting had 28 public comments against mandatory vaccinations but the Board chose to only read 5 for some reason. Click here to read all the letters, including a couple that mention severe reactions from the first dose.
URGENT CALL TO ACTION – TO DO LIST
Step 1:
CALL EACH MEMBER of the Rock County Health Services Committee. You must call on Tuesday January 26 or Wednesday January 27. Thursday’s meeting is 7:45 am so there will not be time to call the day of the meeting. You want them to vote IN FAVOR of item 5a on the agenda.
They are not used to getting calls. Calls get attention. Emails can be ignored. You can send an email also but please, please, please…CALL. Call all five of them before Thursday.
Tom Brien, Chair 608-921-0065 tom.brien@co.rock.wi.us
Mary Beaver, Vice Chair 608-882-1152 mary.beaver@co.rock.wi.us
Kevin Leavy 608-364-4525 kevin.leavy@co.rock.wi.us
Ron Bomkamp 608-295-4664 ronald.bomkamp@co.rock.wi.us
Kathy Schulz 608-490-3123 kathy.schulz@co.rock.wi.us
STEP 2:
Contact YOUR supervisor and tell them you are opposed to mandatory vaccinations
2a. You can find your district by clicking here
2b. Find your supervisor’s phone number and email here.
STEP 3:
Call anyone you know that lives in Rock County and feels the same way about freedom, liberty, and mandatory vaccinations and have them do Steps 1 & 2. They do not have to be an employee of Rock Haven to speak about the item on the agenda.
STEP 4:
Attend the committee meeting at 7:45am on Thursday via zoom or phone and give a live public comment. If you are unable to attend, then email a comment in advance. As we know from the last meeting, they can choose to ignore emailed comments so live comments are better. You will probably have 2-3 minutes to speak. Sometimes the committees are a little more flexible with the time limits than the actual Board of Supervisors.
You must submit your comments by noon on Wednesday, January 27, 2021. Email vanzandt@co.rock.wi.us and either submit a pre-written comment to be read or let her know you will be calling in by phone or by zoom. Remember that you want to vote in favor of item 5a on the agenda.
To join by zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85886940571?pwd=d0oxZG9uYjVNdStMNldSd1B2MHVhUT09
To call in by phone:
CALL: 1-312-626-6799 MEETING ID: 858 8694 0751 PASSCODE: 013472
STEP 5:
Attend the actual Board of Supervisors meeting at 6pm on Thursday 1/28/2021 to vote in favor of item 11e, when the actual vote on the resolution takes place.
If you are interested in providing public comments on items on this agenda, you must submit your comments by noon on Thursday, January 28, 2021. To submit public comment use the following link: https://www.co.rock.wi.us/public-comment-request. At this meeting, the County Board will allow live public comment up to a total of 40 minutes.
I don’t know if this will work or not but contact chair Rich Bostwick 608-752-9199 and tell him you would like to call in and speak live at the meeting so you need a zoom id or phone number. Kara Purviance made this allowance even though a number is not listed on the agenda. They are trying to discourage public comment.
While you have him on the phone, tell him you strongly oppose mandatory vaccinations and to vote in favor of item 11e.
Step 5 (Additional Research)
Apparently the layoffs are being justified by Rock County Ordinance 18.613
Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_hwJkhNo9w
Visit the Constitutional Law Group
Constitutional Rights as an employee
- 1st Amendment: Protects freedom of Religion.
- 4th Amendment: Protects their Property, which is their rights and bodies.
- 14th Amendment: Shall not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: Protects the health of anyone who has a medical condition and that contradicts the wearing of a mask.
- Civil Rights Act of 1964: Outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
Print and serve clg_noticeofdiscrimination–2—6- (edit out the private business portion) on Josh Smith and Sara Beran
Watch this video: https://www.bitchute.com/video/1tJRRnpGXCQF/
Watch Dr. Patrick Flynn’s playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT0K34JTwPaAScseicaVQ8lJDElOpcwQs
If you have any additional information to add to this research and information section, leave a comment.
