MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — On Milwaukee’s South side, many parents and families say that the issues plaguing MPS have pushed them to do more for their kids, including moving them to private and charter schools.
Marisol Zamora says she pulled her daughter out of MPS two months ago and brought her to Rocketship Southside Community Prep.
“There’s not enough resources, there’s not enough help,” said Zamora.
Last November, Zamora's son, Marcos, passed away at just 11 years old from a fentanyl overdose.
While his death was ruled accidental, Zamora says they believe he ate a candy laced with the drug.
"After my son passed away, there were kids coming up to me saying that there's kids, older kids, giving them drugs, offering them in the bathroom and I don't know why the school allowed that to happen,” said Zamora.
Zamora says she spent nearly three years trying to get both of her children's support by reaching out to their principal and teachers after they complained about being bullied.
"I had some kids, my child's friends coming up to me that they were depressed and they also had suicidal thoughts and I mentioned that to the principal at the school that they were posting things on my son's TikTok and he was like, 'Oh, just close your accounts so you won't see it,” said Zamora.
She says she asked for more trauma counseling and drug education programs in the classroom like DARE and got nothing.
Those are just some of the resources that are at risk of disappearing from the district based on the current proposed budget.
After months of reaching out to the school, Zamora says she reached her limit and pulled her daughter from the district in April.
Zamora says this all could have been avoided.
"I know we have a shortage of teachers and stuff. But for kids to go to MPS, they should feel safe, they should feel safe at school,” said Zamora.
Two months later, Zamora says her daughter is thriving at Rocketship.
She hopes sharing her story will get MPS leaders to consider how their actions are pushing families out of the district for good.
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