WAUWATOSA — Should Wauwatosa's school district absorb some Milwaukee Public Schools?
That's a real question being asked among Tosa school board members.
In the midst of a tense Monday night board meeting addressing the district's budget issues, Wauwatosa board member Michael Meier shared that some members on the board have called for legal advice on their district taking on some Milwaukee Public Schools.
"We're spending operations money on this kind of opinion," explained Meier. "I thought it fair that since this is a very big serious concept, any kind of a merger investigation or research, or thinking or something like that, the community should know about it."
Some board members say the reason for looking into this option is because of declining enrollment and birth rates in both Wauwatosa and Milwaukee.
Watch: Wauwatosa board asks legal opinion on merging with some MPS schools
This is coming as a $60 million referendum is on November's ballot to keep all nine elementary schools open— something Meier thinks is contradictory.
"If you believe we have falling enrollment, then why are we promoting a referendum to keep nine elementary schools open while we're thinking about merging with MPS to put more kids in the buildings?" Meier asked.
So, what exactly was in this research? As of Tuesday afternoon, those documents are sealed under client-attorney privilege.
TMJ4 went to the top leaders at MPS to hear what they know about the possibility. Interim Superintendent, Eduardo Galvan, saying Milwaukee schools have heard nothing about this proposal.
"I can't comment on Wauwatosa schools— I know that we haven't spoken to them about this, so I don't know," said Galvan.
The Wauwatosa school board is voting Tuesday night on whether to make that research open to the public.
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