This post originally appeared at https://wisconsindailystar.com/news/new-challenge-to-wisconsins-school-district-grow-your-own-teacher-program/tcsquare/2024/06/15/

by Ben Yount

There’s a challenge to the Grow Your Own Multicultural Teacher Scholarship in Beloit Schools.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty sent a letter to Beloit Schools, asking it to end the scholarship because it discriminates.

“To be eligible for the GYO scholarship, a student must meet three criteria: (1) be a graduating senior or recent graduate of Beloit Memorial High School; (2) be pursuing a degree in education; and (3) be a minority,” the letter states. “Similarly, a district employee is eligible for the scholarship if the employee: (1) currently has an associates degree, or enough credits to obtain a teaching license within two years; (2) is a racial minority; and (3) has a desire to apply for professional educator positions in the district.”

WILL adds the Grow Your Own scholarship is only open to teachers who “look like” certain students.

“As the district puts it: We value diversity and believe our workforce should be reflective of the students and community we proudly serve. We understand and know the importance of our students seeing and being taught by a teacher who looks like them,” the letter said.

WILL Associate Counsel Cara Tolliver said public schools cannot have any race-based programs that exclude people of other races.

“The district’s race-based GYO program is patently unconstitutional and illegal under decades-old United States Supreme Court precedent and other laws. Toliver said. “Given the ongoing teacher shortage, the district should be welcoming all qualified scholarship candidates, not foreclosing teaching incentives on the irrelevant and unlawful basis of a human being’s skin pigmentation or ethnic make-up.”

WILL said the program violates several anti-discrimination laws. WILL said there could be a lawsuit if Beloit Schools don’t make some changes.

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Ben Yount is a contributor for The Center Square.
Photo “Beloit Memorial High School” by Beloit Memorial High School.

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