Madison – In a stunning display of partisanship, Assembly Democrats on the Assembly Education Committee voted against Assembly Bill 614, commonsense legislation designed to protect teachers and students from violence and chronic classroom disruption.
AB 614, authored by Rep. Joy Goeben, strengthens teacher authority to maintain order in the classroom, ensures parents are notified when violent or disruptive incidents occur, and requires school boards to adopt safety policies to protect students and staff. The bill also prohibits retaliation against teachers who remove violent or persistently disruptive students and allowed teachers who are physically assaulted by a student to terminate their contract without penalty.
“Teachers are asking for help. They’re asking for safe classrooms where they can teach without fear, and students can learn without chaos. Democrats claim to support teachers, yet they voted against protecting teachers from retaliation for removing violent students and against notifying parents when classrooms are disrupted by violence. That’s hypocrisy, plain and simple,” stated Rep. Goeben.
The bill gave teachers clear authority to maintain order, call 911 in emergencies, and remove violent or persistently disruptive students with defined reentry and intervention rules. It also required schools to notify parents within five days of any violent or disruptive classroom incident, ensuring transparency and accountability, while maintaining interventions for students with disabilities.
“Despite public support for safer schools, Assembly Democrats chose partisan obstruction over practical reform. Their vote sends a troubling message: political optics matter more than the safety of Wisconsin’s educators and children. Classroom safety should never be a partisan issue. Our teachers deserve respect, our parents deserve transparency, and our students deserve safe schools. AB 614 delivered all three and Democrats voted no,” concluded Rep. Goeben.
