Latest news with #ArrowheadHighSchool
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Suburban Milwaukee schools look forward to graduation ceremonies. Here's a list of when and where.
By mid-May, most high school seniors are thinking about how much longer until they're free of school, ready to enjoy the summer and begin the rest of their lives. In the weeks ahead, suburban Milwaukee high schools will celebrate their students' accomplishments with graduation ceremonies. Here's where and when they will take place: 7:30 p.m. June 7, Arrowhead High School football stadium, 700 North Ave., Hartland (may be moved earlier or later June 7 or to 1:30 p.m. June 8 indoors in case of bad weather). The ceremony will also be livestreamed on the Arrowhead High School YouTube channel through a link that will be made available closer to the graduation date. Families with mobility or weather concerns can watch a livestream of the ceremony from the school's North Campus theater. No tickets are required. 11 a.m. June 8, Brookfield East High School field house, 3305 Lilly Road, Brookfield. The ceremony will also be livestreamed on Brookfield Central High School's YouTube channel. Tickets are not required. 3 p.m. June 8, Brookfield East High School field house, 3305 Lilly Road, Brookfield. The ceremony will also be livestreamed on Brookfield East's Athletics and Activities YouTube channel. Tickets are not required. 1 p.m. May 31, Novak Family Fieldhouse, Brown Deer High School, 8200 N. 60th St., Brown Deer. Tickets are required. Each student is given 10 tickets. They can purchase up to five additional tickets at a cost of $7 per ticket. 1 p.m. June 8, field house, Cedarburg High School, W68 N611 Evergreen Blvd., Cedarburg. No tickets are required. 7 p.m. June 12, field house, Cudahy High School, 4950 S. Lake Drive, Cudahy. Each graduating student gets four tickets. More can be requested and given if there are enough. 1 p.m. June 14, auditorium, Waukesha South High School, 401 E. Roberta Ave., Waukesha 4 p.m. June 21, American Family Field, 1 Brewers Way, Milwaukee. Each graduate will receive four tickets. Additional tickets can be purchased for $10 each. 1 p.m. June 8, field house, Germantown High School, W180 N11501 River Lane, Germantown. Each senior student will be given six tickets for family and friends. The event will be livestreamed on the district's YouTube channel for anyone who can't attend. 10 a.m. June 8, football field, Grafton High School, 1950 Washington St, Grafton. No tickets are required. 11 a.m. June 14, Steven J. Gavinski Stadium, Greendale High School, 6801 Southway, Greendale. No tickets are required. 10 a.m. June 14, football field, Greenfield High School, 4800 S. 60th St, Greenfield (will move to Greenfield High School's gym in case of bad weather). Each senior student will be given seven guest tickets. If the event has to be moved indoors, each student will receive five tickets for the gym and two for the school's performing arts center/atrium with livestreaming available for viewing. The ceremony can also be viewed remotely at An outdoor ceremony will be held in the rain if there's no lightning. 6:30 p.m. June 13, Grove Stadium, Hamilton High School, W220 N6151 Town Line Road, Sussex (ceremony will move to Hamilton High School gym in case of rain). Each graduate will receive four tickets. 6 p.m., June 13, field house, Homestead High School, 5000 W. Mequon Road, Mequon. Each student receives eight tickets for their family to attend and may request up to 10 additional tickets. 7:30 p.m. May 31, Vock Field at Culver's Stadium, Kettle Moraine High School, North Oak Crest Drive at Highway 18, Wales (ceremony will move to the school's West Gym in case of bad weather). Fireworks will be held after the ceremony. The ceremony will also be livestreamed. No tickets are required. 7 p.m. June 6, Schumann Stadium, Menomonee Falls High School, N80 W14350 Titan Dr, Menomonee Falls. Tickets are not required unless it rains. If it rains, each student will receive four tickets, and the ceremony will move into the school's Burgundy Gym. 2 p.m. June 8, West Gym, Mukwonago High School, 605 W. Veterans Way, Mukwonago. Each senior student receives four tickets for the West Gym and two for the school's performing arts center, where the graduation will be livestreamed. The ceremony will also be livestreamed for those who can't attend in person on the district's YouTube channel. The livestream link will be made available approximately 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony. 10:30 a.m. June 15, InPro Field, Muskego High School, W183 S8750 Racine Ave., Muskego. Each graduating student will receive eight tickets for guests. 10:30 a.m. June 7, New Berlin West High School's Drexel Fieldhouse, 18695 W. Cleveland Ave., New Berlin. The ceremony will also be livestreamed; the link will be available closer to the graduation date. Tickets are not required. 6:30 p.m. June 6, New Berlin West High School's Drexel Fieldhouse, 18695 W. Cleveland Ave., New Berlin. The ceremony will also be livestreamed; the link will be available closer to the graduation date. Tickets are not required. 1 p.m. June 8, Panther Arena, 400 W. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee. Each graduate will receive 12 tickets for guests. 10 a.m. June 21, American Family Field, 1 Brewers Way, Milwaukee. Each student gets four free tickets; additional tickets are available for $15 each. 10 a.m. June 7, Rux Stadium, Oconomowoc High School, 641 E. Forest St., Oconomowoc. Additional seating will be available in the school's performing arts center and will be livestreamed on the large screen. It will also be livestreamed at for those who can't make it in person. Tickets are not required. If the weather forecast calls for rain and thunderstorms throughout the day, the ceremony may be postponed to later in the afternoon or early evening June 7 or to June 8. If the weather on June 8 also prevents having an outdoor ceremony, it will be moved to the Gale Douglas Field House on June 8. 2 p.m. June 1, gym, Palmyra-Eagle High School, 123 Burr Oak St, Palmyra. No tickets are required. The ceremony will also be livestreamed on the district's YouTube channel. 1 p.m. May 31, gymnasium, Pewaukee High School, 510 Lake St., Pewaukee. Tickets are not required. 2 p.m. June 1, gymnasium, Port Washington High School, 427 W. Jackson St., Port Washington. Each graduate will receive eight tickets for guests. 2:30 p.m. June 15, auditorium, Shorewood High School, 1701 E. Capital Drive, Shorewood. Each graduating student gets five tickets for guests. The event will also be livestreamed on the Shorewood School District's YouTube channel. 6 p.m. June 12, Sullivan Gymnasium, South Milwaukee High School, 801 15th Ave., South Milwaukee. Each graduate will receive five tickets for guests. 6 p.m. May 31, gym, St. Francis High School, 4225 S. Lake Dr, St. Francis. Each student receives five tickets. 9 a.m. June 14, field house at Waukesha South High School, 401 E. Roberta Ave., Waukesha. No tickets are required. 5:30 p.m. June 11, gym at Waukesha East High School, 1150 White Rock Ave, Waukesha. No tickets are required. 9 a.m. June 14, field house at Waukesha South High School, 401 E. Roberta Ave., Waukesha. No tickets are required. 11 a.m. June 14, field house at Waukesha North High School, 2222 Michigan Ave., Waukesha. No tickets are required. 9 a.m. June 14, field house at Waukesha South High School, 401 E. Roberta Ave., Waukesha. No tickets are required. 1 p.m. June 14, field house at Waukesha West High School, 3301 Saylesville Road, Waukesha. No tickets are required. 11 a.m. June 14, football stadium at Wauwatosa West High School, 11400 W. Center St., Wauwatosa (11 a.m. June 15 in case of bad weather). No tickets are required. 7 p.m. June 13, football stadium at Wauwatosa West High School, 11400 W. Center St., Wauwatosa. No tickets are required. 11 a.m. June 14, field house, West Allis Central High School, 8516 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis. Each student receives six tickets. 11 a.m. June 13, auditorium, West Milwaukee Intermediate School, 5104 W Greenfield Ave, West Milwaukee. No tickets are required. 6 p.m. June 12, auditorium at James E. Dottke Project-Based Learning High School, 7815 W. Lapham Street, West Allis. No tickets are required. 3 p.m. June 14, main gym, Nathan Hale High School, 11601 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis. Each student receives four tickets. 4:30 p.m. June 8, West Bend High Schools Field House, 1305 E. Decorah Road, West Bend. Each graduate receives six tickets. They can request more, and extra are given out on a first-come, first served basis. 1:00 p.m. June 8, West Bend High Schools Field House, 1305 E. Decorah Road, West Bend. Each graduate receives six tickets. They can request more, and extra are given out on a first-come, first served basis. Noon June 15, field house, Whitefish Bay High School, 1200 E. Fairmount Ave., Whitefish Bay. No tickets are required. 1 p.m. June 8, main gym at Whitnall High School, 5000 S. 116th St., Greenfield. While tickets are not required, the Whitnall School District asks families to limit the number of guests to six per student to ensure adequate seating for all. The ceremony will also be livestreamed on the Whitnall School District's YouTube channel. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 2025 suburban Milwaukee graduation ceremonies planned
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arrowhead High School's Turning Point USA chapter to host Riley Gaines, an outspoken opponent of trans women in women's sports
Riley Gaines, who has been outspoken against transgender women participating in women's sports, will speak at Arrowhead High School next month as guest of the school's chapter of a national conservative organization. The school's chapter of Turning Point USA is hosting Gaines at an event at 7 p.m. May 7 at the school's South Campus, according to chapter adviser Tom Truttschel. The chapter advertised Gaines' speaking event on its Instagram page. The event is open only to Arrowhead students and parents. Truttschel said the chapter is paying nothing for Gaines to speak at the school. Gaines received public attention after the 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming Championships in which she criticized the NCAA for allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to participate, claiming Thomas had an unfair athletic advantage. At the time, Gaines swam for the University of Kentucky. Arrowhead Superintendent Conrad Farner said that, similar to other club speakers or activities, there is no approval necessary from district administration. He said each club has an adviser who provides oversight, but the goal of student clubs is to have students own the activities as much as possible. "Unless there is a concern about safety or inappropriate/illegal/dangerous behavior, the administration does not generally get too involved with how a club operates. We count on the advisers to properly advise/guide the students, and be a liaison with the administrators if there are any questions or concerns," Farner said. Arrowhead's chapter of Turning Point USA started last year, which drew some criticism from parents about the rhetoric of Turning Point speakers and leaders and the group's operations. The national Turning Point USA organization was started in 2012 by co-founders Charlie Kirk and Bill Montgomery. Montgomery died in 2020. Arrowhead is one of four Milwaukee area high schools with a chapter shown on a map of chapters and "activism hubs" on Turning Point USA's website. The other Milwaukee area high schools shown include Kettle Moraine, Muskego and Waukesha West high schools. There are also high school chapters in Juneau, Kaukauna, Lake Geneva, Minocqua, Williams Bay, Oshkosh and Waunakee. Turning Point USA's chapter map also shows chapters at many Wisconsin colleges and universities, including at most University of Wisconsin campuses. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Anti-trans activist Riley Gaines to speak at Arrowhead HS club event
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Transparency, transportation among issues Hartland-Lakeside School Board candidates want addressed
The six candidates running for the Hartland-Lakeside School Board this spring have a range of issues they want to address. Incumbent Niels Peterson wants to finish and implement a new transportation plan to deal with busing issues and better align the district's curriculum with Arrowhead High School. Incumbent Matt Schwab wants to start discussing consolidation of Hartland-Lakeside and other area K-8 feeder districts with Arrowhead High School. Challenger Morgan Henning wants to strengthen transparency, ensure fiscal responsibility and foster strong partnerships between parents, teachers and the community. Challenger Frank Brunner, one of three members of the Dads for Hartland-Lakeside School Board, cited facility and transportation safety and improved staff, administration, resident and school board collaboration on the group's Facebook page. Neither he nor the other two members of the Dads group — challengers Matthew McNulty and John Poulos — responded to the Journal Sentinel's questions about the election. On the Facebook page, McNulty said he would focus on student safety, student achievement, curriculum and facilities improvement. Poulos cited fiscal responsibility, high student achievement, retaining and attracting top educators and safe facilities as his areas of focus, according to the Facebook page. Brunner, McNulty and Poulos are supported by the Waukesha County Republican Party's WisRed Initiative and the Wisconsin Young Republicans. Henning, Peterson and Schwab are supported by Blue Sky Waukesha, a nonprofit organization that says it focuses on civics education. The group has recommended candidates at the state, county, municipal and school board levels who "best align with our values." While Blue Sky Waukesha does not overtly align itself with any particular political party, it has recommended state Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford and current state superintendent Jill Underly, both of whom are supported by the state Democratic Party. Here's what Henning, Peterson and Schwab said in response to a reporter's questions: Henning: I will prioritize strengthening transparency, ensuring fiscal responsibility and fostering strong partnerships between parents, teachers and the community. I plan to meet with teachers to understand their needs and hold listening sessions for parents to encourage open dialogue. Clear communication builds trust, while responsible budgeting ensures taxpayer dollars directly benefit students. Supporting teachers with the resources they need and engaging families in their children's education will help maintain the district's excellence. Peterson: If elected, I would like to rapidly finish and implement the new transportation plan being developed to mitigate the numerous issues with busing over the past two years. In addition to this, we need to better align our curriculum with AHS to ensure that our graduates have the highest chance to succeed at high school and beyond. Schwab: I would like to focus on starting the consolidation discussion between HLSD, AHS and the other feeder schools. Having eight superintendents and 44 school board members developing competing curriculums, policies and procedures leads to many challenges for both students and teachers when our kids reach high school. That consolidation could lead to better coordination, facility use and expanded educational opportunities as well as financial savings. I would also like to focus on revamping our special education program and believe improvements could be made there with better coordination with other feeder schools. Henning: The district must prioritize responsible budgeting, focusing on student-centered spending while avoiding unnecessary costs. This includes evaluating existing unused resources, exploring alternative learning options for students who may not thrive in traditional classroom settings and strengthening partnerships with local businesses to enhance opportunities. Engaging the community, seeking grants and making transparent, data-driven financial decisions will ensure long-term sustainability while keeping the focus on student success. Peterson: Districts need to get more creative on how to plan for future financial difficulties. As a current board member, I voted to recognize additional savings by implementing innovative ideas around health care insurance brokerage and incentives for the district while maintaining current plan coverage. Additionally, we need to take a serious look at district consolidation as public school enrollment continues to fall while continuing to ensure that our staff is right sized for our student population. Schwab: We have healthy general and capital improvement fund balances, no debt, all while being the fifth-highest ranked district in the state. We prioritize spending on areas that directly impact student growth, including attracting and retaining the best teachers. We have a great staff and are looking at creative ways to continue to improve and expand our curriculum. It is my hope that if we can continue to demonstrate fiscal responsibility while providing exceptional education, the community will step up when the district needs to look to voters to approve additional funding. Henning: Collaboration between Hartland-Lakeside, feeder districts and Arrowhead High School is essential for student success. Exploring resource-sharing and smaller consolidations, where beneficial, can enhance opportunities while maintaining each district's strengths. Aligning curriculum where appropriate and streamlining services can create efficiencies and improve student preparedness. Open communication and strategic partnerships will ensure all students receive a high-quality, consistent education while being fiscally responsible. Peterson: There is a significant performance gap between the seven feeder districts (89.9 average score from the state) and AHS (80.5). We need to align with each other and with AHS to ensure that students have a seamless transition to high school regardless of feeder district. Additionally, there are numerous resources duplicated across the feeder districts that can be consolidated to keep all districts in a better financial position. Schwab: Consolidation should be the ultimate goal, but that process will take time. In the interim, the districts need better coordination on curriculum, transportation, safety and security. Our schools spend more time competing than collaborating. That isn't helping our kids, as most feeder schools rank in the top 10, and AHS is ranked 44th. Besides better aligning on basic math, English and science curriculums, we could share resources and provide joint learning in both the special education and the talented and gifted front. We could really offer expanded opportunities and targeted education programming across the seven feeder districts in these areas. No photo provided. Information is from the Dads for Hartland-Lakeside School Board Facebook page. Age: N/A Past political experience: N/A Family: Second-grade child in Hartland-Lakeside School District Community involvement: Years of coaching and volunteer experience in the Hartland area; attended Hartland North and South Elementary Schools as a student. Supporters and/or endorsements: Waukesha County Republican Party's WisRed Initiative and the Wisconsin Young Republicans Occupation: Spent 15 years working in tech and security Contact info: Facebook page - Dads for Hartland-Lakeside School Board Age: 40 Past political experience: None Family: Husband, Nick; three boys: Everett, 9, Winston, 6, and Sullivan, 3 Community involvement: Treasurer of the Hartland-Lakeside Education Foundation; Finance Committee member, The Women's Center; volunteer coach for T-ball, Hartland Rec; member, newly formed Parent Advisory Council Supporters and/or endorsements: Blue Sky Waukesha Occupation: Financial analyst Contact info: Henning4HLSD@ Facebook: Website: No photo provided. Information is from the Dads for Hartland-Lakeside School Board Facebook page. Age: N/A Past political experience: N/A Family: Two children in the Hartland-Lakeside School District, one in second grade and one in third grade Community involvement: Years of local youth coaching experience in multiple sports Supporters and/or endorsements: Waukesha County Republican Party's WisRed Initiative and the Wisconsin Young Republicans. Occupation: 21 years in operations, 10 of them in leadership Contact info: Facebook page - Dads for Hartland-Lakeside School Board Age: 37 Past political experience: Current member of Hartland-Lakeside School Board Family: Wife and two kids in the district Community involvement: YMCA fourth-grade girls volleyball coach, middle school sixth-grade boys volleyball coach, middle school Dungeons and Dragons club sponsor Supporters and/or endorsements: Blue Sky Waukesha Occupation: Manager, Program Management Contact info: nielsforhlsd@ No photo provided. Information is from the Dads for Hartland-Lakeside School Board Facebook page. Age: N/A Past political experience: N/A Family: Married with two children in the Hartland-Lakeside School District, one in kindergarten and the other in third grade. Wife is a former elementary school teacher with a decade of experience. Community involvement: Youth sports coach, member of church parish council Supporters and/or endorsements: Waukesha County Republican Party's WisRed Initiative and the Wisconsin Young Republicans. Occupation: 15 years in corporate finance Contact info: Facebook page - Dads for Hartland-Lakeside School Board Age: 49 Past political experience: Current HLSD Board member Family: Wife and three kids Community involvement: Youth sports coach Supporters and/or endorsements: Blue Sky Waukesha Occupation: Financial consultant Contact info: schwab4hlsd@ Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or Follow him on Twitter at@AlecJohnson12. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Hartland-Lakeside candidates want to address variety of issues
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Widespread opposition at hearing to bill requiring parental approval for pronoun, name changes
The Progress Pride Flag flies over the Wisconsin Capitol in June 2023. Wisconsin lawmakers held a hearing Thursday on two bills that would limit the rights of trans and non-binary people under the age of 18.. (Photo by Henry Redman/Wisconsin Examiner)miner) Two controversial bills that target transgender youth in schools, one dictating how school districts handle name and pronoun changes and the other banning transgender students from sports teams that align with their gender identity, received vast opposition at a public hearing Thursday. The first bill — AB 103 — would require districts to implement policies stating that parents determine the names and pronouns used by school staff and requiring a parent's written authorization for school employees to use something different. It includes one exception: if a nickname is a shortened version of a student's legal first or middle name. Rep. Barbara Dittrich (R-Oconomowoc) told the Assembly Education Committee that the bill is another way to unite parents and their children. Dittrich and coauthor Sen. Andre Jacque (R-New Franken) said the bill is modeled after a policy implemented at Arrowhead High School in 2022. 'Set aside whether or not you think a child should change their name or socially transition at school age, in our schools, we don't allow our kids to take a Tylenol without permission from parents. We don't allow them to go on a field trip without permission from parents. We don't allow their pictures to be shared without permission from parents,' Dittrich said. 'A major life choice — and transitioning and changing your name, it is a major life choice — is something parents should be involved in.' Dittrich said there should be a legal document affirming that parents approve any changes. Democrats expressed their opposition to the bill. Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison) said she was concerned about the bill being a 'copy and paste' of one local school district's policy and being applied statewide. Rep. Christian Phelps (D-Eau Claire) asked how many transgender people Dittrich consulted in drafting the bill. She said she spoke with none. 'This is a parent's rights bill. The parent is the legal guardian, therefore, I did not consult anyone who's trans,' Dittrich said. Sen. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit), leader of the LGBTQ+ caucus, and Sen. Melissa Ratcliff (D-Cottage Grove), leader of the Transgender Parent and Non-Binary Advocacy caucus, both testified at the hearing. The bill is 'cruel, discriminatory, and inhumane,' said Ratcliff, who is the parent of a transgender child. 'It incentivizes persistent mistreatment of not just transgender and non-binary children, but all children, and it creates unsafe learning environments. It's a mess of a bill that would lead to absurd situations,' Ratcliff said. 'This bill would be laughable if not for the fact that it creates real harm for our trans and non-binary students.' Ratcliff also noted that the exceptions to the bills were narrow and may not make sense in practice. 'Perhaps your legal name is Richard, and you cannot be called Dick, or perhaps Charles can no longer be a Chuck? Legislatures should not be micromanaging policy choices local school school boards make,' Ratcliff said. Spreitzer urged lawmakers to not take a vote on the bills or to vote them down in committee. He noted that the bills are unlikely to become law given that Gov. Tony Evers has vetoed similar bills and vowed to veto future legislation. 'This discussion is not aimed at making policy,' he said. 'It is just giving a forum for bigotry, and it is going to hurt our youth, and if you don't have that intent, then I appreciate that, but that is the effect it is going to have, so I would ask you to look at that, consider your own intent and act accordingly.' Many in the room broke out into applause at Spreitzer's comments, but committee chair Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) quickly shut that down. 'Please, I've said no cheering. We're all going to hear things we agree with and disagree with. Just keep it to yourself,' Kitchens said, adding he didn't want to have to have people removed from the room. He asked the crowd to quiet down several times throughout the day. Dittrich asked if there are any amendments that could be made to make the bill better, but Spreitzer said the bill isn't 'fixable.' He said the intent of the bill appears to be making it harder for trans and nonbinary youth to change their names or pronouns and 'if that is the intent of this bill, I don't know that there is a way you can fix the language of it through an amendment.' More than 70 people testified during the public hearing, which ran for more than ten hours, with witnesses given a five-minute time limit. There were many more opponents than supporters at the hearing — leading Wisconsin Moms For Liberty activist Scarlett Johnson, testifying in favor of the bill, to ask for extra time after hitting the time limit. Johnson argued that she and supporters of the bill were 'wildly outnumbered.' Wisconsin Republicans have introduced bills targeting LGBTQ+ youth many times over the last several years. This year's bills come as President Donald Trump has also targeted transgender people through a series of executive orders. Several witnesses noted that this was not their first time testifying against such legislation; one said they were 'really tired of coming.' Luke Berg, an attorney with the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, said the organization has received calls about schools from 'far too many Wisconsin parents in the last few years.' Asked about the exact number, Berg estimated that WILL has heard from six to 12 parents. Lawmakers on the committee asked Berg about what would happen if a student is fearful of their home life. Berg said concerns about students living in an unsafe home environment could be dealt with by Child Protective Services. 'I certainly don't disagree that there are bad parents, but we have a system and a process in place to deal with that,' Berg said. WILL clients Tammy Fournier and her daughter, Autumn, said the bill would have been helpful for them and is needed to ensure 'no other Wisconsin families would have to experience the government overstep we did.' They testified that at age 12, Autumn was questioning her gender identity and for a time was referred to at school as 'he' and by a different name. She later changed her mind. WILL brought a successful suit against the Kettle Moraine School District on their behalf that claimed the district violated parental rights by adopting a policy to allow, facilitate, and affirm a minor student's request to transition to a different gender identity at school without parental consent and even over the parents' objection. A judge blocked the district's policy that had allowed students to choose their name and pronouns. Many of the bill's opponents, including parents of transgender youth, said transgender youth need support and should have the ability to make decisions for themselves. They said the bill could be detrimental to young people's mental health. 'Parental involvement in support is incredibly important, but it's not always present, and when it's not, our schools can be a safe place for students who do not have a safe place at home,' Spreitzer said. 'There are nuanced ways we can navigate this without this one-size-fits-all approach that is aimed at making it harder for trans and non-binary students, and even in some cases, their supportive parent.' The Trevor Project's 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People surveyed 358 Wisconsin youths, finding significant mental health struggles LGBTQ+ youth can face. About 39% of LGBTQ+ youth surveyed reported seriously considering suicide, including 44% of transgender and nonbinary youth, and 12% reported a suicide attempt, the survey found. In addition, 63% of LGBTQ+ surveyed reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety. Kai Pyle, an assistant professor at UW-Madison told lawmakers about their experience exploring their identity growing up. Pyle stipulated they were speaking in a personal capacity, not for the university. Pyle said that at the age of 15 they asked friends, classmates and teachers to use a name different from their legal name, and it was mostly accepted. A little over a year later, they came out as transgender, which was a 'little bit of a more difficult change for many of my peers and teachers, but they were used to calling me Kai at that point, which in 2009 was a pretty unusual name in Wisconsin,' Pyle said. Pyle questioned the effect the bill would have had on them had it been law then. 'Would I have been acceptable because it was potentially just a shortened version of my legal name, which also started with the letter K?… The situation that a student like me would find themselves in, should this bill become law, clearly shows how this policy is discriminatory specifically to transgender youth, and how nonsensical it is to try to legally limit staff from using students' own preferred names and pronouns,' Pyle said. 'Beyond simply being nonsensical and discriminatory, however, it is fundamentally an attack on the right of all humans, regardless of their age, to be treated with dignity in a way that respects their sense of self.' The second bill — AB 100 — would require Wisconsin K-12 schools sports teams be designated based on 'sex,' defined as the sex at birth, and would ban transgender girls from participating on teams and being in locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. Tessa Price, a Madison resident, said the legislation won't be successful in gaining the type of control that lawmakers appear to want with the bill. 'At the end of the day, trans people exist, they play sports, and they will continue playing sports with other members [with] community support that they find,' Price said. 'So you will still find expressions within those sports that don't match the control you're trying to exert over it.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
