LEGISLATION ENSURES TEACHERS ARE EMPOWERED AND SUPPORTED
The News: Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) supports the Teacher Bill of Rights, AB 614 / SB 611, introduced by Representative Goeben and Senator Cabral-Guevara. The legislation clarifies and strengthens teachers’ authority to maintain order in the classroom, protects teachers from retaliation when they enforce classroom rules or respond to disruptive or violent behavior, and ensures transparency and accountability when serious behavior incidents occur at school.
The Quote: WILL Deputy Counsel, Cory Brewer, stated, “Teachers cannot teach and students cannot learn in chaotic or unsafe classrooms. This legislation restores common sense by clearly affirming teachers’ authority to maintain order, removing ambiguity that has left educators unsupported, and ensuring that serious disruptions are addressed in a structured and transparent way. The Teacher Bill of Rights puts classroom safety, instructional time, and fairness back at the center of school discipline.”
Teacher Bill of Rights: In recent years, teachers across Wisconsin have reported growing disruptions in classrooms, inconsistent discipline practices, and pressure to tolerate behavior that interferes with learning or compromises safety. Exit surveys from MPS reveal that many teachers leave because of unsafe or unmanageable classrooms and lack of support, conditions that make it hard for students to learn. The Teacher Bill of Rights responds by setting clear expectations, reinforcing teacher authority, and requiring school districts to adopt and follow transparent policies when serious behavior issues arise, so educators can focus on teaching and students can focus on learning.
WHAT IT DOES
- Strengthens Teachers Authority: Clarifies when teachers may remove disruptive or violent students to protect classroom safety and allow instruction to continue.
- Prevents Automatic Re-Entry: Requires principals to follow board-adopted safety policies and, in serious or repeated cases, ensures behavior intervention plans are in place before a student returns to class.
- Mandates Parental Notification: Ensures parents are notified when students are removed from class or when serious or violent incidents occur.
- Promotes Transparency and Accountability: Requires school boards to adopt written safety policies and provides a limited enforcement mechanism if districts fail to comply.
- Protects Teachers from Retaliation: Prohibits adverse employment action against teachers for enforcing classroom rules in good faith or taking steps to maintain safety.
Lauren Greuel
Associate Counsel