The 43rd annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools is a year survey that gauges public opinion on public schools.
You can download the entire report, titled, "Betting On Teachers," or a highlights sheet, here.
But in the meantime, here are some interesting numbers to get your attention and encourage you to dig deeper by reading the entire report:
- 36 percent of polled said underfunding is biggest problem facing schools. Overcrowding and lack of discipline tied for second at 6 percent each.
- 71 percent have confidence in public school teachers, 27 percent do not and 2 percent don't know.
- 65 percent of Americans oppose public money funding private school vouchers; 34 percent favor.
- 52 percent of Americans side with teachers unions in recent collective bargaining disputes; 44 percent with governors who oppose unions. 4 percent don't know.
- However, while 26 percent polled say unionization has helped the quality of public school education, 25 percent say it has made no difference and 47 percent say it has hurt.
- 62 percent of those Gallup polled did not have children in school, 29 percent were public school parents and 5 percent were non-public school parents.
- 29 percent were Republicans, 34 percent were Democrats, 34 percent were Independents and 3 percent were "undesignated."
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
