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Official Government Communication
Dear Friend,
Welcome to my email
newsletter. There is a lot happening at the State Capitol and it is my
hope that this email will help you stay in touch with your government. As
your Senator, I truly believe in public service. If there is anything my
office can do to assist you, please feel free to contact us.
Here to serve,
Sen. Lena Taylor
4th District
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Juvenile correction saga continues
 Last winter, a scandal of mistreatment
broke and the widespread abuse of both inmates and workers at Lincoln Hills
& Copper Lake—our state’s only juvenile correctional facilities—was
revealed. In December Senator Fred Risser (D-Madison) and I wrote a letter
asking for investigation. In January, I visited and brought the community to
Lincoln Hills, and in February we returned with the Black History Legacy Bus
to teach the kids about their culture and history.
What I learned after talking with the
kids is that they lack access to trauma informed care, art and inspiration
therapy, clinical services, programming and a connection to their family and
community. I also saw firsthand how the facilities are understaffed and the
staff are in need of assistance, including diversity training. The Milwaukee
County Circuit Chief Judge declared in a letter after her visit to Lincoln
Hills that “we are in a crisis situation.” Unfortunately the effects of this
crisis are widening. The poor treatment of kids at Lincoln Hills has caused
judges not to sentence kids there and instead divert them to Milwaukee County
Juvenile Detention Center in Wauwatosa. This has brought about extreme
staffing shortages and overcrowding. Staff are forced to take on 12-hour shifts,
the facility has exceeded capacity on 33 days and it’s gotten so bad that
kids—our kids—are sleeping on the floor.
This is such a sad and disappointing
situation. Just like adults, when kids make mistakes they need to pay their
debt to society. But our state has a responsibility to these kids. The judge
is right, children at Lincoln Hills aren’t being adequately cared for.
However, sending them all to Milwaukee County risks creating our very own
crisis right here. That’s why I’ve called on Governor Scott Walker to call a
special session to address our juvenile corrections. Additionally I’ve asked
Governor Walker to make emergency funds available to Milwaukee County to
alleviate our overcrowding and staffing shortages here at home. I’ve been
fighting for these kids from the very beginning and I won’t stop now. (Link
to column when it goes up?)
Disturbing violence in the classroom
 On Wednesday, an incident occurred at Bay
View High School in which a teacher’s aide was caught on video pushing a
student onto a desk and holding him down on the floor. Based on the video I
saw, I am deeply concerned. I believe violence is a major educational barrier
for our kids. A school should be a safe space to learn and grow where our
babies can focus on education, not aggression. But until this ideal can be
made a reality we must ensure that they have access to school therapists who
can talk about any trauma they experience—both on the streets and in the
classroom. It is my expectation that this school will take appropriate
disciplinary action towards all involved in this incident. Transparency is
key as we move forward.
Saving our earth, protecting our babies
 As a legislator, it is my job to fight for the good of our
community. This means addressing issues of inequality, injustice, and
disagreement, but also looking out for the very environment we live in.
Today, on Earth Day, I would like to take a moment to let you all know how
important it is to me to preserve the natural beauty of our area, to promote
a sustainable lifestyle and to prioritize the health of our planet and our
community—because our babies are growing up and it’s our responsibility to
invest in their future. Not just their education, but also their environment.
Recently, concerns were raised about the high levels of lead in Milwaukee.
8.6% of children tested in 2014 had blood levels above the level at which
children are known to suffer health problems. Although I don’t have all the
answers, I am working to find some. Getting the lead out of Milwaukee is my
concern this Earth Day, but each of us can contribute to keeping our
community happy, healthy and clean when we work together to reduce our waste
and recycle our recyclables. For information on recycling in Milwaukee click
here.
Volunteers wanted!
 Join me in a great opportunity to give
back to your community and celebrate Earth Day on Saturday April 23, 2016
at the 2016 Annual Spring River Clean-up! There are four
different locations: Havenwood’s State Forest, Lincoln Park on the water,
Lincoln Park on land and Lincoln Creek. Volunteer check-in is from
8:30-9:00am and clean-up will go until about noon. Please wear closed toed
shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. You may also want to bring a
reusable water bottle for your use. They will provide you with gloves and
garbage bags and a FREE T-Shirt and food after the clean-up! For
Lincoln Park on the water cleanup, a canoe and pre-registration is required.
The other three locations, you will be on land and no pre-registration is
required. For more information, please visit here
or call 414-287-0207!
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Community Events:
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Click fliers for more details!
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