The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is facing intense scrutiny after it was revealed that the department spent $369,000 to host a lavish getaway at a waterpark and resort.
The revelation has resulted in outcry from government watchdogs and legislators, who have delayed funding for the DPI in the wake of the newFraley’s newsletter, the story.
The story was broken earlier this week by Republican operative Brian Fraley in his newsletter, the Dairyland Sentinel. The Sentinel exposed what appeared like an attempted coverup as the DPI did not provide receipts or a public footprint of the large expense.
“The agency did not provide receipts for staff time, food, travel, or lodging,” Dairyland Sentinel wrote of the event at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells. “Taxpayers are left to wonder how much of that $368,885 was spent on resort amenities, alcohol, or water park access for the 88 educators and various staff in attendance.”
The report has drew outrage from legislators in the state, leading them to pause at least $1 million in funding to the Department of Public Instruction. Representative Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, called the use of funds “questionable” and said legislators will need to review further funding.
“With this questionable use of funds, at least according to that report, that’s very new and so we just wanna hit pause on that,” Born said. “So, there should be an opportunity to look at this again down the road, but we just wanted to make sure that we had all the information necessary as we were considering this request in light of this new development today.”
Some Democratic legislators have pushed back against the funding cause, with State Senator Kelda Roys, D-Madison, claiming Republicans are playing “political games.” (RELATED: Wisconsin Legislature Reaches Bipartisan Deal to Rescue WisconsinEye Funding)
“I was disappointed because, yet again, Republicans are playing political games with the resources that our kids in our schools need to thrive,” she said. (RELATED: Top Wisconsin Liberal Donor Mentioned in Epstein Files 2,000+ Times)
