Wisconsin Protesters 'Stick' New Meaning To The Phrase "Acting Like Children"

[UPDATE 2:57 p.m. EST: A local news station filed a report from the school just prior to the event, and you can view the video below. The station, TMJ 4 News, is also reporting that their is surveillance tape from the school that may be able to identify the perpetrator. Read more here.]

[UPDATE 12:15 p.m. EST: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is also reporting on the incident. Read their story here.]

Although we work everyday to uplift the educational futures of children, there's one thing we try to avoid: acting like children.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said about a rather immature protester in Wisconsin.

Governor Scott Walker and his staff are scheduled to make a routine visit the Messmer Preparatory School in Milwaukee today, but there was just one problem: this morning, everyone was barred from entering through the front door. Not because of a mob of protesters, police tape, or deadbolts. No one could get in because the doors were glued shut.

That's right; the front doors to the prep school were superglued by an unknown—and amazingly childish— protester. There was also another protester near the entrance of the school who warned the school systems president to "get ready for a riot" in advance of throng of promised demonstrators.

Let's remember that this is not a political appearance in any way. Walker's planned visit is not to talk about contentious labor laws, recall elections, or budgetary wranglings. This is a long-since scheduled event where the governor is simply going to read to kids (as he did at our Summit earlier this year). It has become very clear that many opponents to school choice are figuratively standing in the way of kids' ability to learn. Today's spectacle now gives it literal meaning.

As Bob Smith, the president of Messmer Catholic Schools, said in a news report:

People ought to start acting like adults...You've got little kids who have no clue what you're even talking about, and you make something political when it wasn't; that's just flat-out wrong.

Other news outlets should have reports and video footage later today. We'll update this post if we can get our hands on any of it.

- American Federation for Children | Alliance for School Choice, MAG