Students for Teachers

Bob Burkart-Lemke couldn’t help but smile as he heard the sound of makeshift drums and the faint buzzing of a vuvuzela. The retired science teacher of 30 years and UW-Milwaukee alum doesn’t mince words when it comes to his beliefs. And Lemke believes it is a good thing that students are responding en masse.

Lemke was one of several hundred who united for an organized class walkout Wednesday afternoon at UW-Milwaukee’s Student Union to protest Scott Walker’s proposed budget. The participants, organized by the Milwaukee chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), marched around UWM’s campus before occupying Spaights Plaza – the promenade at the center of campus.

With hundreds of students gathering to support their cause, chants of “Hey hey, ho ho, Scott Walker has got to go,” and “This is what democracy looks like,” rang out campus-wide. Joe Trentacosti, a sophomore at UWM, said he could hear the chants from a block away.

“I don’t have any feelings one way or the other towards the issue,” Trentacosti said. “But I think it’s kind of cool that the student body is uniting for a cause they believe in.”

Margo Anderson, a professor of History and Urban Studies at UWM, said she was proud to see so many students together. Anderson said she was not surprised by the number of students who showed up, but she was proud that so many of her students were there to support her along with the rest of the faculty.

“I hope because of [protests] like this the Governor and legislature will be able to sit down and bargain . . . and that all public employees will continue to have bargaining rights around the state,” Anderson said.

Most of those gathered opposed Walker’s proposed budget. Others, like Brad Stevens, a senior at UWM, were upset about the issue, but feel that it is unfair to criticize Walker.

“I don’t like the budget either, but the guy was voted into office,” said Stevens. “You may not agree with what he’s doing but the majority of people gave him the power to do what he is.”

Lemke, who graduated from UWM in the class of 1975, wore a Veterans for Peace vest and was glad to see so many students responding to Walker’s proposed budget.

“I think the university went downhill after I graduated,” said Lemke. “But after SDS was revitalized and I was acquainted with some SDS students, I’ve been very happy with their response.”

Lemke was initially kicked out of the protest for having a sign on a stick. According to UWM’s student organization manual, “No signs supported by standards or sticks shall be permitted in any assembly in a university building.” But after the group began marching, Lemke was glad to join back in, this time holding his sign in his hands.