Student teachers in Wisconsin have always had to student teach (an unpaid, full-time commitment) for 18 weeks--including for weeks after graduation. However, that all changed. Wisconsin passed an emergency rule permitting student teachers to instead either a) finish at graduation and follow their college's semester; or b) be paid for up to 10 days of substitute teaching. However, UW-Madison's Teacher Education program leadership and faculty have decided NOT to follow this order, and made this decision without student input. Students gathered around the cause, signing a preliminary petition and meeting with faculty, but we were still refused. 

Over 100 students are affected by this decision. That's over 100 people giving free labor for 4 weeks past the state-required commitment. That's over 100 new, dedicated teachers-in-training who are at risk of experiencing burnout before they've even gotten their feet off the ground in this field. 

If student teachers could end at graduation, it would be helpful to us for so many reasons: 

1) Since student teaching is full-time and unpaid, even a single college semester is financially burdensome. Reducing the commitment by 1 month would significantly alleviate many financial hardships.

2) We deserve time and space to navigate our jobs, futures, and decisions. Ending at graduation would afford us so much more time to organize our future priorities, attend job interviews, and thoughtfully step into the next chapter of our careers. 

3) Other universities in the state are permitting their programs to end after graduation, which means we could be placed at a disadvantage in the job market. While other students will get a head start on applying and getting hired for jobs, we won't have the same capabilities, potentially costing us valuable opportunities. 

4) We won't have any assignments, seminar classes, or observations after graduation, which means the quality of our education won't be compromised if we end our placements at graduation. 

At UW-Madison's education program, we're taught to be student centered, give everything we can to our students, and persevere. But even though we've fulfilled our end of the bargain, UW, hypocritically, has refused to grant us the same grace. We deserve flexibility throughout this amazing--but undoubtedly difficult--experience, and we also deserve to celebrate the finality and accomplishment of graduation. 

We urge UW-Madison to follow the flexibility afforded by this rule not because of lack of dedication on our part but because we care about our futures and our health (financial, mental, and otherwise), and we believe the new rule protects those first and foremost. We are disappointed and saddened by the lack of support we've received from this program to which we have dedicated so much time, effort, and heart. 

We appreciate any and all support we can gather, including from individuals and community members who care about this issue and want to fight for what's right. Please sign this petition if you're with us, and help us demand the Teacher Education Center make a more student-centered decision. 

Thank you for your support!