Also: School shutdowns, cost overruns, charter schools Celebrating 35 years of advancing freedom in Wisconsin Viewpoint: Next time, listen to parents Kids are reaping the consequences of school shutdowns By Patrick McIlheran Just what did the pandemic lockdowns cost us? Day by day, the tally rises. “I remember crying every night and not knowing what was going on, and I felt so alone,” a Wisconsin student, Sophia Jimenez, told CBS News’ “60 Minutes” in a report aired this week. The network singled out Milwaukee because, it said, Wisconsin has the country’s fifth-highest increase in adolescent self-harm and attempted suicide. The rate of such pathology has nearly doubled since before the COVID-19 lockdowns. When Sophia stopped eating, CBS reports, her parents took her to a hospital, where she stayed for two weeks until a bed opened up at a psychiatric facility. “What did you guys lose during the pandemic?” the reporter asked the girl. “Myself,” came the reply. Continue reading the Viewpoint. Government Infrastructure Spending Beset with Widespread Cost Overruns By Ken Wysocky With cost overruns on bridge, road and other infrastructure megaprojects in Wisconsin as certain as death, taxes and Packers’ title-run failures, budget hawks are on high alert with new federal money about to inundate the state. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is expected to spread an additional $5.4 billion out over the next five years, on top of the $1.4 billion to $2.2 billion in state and federal funding the Badger State has spent annually on highway construction alone. “For many decades ... infrastructure projects and cost overruns have gone hand in hand,” says state Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville). “While some infrastructure projects have been far more egregious than others, we’ve historically seen cost overruns of 25 to 50 percent for transportation projects and projected benefits that often fail to fully materialize.” Even The New York Times, often a booster of government spending, warns of “Years of Delays, Billions in Overruns: The Dismal History of Big Infrastructure.” Read the full article. Badger Institute in the News WISN/WIBA: Ike Brannon and Vicki McKenna discuss the impact of the unemployment bonuses on employment in Wisconsin The Center Square: Badger Institute poll shows broad support for welfare reform, parents involvement in schools, police Wisconsin Spotlight: Poll: Work for welfare KPVI: Badger Institute poll shows broad support for welfare reform, parents in schools, and police GMToday: Badger Institute poll shows broad support for welfare reform, parents involvement in schools, police APG Wisconsin: Badger Institute poll results Wisconsin News: Poll shows widespread support for welfare reform, parents in schools and police in Wisconsin Weekly Survey: Have you seen evidence of the damage school shutdowns have had on young people? Answer below! Yes No Last Week's Results It's National Charter Schools Week! Did you know that 236 charter schools operate in Wisconsin? Here are a few other fun facts about charter schools: 44 states (+ DC) have charter school laws 3.6 million students attend charter schools across the country 50,000 Wisconsin students attend charter schools 7,700 charter schools exist nationwide 206,000 teachers teach in charter schools nationwide Sources: Wisconsin Federation for Children, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction WILL Releases new Citizen's Guide to the WI Administrative State The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) just released The Citizen’s Guide to the Wisconsin Administrative State, which provides an overview of the constitutional and statutory underpinnings of the administrative state, an overview of the rulemaking process, how the Legislature and the public at large are empowered to hold agencies accountable to the law and what to do if an agency does not play by the rules. What We're Reading Howard Fuller: Biden’s New Charter School Rules Are an Assault on the Right of Families of Color to Choose the Best Education for Their Children Rick Graber: Restoring civil society, one neighborhood at a time The Dispatch: Canceling Student Loan Debt Is a Terrible Idea Heartland Institute: Is Stagflation on the Horizon? Empower Wisconsin: Evers’ Child Care Controversy City Journal: Make America Make Again Support the Badger Institute's Rich History For 35 years, the Badger Institute, formerly known as the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI), has been at the forefront of the fight for school choice, right to work, welfare reform, tax restructuring, limited government, civil society and so much more. If you appreciate the Institute’s legacy and want to support free markets, opportunity and prosperity, please consider donating $35, $350 or $3,500 today. Your support will help the Institute continue to advocate for conservative principles for the next 35 years – and beyond! The Institute never has, and never will, accept government funding. We gratefully welcome your online donation or email Angela Smith, Vice President of Development. The Badger Institute is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Support Freedom Top Picks is our weekly update. To receive more frequent content from the Badger Institute’s experts – or share with us your policy areas of interest – CLICK HERE Badger Institute | 700 W Virginia St, Suite 301, Milwaukee, WI 53204 www.badgerinstitute.org Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!