📚 Trump cuts worry library and museum

📚 Museum and Library Rally Against Trump Funding Cuts

• In a rare joint campaign, the Madison Public Library and Madison Children’s Museum are sounding the alarm over President Donald Trump’s executive order gutting a little-known federal agency that supports museums and libraries.
• The two institutions are asking voters to contact their legislators to support the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which supports cultural and educational institutions in all 50 states. In addition to the library and children’s museum, IMLS grants have also benefited the Wisconsin Historical Society, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Chazen Museum of Art, and other Madison institutions. [City of Madison]

🎒School Superintendent Candidates Spar in Sole Debate

• Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly and her challenger, education consultant Brittany Kinser, debated in their only public forum ahead of the April 1 spring election.
• Kinser, who said she is a moderate and is supported by conservatives, said Wisconsin’s education system under Underly is failing kids, citing racial achievement gaps and reading proficiency. Underly countered that Kinser doesn’t understand how public schools work and that her claims were misleading, pointing to high graduation rates and the state’s national education ranking.
• 🎧 Dig deeper: With the election just 11 days away, the statewide races were looming large on the Friday news roundup on today’s City Cast Madison podcast. In addition to the state races, we talked about our takeaways from the city council candidate questionnaire we sent out. And we also talked about big plans afoot for Regent Street. Listen in! [ WisPolitics, 🎧 City Cast Madison]

💬 UW Student Government Aims To Protect Free Speech

• In the wake of a Columbia University student activist’s arrest by ICE agents for his role in pro-Palestinian protests, UW-Madison’s student governing body passed legislation protecting students’ right to free speech.
• The Associate Students of Madison’s “Keep Our Speech Free” legislation would also update legal resources for students, and called on UW Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin to publicly support students’ First Amendment rights. [CNN, Badger Herald]

Meet Lila. Her human has nicknamed her Potato, but she actually prefers her signature wet food with the occasional piece of pita bread as a treat. She was adopted in Pittsburgh and has moved twice with her person before settling in Madison. She loves neck scratches and cuddling – on her terms.