Republican gubernatorial candidate Josh Schoemann discussed education policy, criticizing the University of Wisconsin System for excessively focusing on money and their lack of conservative faculty in a campus visit Tuesday hosted by the GOP Badgers.
Schoemann, the current Washington County Executive, announced his campaign May 4 and said he has since worked to engage younger conservative audiences with his vision for Wisconsin. Schoemann believes the UW System created a “bureaucracy” and thinks it will take a significant cultural change to fix the system.
“I think we have to be willing to change the process, challenge the status quo, because the status quo has gotten us to a state where you have two and a half conservative professors,” Schoemann said, adding that this discrepancy is “unfair” to students and the state.
Wisconsin College Republicans — not affiliated with GOP Badgers — endorsed Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany’s campaign for governor. GOP Badgers co-President Benjamin Rothove said they do not endorse primary candidates.
Schoemann said the Wisconsin Idea — the principle that the UW System’s education should influence life beyond the classroom — is on “life support” because the university is too focused on money.
Schoemann criticized “burearacracy” in both K-12 schools and the UW System, a topic he feels passionate about after serving as president of Hartford Union High Schools’ School Board from 2014-2018.
He pointed to teachers unions as an example of bureaucracy in K-12 education, saying they “pull the rest of the kids down instead of pulling everybody up,” and said he wants public schools to be focused on outcomes instead of administrators and finances.
Schoemann pointed to the reading proficiency gap between white and Black students in Wisconsin, the largest in the country. In 2024, 38% of white students in Wisconsin tested “proficient” or better in math and reading, compared to 8% of Black students, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“Making teachers merit-based — I don't think it works. Teachers aren't motivated by money. You don't go into teaching because you want to make money. They're motivated by what is happening with their students,” he said. “So I think we've got to treat teachers a lot better and stop worrying about all the damn administration.”
Schoemann clarified “teacher-bashing” is not his goal, and conservatives should change their tone on educators.
“We as conservatives need to do a better job [to stop] the teacher-bashing and stop talking…about how much we hate teachers' unions. I get the union bureaucracy is a disaster, but we do have a lot of really good teachers,” he said.
Homeownership and Lowering Taxes
One of Schoemann’s primary goals is to strengthen homeownership for Wisconsinites, aiming to drive homeowners and businesses back into Wisconsin by counteracting students and retirees who leave the state due to “out of control” taxes.
Schoemann specifically pointed to the issue of “snowbirding” — when Wisconsinites move to warmer climates during the winter months — and said it's motivated by high income tax rates in Wisconsin.
Schoemann touted his goal of making homeownership more accessible for younger generations.
He said his hope is to help the next generation of college graduates be able to build the generational wealth that comes with homeownership and “encourage everybody” to keep their heels in the state of Wisconsin.
Schoemann proposed offering down payment incentives from the state. The plan includes a down payment program for houses under $420,000 and credits from volunteering to pay off their mortgage.
Schoemann claimed homeowners could pay off this mortgage in about five years.
Conservative Engagement in Dane County
Schoemann’s primary issue this election season is peeling away more voters in urban areas like Madison and Milwaukee, which are key Democratic strongholds.
His campaign's sole focus is to “get 30% [of votes] in Dane County,” he said. “[If] we overcome shenanigans in the election process…Democrats cannot win Wisconsin.”
Schoemann said Democrats are so focused on Madison and Milwaukee, they “have all their eggs in two baskets” while Republicans have theirs “spread all over Wisconsin.”
“People are excited for the next generation of conservative leadership in Wisconsin, and that’s exactly what we’re going to bring,” Schoemann said.
