The lawsuit alleges this violated open meeting laws because the board made public decisions in a closed setting. He also said the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has identified those standards as the foundation for school districtsdeveloping human growth and development curriculum, including teachings about gender identity. Regarding the principalship, Mr. Kern states, I am honored to be joining Jefferson Elementary School. After narrowing down the candidate pool to two per school, Superintendent Dr. Demond Means and members of the Wauwatosa Board of Education conducted final interviews. Because of this threat I can no longer serve in my capacity as a member of the Wauwatosa School Board so please accept this as my immediate resignation.". MetaSearch is intended for research, information and reference purposes only. When asked about increased security and the possibility of new rules for public comment, the Wauwatosa School District said there is no plan to implement such changes. Mr. Pinion also completed the Director of Pupil Services and Special Education Program at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. Lets restore trust in the school board. When elected to the Wauwatosa School Board, I will work with the community to ensure that our district is meeting the needs of all students and families - but we must do this with accountability.I will strive to realize the vision and goals of the board, while also being pragmatic about the district's resources, finding a balance to create an educational environment where all students can . Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. The teacher would later state on social media that the harassment had a negative effect on his mental health. Meier wants an independent investigation into the fighting. MetaSearch is intended for research, information and reference purposes only. In these roles, Mrs. Zelazoski has increased teacher retention by 8%, increased employer net promoter scores (eNPS) by 58 points and increased employee racial/ethnic diversity by 4%. For elementary schools, updates to the curriculum would start as early as kindergarten, including added lessons on defining gender, gender roles, identifying medically proper names of body parts and learning about consent in an everyday context. Last year, Wisconsins Republican-controlled Legislature introduced multiple bills that centered on LGBTQ youth. The students in our district deserve the best education available, that's why we need a renewed focus on academics. These final candidates participated in two panel-style interviews - one with District staff and another with families. Before the school board meeting,multiple demonstrations took place outside the district office. FOX6 News reached out to all the other Wauwatosa School Board members and the superintendent. The Wauwatosa School Board is a policy and governance board. Mike is a man of honor and integrity and we feel he would make a great candidate for the Wauwatosa School Board, serving our community. She told FOX6 she needed his address to file a verified an open meetings complaint with the district attorney regarding the board's closed session discussion of public records. They were countered by numerous people claiming to be medical professionals from the Milwaukee community who said supporting the internal desires surrounding sexuality and gender identity of younger individuals is "dangerous.". One protest, put together by Wauwatosa residents on Facebook, was organized to support the curriculum and LGBTQ+ students in the district. The Wauwatosa School Board has named Dr. Demond A. He then served as Underfilling Assistant Principal before joining the Wauwatosa School District in 2020 as Associate Principal of Longfellow Middle School. In an email Thursday, in which he copied Means, Meier wrote: "Dr. Means shared with me that the resignation had something to do with someone's address request.". has identified those standards as the foundation for school districts, Wisconsin law says a district can decide itself, Wauwatosa school board member sues his own board after it approved new gender identity curriculum, Sponsored: Winter Homeowner Tips; How To Prevent Frozen Pipes, MPM Announces Permanent Exhibits at New Museum, Federal Inflation Reduction Act Could Add 24,000 Jobs in Wisconsin, AG Kaul Hosts Legislators at Wisconsin State Crime Laboratories, Advocates for Investment in Crime Fighting Budget, The Pabst Theater Group Raises $60,000 for Local Charities, Eyes on Milwaukee: Train Car Bar Being Demolished, Transportation: Airport Will Rip Out Two Runways, Mayor Johnsons Plan to Nearly Double Milwaukees Population, The State of Politics: Evers Brewers Aid Plan Spooks Republicans, Baldwin Reintroduces Bicameral Legislation Expanding Rights of Airplane Passengers with Disabilities, K-12 Education: Open Enrollment Plummeting at MPS, Op Ed: Enslaved Workers May Be Making Your Breakfast, Transportation: BRT Grant Could Fund Downtown Plaza, Tiffany Tardy Named New Executive Director of MPS Foundation, DWD Announces Appointments of Jeremy Simon as Assistant Deputy Secretary, Arielle Exner as Legislative Liaison. The police investigation, while resulting in no criminal charges, said the school board "failed to act.". I am beyond excited to join a district with such a clear sense of community and commitment to all students, stated Mr. Pinion. It was done by an attorney at a law firm in Waukesha. After learning what FOX6 uncovered, the district put Bowers on leave, launched an investigation and called the police. "They are doing things illegal, behind closed doors, that they dont want us to know about," one man said, referencing the school board's closed session open records conversation. The district was the 17th-largest school district in the state in the 2013-2014 school year and served 7,204 students.. Higher education achievement In August, the Superior School Board voted to uphold a decision rejecting a complaint from about 30 parents challenging a lesson plan that teaches gender identity to fifth grade students. ", FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android. The District followed a robust screening and interview process to ensure stakeholder voice was reflected in the final decision. Throughout his . His ideas, interests, and opinions would be a welcomed addition to the team. The Wauwatosa School Board has come under some scrutiny in recent months afteran internal investigation foundthat a former Wauwatosa school district administrator had violated the boards conflict of interest policy. The complaint, filed by Michael Meier, claims that the School Board violated Wisconsin open meetings laws five times from 2021 on and, in the case of the approved curriculum, would meet in secret to exclude Meier from conversations about the topic. Because of this, we believe Mike will be a great addition to the Wauwatosa School Board and are proud to support him. I am eagerly looking forward to learning from and with the Underwood community for years to come., Mr. Keith Brightman, MSE, SFO, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer and will lead the Division of Finance and Operations. 2023 Mike Zollicoffer Jr. for Wauwatosa School BoardPaid for by Mike Zollicoffer Jr. for Wauwatosa School Board, PRIORITIZE SAFER SCHOOLS STRONG DISCIPLINE FOR MISCONDUCT SUPPORT SMALLER CLASS SIZES CLAMP DOWN ON BULLYING . I've seen his commitment and desire in his personal life and have no doubt he will bring that passion to the school board! It will be a continued honor to work with our educators, students, caregivers, and greater community to enhance students' learning experiences and achievement outcomes., Mr. Luke Pinion has been appointed as Chief of Pupil and Family Supports and will serve as the leader of the Division of Student and Family Supports. I am invested in WSD and as a school board member I will promote thoughtful policy and compliance, the backbones of a well-functioning and effective board. "The person that leads that good ol boys club sits right there Steve Doman," the man continued. Tired of seeing banner ads on Urban Milwaukee? decided to resign from the board after receiving an email that he said made him feel threatened. "What were seeing right now is an outcome of years of some other strategy," Meier said. has identified those standards as the foundation for school districts, Wisconsin law says a district can decide itself, Superior School Board upholds decision allowing gender identity to be taught to fifth graders, Wisconsin districts face backlash over plans to teach gender identity to elementary students. Mr. Brightman states, I have long recognized the Wauwatosa School District as one of the strongest in the state. The claims. He cast the only opposing vote to the curriculum. State law also says parents can opt their child out of that instruction. These verified complaints were reviewed by Milwaukee Countys Corporation Counsel, and it was determined that the Wauwatosa Board of Education did not violate state law. He has proven success in building teams and strong, collaborative relationships; creating safe and inclusive environments for learning; and integrating technology and learning adaptation strategies into the educational environment. By eighth grade, middle schoolers would have learned about different gender identities, sexual orientations, sexual activities and how social relationships are influenced by all of those things. Ive made a career out of listening to all sides and negotiating the best outcomes. Jenny Hoag, Mary Jo Randall, Austin Jensen, Michael Meier, Todd Dahlgren and Eric Jessup-Anger are all on the ballot for school board for the Wauwatosa School District . The Wauwatosa School District does not discriminate on the basis of a person's color, sex, race, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. But Lubinsky added she believes a judge will dismiss the lawsuit. During a special meeting to discuss the lawsuit on Monday, Lori Lubinsky, an attorney for the district, said the move by Meier to sue his own school board was unusual.. She brings more than 14 years of progressively-responsible experience to this role, including eight years as a classroom teacher and member of school leadership committees in Mukwonago, two years as Associate Principal of Wauwatosa East High School, two years as Principal of Madison Elementary School and two years as Director of Secondary Education for the Wauwatosa School District. Its time to replace self-interest and personal ideology with working together for the good of our students and teachers. Wauwatosa, WI 53226. This ad will close automatically in 15 seconds. This is a tremendous opportunity for our staff, students and families to benefit from the experience, passion and leadership that this group collectively brings to the table. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. It escalated into a physical fight. As a longtime resident of Wauwatosa, a school district parent, and a banker, I will strive to realize the vision and goals of the board, while also being pragmatic about the districts resources. Similar curriculum has also been discussed and debated by other Wisconsin communities. In a trend that started in 2021, and has come to define the start of the 2022-23 school year, the Wauwatosa school district has endured a spate of disciplinary issues while also seeing increased political tensions affect board members and teachers. In 2021, classes were disrupted after police found that a student had brought a box cutter and a handgun to Wauwatosa West High School. When Meier told FOX6 what happened, Doman removed him from the board's policy committee. Mike Zollicoffer has the leadership skills and the passion for child development to be a member of the Wauwatosa School Board., "Mike is a person I've known since our kids were in kindergarten at Madison Elementary, 12 years ago. I am excited to join such a well-respected, dynamic district and team. Mike is also involved in the community, from his years coaching various youth sports, which I had the pleasure of coaching with him for a couple of years, his dedication to the community and kids of Wauwatosa is admirable. right-wing groups from outside communities such as Moms for Liberty and Gays Against Groomers. (Incumbent) Michael Meier has served on the Wauwatosa School Board for nearly 18 years and has a long list of accomplishments during his tenure. Ive reviewed the facts and circumstances of the events that are at issue in this lawsuit and I feel very good about the board and Mr. Domans likelihood of prevailing in this lawsuit, she added. Become a member for $9/month. In August, the Superior School Board voted to uphold a decision rejecting a complaint from about 30 parents challenging a lesson plan that teaches gender identity to fifth grade students. The board eventually voted to split with AVID and Bowers, paying Bowers six figures to walk away in January 2022. The update addresses anatomy, as students will learn how bodies change and grow.. "But it is just frustrating when outside groups are making school board meetings about politics when they should be about our kids.". Daily Announcements 2022-2023. Follow himon Twitter at@Beck_Salgado. Mike was passionate about player development, on and off the field. Such feedback provided directly to the Wauwatosa School Board ( whose members email addresses and phone numbers can be found on the District's website here) is in reality the only way for such hyper-sexualized curriculum to be stopped. I believe this is the first time in my 25-year legal career that I have been providing legal advice to a board when my adversary is in the room, Lubinsky said. The Wauwatosa Police Department said Friday they haven't received a report or complaint yet from Doman regarding the threat. He has served stakeholders in several southeastern Wisconsin districts including Milwaukee Public School District, Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District and, most recently, the School District of Waukesha. John Larry. The Wauwatosa police chief told FOX6 News five students were cited for battery. District as one of the strongest in the state sense of community and commitment to the. While resulting in no criminal charges, said the School board and proud... 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