DE PERE (NBC 26) — "This is ridiculous," Unified School District of De Pere school board member Melissa Niffenegger said. "She has the First Amendment right to read what she thinks she can ..."
"Okay, let's slow down," board president Adam Clayton responded.
The standing-room-only crowd in the De Pere community room murmured.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please," Clayton said. "No response."
That was Clayton chastising the full crowd, after board members Niffenegger and Brittony Cartwright were not pleased when Clayton did not allow Cartwright to read an anonymous parent letter in the meeting, citing policy.
That was during a discussion of library checkout and complaint policies.
Earlier in the meeting, one speaker, who said he was the leader of a local Gays against Groomers chapter, read an excerpt from a book called All Boys Aren't Blue, saying it had been "trafficked" into the district.
"Members of the board, does this make you feel uncomfortable?" he said. "Well, it should."
The following public comment speaker pushed back, saying, "The goal of education isn't to shelter students from ideas."
The board ultimately decided to consider raising the age under which parents are able to review their children's library records (from 16 to 18), but did not remove any books from shelves, nor make any final decision on changing district policies.
It will also review its processes on parents submitting complaints about curriculum.
The meeting also covered norms and communication policies, but the board chose to table the issue to a future meeting.
Things were more contentious when board member Brandy Tollefson brought up a legal challenge from Niffenegger, who reported the district to the state for what she says is a possible violation of a curriculum law.
"There is multiple sources that say three-cueing is not in Reading Recovery, and yet, she continues to say that our district is three-cueing, with no proof," Tollefson said, requesting the board require Niffenegger to apologize for previous comments about the district's Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction, Kathy Van Pay.
"You're trying to snuff out anything I'm saying," Niffenegger said. "I saw the writing on the wall, because I know typically the way the board sways."
The public comment portion of the meeting indirectly pointed out the board has recently been splintered into factions.
"I would like to extend my gratitude to the five board members who support our public schools," one speaker said. There are seven members on the school board.
Two other speakers called for certain board members to resign, without naming them directly.
Later in the meeting, a board member acknowledged that the board needs to clean up its presentation.
"We're the worst part of this school right now," Matthew Petersen said. "The vibes are good everywhere else. We need to take this seriously and stop digging ourselves a deeper hole through our conduct and inability to cooperate."
These issues — books, complaints, board norms — aren’t going away and will be back on future agendas.
What will happen soon is the capital referendum on next Tuesday’s ballot — that will determine the tax levy for next year. The $22 million maintenance, safety and security referendum will determine if residents pay a mill rate of $6.85 if the referendum passes or $6.51 if it fails.
