WRIGHTSTOWN (NBC 26) — The Wrightstown school board president is responding to a petition to recall her from the board, saying she "will not be bullied" and accusing supporters of the petition of violating policy.
Angela Hansen-Winker's attorney released a lengthy statement Monday, saying the recall petition is "being circulated at school events, which violates school policy."
Hansen-Winker and her attorney also accuse Hansen Winker's opponents of "divisive and unfounded political gamesmanship."
Their statement claims that the recall petition "states that Angela should be recalled because she attended a public event hosted by a conservative local group 'NEW Patriots.'"
The NEW Patriots Facebook page says the organization is a group of "patriotic citizens in Northeast Wisconsin committed to promoting the conservative values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
At the time, some on social media criticized Hansen-Winker for participating in what they viewed as a partisan event.
"It is concerning that Rayn Warner seems to hate conservatives like the ‘NEW Patriots’ so much that he would try to recall me simply for appearing at a public event— one in which I was not paid nor gave any public speech," Hansen-Winker said in the statement.
Rayn Warner is a school board member who Hansen-Winker and her attorney say is on a "warpath" to getting Hansen-Winker recalled. Warner's name does not appear to be listed on the group Residents for Wrightstown Community School District's website.
"I represent all the students and citizens of Wrightstown School District: Republican, Democrat, and Independent, and I am happy to attend any event that I am invited to as a citizen of this great community," Hansen-Winker continued. "Especially with those who care so much about the students."
The petition to recall Hansen-Winker was started weeks before former Wrightstown Superintendent Andy Space announced his retirement.
At that time, the district said Space had been investigated for several issues, including school purchases, open meetings law issues, board and staff relations, and insubordination.
Tina Gitzlaff, a mother of two Wrightstown students, told NBC 26 last month that she signed the petition to recall Hansen-Winker.
"There's been a lot of concerns about how she's been leading the school board since she started," Tina said of Hansen-Winker.
According to the Residents for Wrightstown Community School District's website, those concerns include lack of proper procedure in meetings, not hearing board or community discussion and conflict of interest for political affiliations among others.
