The Waukesha School District has banned teachers from displaying signs on 'controversial issues,' like Black Lives Matter and Thin Blue Line
Alec Johnson
A letter from Waukesha School District officials banning Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, Thin Blue Line, anti-racist and other posters and materials is still causing controversy in the Waukesha community a month after it was first published.
The Aug. 20 letter to staff members, from Waukesha School District Superintendent James Sebert and Deputy Superintendent Joe Koch, asked teachers to remove such materials from their classrooms.
"Our advocacy for curricular resources and supports for learning are never ending, but our personal beliefs and convictions must stay out of the classroom," said Sebert and Koch in their letter.
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The two said the practice is consistent with the Waukesha School Board's policy on controversial issues in classrooms "and past practice related to other controversial issues, relating to political stances, religious issues and other non-curricular content."
The letter's message was a subject of contention at the Sept. 15 school board meeting and has since drawn support and condemnation from local politicians. Most of the 34 residents who spoke during the board meeting addressed Sebert and Koch's letter; the majority appeared to oppose the district's decision.
A district parent, Jenny Franke, who wrote a response to Sebert, Koch and the board obtained by Now News Group, said she was concerned, frustrated and disgusted by the district's decision.
"I understand the desire to remove politics from the classroom but what exactly is considered 'too political'?" she wrote.
"Is immigration, race, ethnicity and nationalities possibly too political because immigration reform is a political topic?" Franke wrote. "What about socio-economic background because social programs and tax reform are also political topics? It sounds ridiculous right? But so does removing a sign that says 'We welcome Students who are LGBT."
Wisconsin school districts have dealt with similar controversies recently
The Waukesha signage ban also is the latest example of controversial artwork being taken down in area school districts, and yet another example of how school board meetings nationwide have increasingly turned into political battlegrounds.
Parents were upset this summer after the Cedarburg School District removed a LGBTQ+ mural on display at Webster Middle School. The district said the art was removed "due to the failure to follow the proper process for approval."
A local online store, Cedarburg Threads, decided to print the mural on the products sold there. The mural is also featured in Grafton-based Arts Mill's program "Inclusion," which runs through Oct. 10.
The Waukesha School Board on Sept. 15 briefly discussed its policy on controversial issues in the classroom, but it took no action on the letter since it wasn't listed as an action item on the agenda.
Community members also commented on the sign ban during the board's Sept. 21 policy committee meeting; because the item was not on the agenda, the committee did not address the issue.
State Democrats and Republicans take opposing stances on the issue
Controversy surrounding the letter has swelled enough to prompt reactions from state politicians.
State Rep. Scott Allen, a Republican whose district covers Waukesha, said in a statement released before the board's Sept. 15 meeting that he supports the district's policy.
"Divisive symbols serve as barriers to students' learning, and therefore, must be prohibited," Allen's statement said. "Students must not feel discouraged and deterred from engaging in both a positive learning experience and environment. Students in the classroom should not be directly influenced by a teacher's personal and seemingly private political or moral positions."
In an email, Waukesha County Democratic Party Chairman Matt Mareno criticized Allen's remarks.
"Only a radical, like Representative Allen, would see a pride flag, anti-racist signs, or inclusive language as divisive. It shouldn't be lost on any of us that his focus isn't on funding schools or providing a safe environment for kids during a pandemic, but rather scoring MAGA points," said Mareno.
Sebert and Koch said in their letter they have worked with the board to understand that staff can share professional opinions to enrich classroom discussion in a way that doesn't bring in individual political positions.
"In order to be successful in teaching students critically, we must work with our students to entertain multiple perspectives while not being influenced by an adult to believe that any one perspective is right or wrong," the letter said. "Our role is educator/teacher, not activist/advocate in the classroom."
Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.