Uneasy Start to School Year in Waukesha

School districts across the state are navigating the effects of a highly charged political atmosphere as they go back to class this year. In May, Wisconsin Examiner reported that Republican lawmakers were approaching school libraries with a list of books parents felt should be removed. The list was just one facet of a much wider coordinated effort.

Emails sent and received by State Rep. Jesse James offer a glimpse into this effort. James was sent a list of books by a parent who felt they covered subject matter that was inappropriate for children. The majority of the books dealt with topics geared towards LGBTQ youth, issues of gender identity and enduring racial and cultural stigmas. James reached out to every school district in his legislative territory inquiring as to whether the books were available at the schools. James wasn’t the only Republican lawmaker who’d been contacted regarding the issue.

State Rep. Scott Allen (R-Waukesha) received similar emails from constituents. Allen’s staff said he did not receive a list of books, but Allen did reach out to the Waukesha School Board president to discuss the issue. The school district’s library catalog maintains a library “book concern” spreadsheet, which lists numerous books and whether they were subject to any action by the district. Some were noted as not in inventory, others were moved up a grade level, others weren’t moved at all. Five of the books, however, are listed as removed, including two which appeared on the list shared with James. Almost all of the books that appeared on that list were included in the Waukesha School District’s spreadsheet. At times, the books even appeared in the same order on the two documents. The school district’s spreadsheet, however, also includes books which did not appear on the list shared with James’ office.

After the Examiner’s first story on the book list appeared, Gov. Tony Evers warned on the first day of Pride Month that Republicans planned to ban books.

Emails sent by Allen and James also discuss exposing teachers and staff to felony charges for providing “inappropriate” books to students. Waukesha, a conservative, mostly white suburb of Milwaukee is at the center of these efforts. Conservative groups have filed lawsuits to compel the district to institute a policy of outing openly LGBTQ students to their parents. The district has banned images that could be seen as politically divisive including Pride Flags, Black Lives Matter material, and pro-police imagery. Some teachers and staff have opted to leave the district because of what they see as a hostile political environment.

The Alliance for Education in Waukesha, a group formed to defend teachers and students who express liberal political views, has numerous concerns as the school year begins. “Over the summer, the Waukesha School Board passed a new ‘controversial issues in the classroom’ policy that staff were directed to review as part of their training at the end of summer, which is very concerning,” the Alliance said in a statement to Wisconsin Examiner. “Instead of promoting a welcoming environment, policies set by the administration and board continue to drive fear and unrest, driving teachers to resign and find jobs in other districts, resulting in the highest turnover rate the district has seen in the recent past.”

Concerns for LGBTQ students in the current political climate are also on the minds of legislators. State Sen. Chris Larson tweeted on Sept. 7 that “our schools should be safe places for students, where they can be their authentic selves with support from caring adults.” Referencing ongoing lawsuits around outing LGBTQ students to their parents, Larson tweeted, “Make no mistake, if schools are not able to provide support for LGBTQIA+ students, children and teens will be harmed for no good reason.”

The Alliance added that the “trend across the nation for radical conservative groups to attack school boards, LGBTQ rights of students, and ban books is playing out in Waukesha, and the Alliance continues to advocate against these concerning trends. The Alliance will continue to work this year to fight for our students of color, the rights of LGBTQ students, to fight for equitable policies for struggling families and ensure that the curriculum offered to all students reflects the diversity of our culture and history. ”

Uneasy start to the school year in politically charged Waukesha was originally published by the Wisconsin Examiner.