Delafield, Wis. – The Institute for Reforming Government’s (IRG) Center for Investigative Oversight (CIO) submitted a public records request to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), seeking to uncover details surrounding the Department’s handling of teacher licenses for educators accused of misconduct and grooming.
Recent reporting by The Capital Times revealed serious concerns surrounding DPI’s management of these cases and how the department failed to act swiftly to protect students. IRG’s CIO is seeking full transparency into who knew what and when inside Superintendent Jill Underly’s DPI. IRG’s CIO submitted similar requests to the offices of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul.
WHY IT MATTERS: Parents, students, taxpayers, and educators deserve to know whether state officials ignored or mishandled credible allegations against educators entrusted with child safety. DPI’s apparent failure to revoke licenses or report alleged misconduct to law enforcement in a timely manner raises questions Secretary Underly must answer to the public as soon as possible.
THE QUOTE:
“Every parent in Wisconsin places enormous trust in our schools and educators, and that trust is broken when misconduct is swept under the rug,” said Jake Curtis, Director of IRG’s Center for Investigative Oversight. “Our request demands transparency and oversight. The public has the right to know whether DPI’s leadership intentionally allowed abusers to remain in classrooms or turned a blind eye when they were quietly shuffled to other districts.”
WHAT ELSE IS THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH HIDING?:
IRG’s CIO has several outstanding requests with other Executive Branch offices, including the Office of Governor and the Office of Attorney General that have gone unanswered for months. IRG’s CIO will continue to explore all options, including legal enforcement, to ensure transparency from Wisconsin’s Executive Branch.
