The Alliance is disappointed to learn that on May 15, 2023, after being on administrative leave for more than a month, Heyer Elementary School First Grade Teacher Melissa Tempel was notified that the Superintendent of the School District of Waukesha was recommending her termination.
This Teacher Appreciation Week, there is one partner missing from our first-grade classroom at Heyer: Maestra Melissa. Her class has been without her, or any permanent teacher, for 25 school days and counting.
Thank you to all of the teachers out there making a difference in kids’ lives, past, present, and future! Thank you to the teachers who taught us when we were kids!Thank you to the teachers who are teaching our children now!Thank you to the teachers of the future who will teach the coming generations! We invite everyone to give a shoutout to an influential teacher in their lives in the replies!#TeacherAppreciationWeek2023
The Alliance for Education in Waukesha (AEW) would like to commend Dr. Underly for her letter and her involvement. At the same time, AEW would like to respond to comments made by Dr. Sebert and local legislative leaders in their answers to Dr. Underly’s letter.
It is time for Ms. Tempel to be returned to her students and for the district to take accountability for starting this mess in the first place simply, because they wanted to keep rainbows out of a first-grade classroom.
STATEMENT ON BIAS IN WAUKESHA SCHOOLS
The School District of Waukesha (SDW) made national news for banning the song “Rainbowland.” This decision is a consequence of nearly three years of bad policy implementation by the SDW Superintendent and Board. Rainbowland is merely a symptom of an on-going pattern of bias, bullying of students, staff and parents, and failure to appropriately document and respond to incidents of discrimination and harassment.
When it comes elementary math curriculum, expecting all student to succeed under the same program is not logical. Students are humans, not robots. You cannot anticipate all students learning the same.
I urge this board and administration to consider not removing Bridges from Hadfield. When it comes to our students’ learning, removing something successful in a high-needs school should trump having a standardized curriculum used district wide.
Good afternoon, Dr. Sebert, Dr. Piacsek and SDW Board members,
First, I’d just like to say, “Happy Trans Day of Visibility!” I hope you’re all finding at least some small way to celebrate inclusion and acceptance today.
Dr. Sebert, Dr. Piacsek and Members of the Board,
Regarding the “SDW Stakeholder Communication”:
How dare you?
How dare you try to throw the teachers and staff of this district under the bus for the way YOU are choosing to implement policy?
Mr. Sebert –
Stop gaslighting the “stakeholders” and hiding behind a policy that is being implemented in a discriminatory manner at YOUR direction.