Friday, November 7, 2025
Thursday, November 6, 2025
Legislature launches audit of DPI licensing processes following criticism
KIMBERLY WETHAL
Lawmakers will audit the state Department of Public Instruction’s process for granting and revoking licenses for educators as the criticism over how the agency investigates cases of teacher misconduct continues.
The Legislature’s joint audit committee voted unanimously Wednesday to task the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau with investigating nearly a dozen aspects of DPI’s licensing process, including how it investigates allegations of educator misconduct, the steps it takes to revoke or suspend licenses and if the department is following its state laws and its own policies as it does so.
The audit follows an October investigative report by The Cap Times that found that, between 2018 and 2023, DPI investigated about 200 public school teachers, substitutes, aides and administrators for alleged sexual misconduct or grooming behaviors toward students.
Republican lawmakers in particular have homed in on the report, stating DPI’s offers of voluntary revocation early in the investigation process is evidence they don’t investigate incidents fully.
DPI officials, including State Superintendent Jill Underly, said the license investigation process is transparent and the agency does not seek to hide any information from the public. Rather, DPI officials argue, there’s gaps in state law making it harder to hold accountable the people who are "grooming” children, widely known as courting a child’s favor and affection for eventual sexual gain, as well as other legal limitations the agency faces in investigating accused staffers.
Underly said Tuesday there’s room for improvement, though, and said the agency is working on creating a specific database where the public can search for suspended or revoked licenses. Future iterations could include reasons why an educator had their license revoked.
Underly told lawmakers Wednesday she thinks the department could supply all of the data the audit bureau will be seeking.
Earlier this week, lawmakers introduced two bills that would define an umbrella of behaviors that constitute grooming and would require school boards to set limitations on how staff communicate with students.
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Teachers Gone Wild: Wisconsin legislation defines sexual grooming in wake of report on DPI's handling of teacher misconduct
Molly Beck
MADISON - The sexual grooming of children would be a felony crime in Wisconsin under a new bill from Republican lawmakers.
The proposal comes as State Superintendent Jill Underly is under scrutiny over how the state education department handles allegations of grooming and sexual misconduct by licensed school staff.
The focus comes after the Capital Times reported on 200 cases of such incidents since 2018, including instances of teachers who were able to later reapply for a license.
The details of the cases were not proactively made public beyond being made available for review for anyone who files a request under the state's public records law.
A new bill authored by Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, and Sen. Jesse James, R-Thorp, defines grooming in state law — a move law enforcement, Gov. Tony Evers and Department of Public Instruction officials have said would help to go after culprits.
"As a mom, I know the extent of trust that parents place in the people who care for their children," Nedweski said in a statement. "When that trust is betrayed and those adults prey on our children’s innocence, the consequences should be severe and certain."
The proposal bans anyone from engaging in "a course of conduct, pattern of behavior, or series of acts with the intention to condition, seduce, solicit, lure, or entice a child" for the purpose of engaging in sexual intercourse or sexual contact, or to create and distribute child pornography. The draft bill provides examples of such behavior that could constitute grooming, including "verbal comments, suggestions, or conversations of a sexual nature," "inappropriate or sexualized physical contact," or "written, electronic, or digital communications" aimed at seducing, soliciting, luring, enticing or isolating a child.
If convicted, a person could face between 10 and 25 years in prison, depending on who the person is to the child and whether the child has a disability, among other factors that could increase penalties. Those convicted of grooming would be required to register with the Department of Corrections as a sex offender.
According to an analysis from the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau, the crime does not apply to a person who is 18 or under if it involves a child who is not more than four years younger than the person unless theviolation involves force, coercion, or abuse of a position of trust or authority over the child.
James, a Cadott police officer, said the stories detailed in the Capital Times story prompted him to pursue the legislation.
"While I am proud to join my colleagues in authoring this bill, I am disgusted by the stories that have made legislation like this so necessary," he said.
Since the Capital Times story was published last month, Republican lawmakers have called on Underly to overhaul the DPI's approach to investigating teacher licensing to be more transparent. One Republican candidate for governor called on Underly to resign.
Underly has disputed some of the reporting and has asked the publication for a public correction.
Lawmakers on Oct. 23 held a public hearing in the state Capitol to hear testimony from Kenosha law enforcement officials about their experience with investigating such situations and to question DPI officials about their actions to keep dangerous teachers away from children.
Members of the committee from both political parties criticized Underly for choosing to accept an alumni award at Indiana University instead of appearing before the committee to answer questions about student safety for the public that have arisen because of the Capital Times reporting.
Chris Bucher, a spokesman for DPI, said in response to the criticism that Underly "takes the responsibility of protecting Wisconsin students seriously."
"She is willing to discuss licensing processes that protect students and to engage in constructive discussions on how to strengthen those protections further," Bucher said at the time.
Bucher did not immediately say whether Underly supported the new bill. A spokeswoman for Evers did not immediately say whether he would sign the proposal into law.
On Oct. 28, Evers told reporters a bill to define grooming in state law would help to deter offenders.
"(If) they come up with a way to define grooming that gives lawmakers or gives police officers and local people a way to (address it)? Well, that would be a huge thing," Evers said. "I don't think it exists in many places in the country, so we'll just continue to do the best we can to make sure that kids are taken care of. But this issue is really difficult because there's no really good definition of what's grooming, and that's the basis of it."
The proposal is being circulated among lawmakers for co-sponsorship and has not yet been formally introduced.
Nedweski and state Sen. Romaine Quinn, R-Birchwood, also have drafted a second proposal that would require school boards to develop policies on appropriate communication between students and school staff or school volunteers during the school day or outside of school hours.
Laura Schulte of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.
Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com.
Drone technology helping MPPD operate faster, safer
Milana Doné
MOUNT PLEASANT — The Mount Pleasant Police Department has upgraded its drone program to facilitate speed and efficiency within the department.
In late 2024, Spectrum and local law enforcement agencies discussed the benefits of drones, including quickly and efficiently conducting search and rescue, locating missing persons, photographing and mapping crime scenes, providing situational awareness during special events and aiding in the apprehension of subjects.
Spectrum donated $11,600 to the department earlier this year for the purchase a drone for outdoor use.
The new drone, which replaced a first-generation model, features a wide-angle and zoom camera, as well as infrared and thermal imaging.
During a demonstration Oct. 29, Chief Robert Botsch cited the drone’s maximum speed of 51 mph.
“In public safety, seconds matter,” Botsch said. “Drones provide officers the ability to get immediate eyes on a problem or concern and provide instant feedback to the officers.”
The department also has two indoor drones, which were purchased over the summer.
The drones are used during special events, for locating a missing person and for clearing buildings prior to officers entering.
During the demonstration, the outdoor drone was able to find an actor in a nearby field using thermal imaging despite the person blending in with the tall grass.
An officer at the police department was able to see the image from the drone and communicate with an officer and K9 about the actor’s location.
A handful of MPPD officers are certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate the outdoor drone and others are being trained. The department hopes to to have a dozen officers who are FAA certified.
The Racine County Sheriff’s Office and Caledonia Police Department also have the same model of outdoor drone, so the agencies can work together.
“When yours comes down, if you have a partnership with somebody else, theirs goes up and you overlap,” Botsch said. “We recently worked with Caledonia on that where I knew ours had to come down so Caledonia put theirs up about two minutes before ours came down, and we never lost coverage.”
Drones for interior use are much smaller, lighter and do not require FAA certification, so more officers will be trained to operate them.
Drones are an extension of the police, meaning officers still need consent or a search warrant to send a drone into a home, Botsch said.
“Using drones to enter uncleared, high-risk areas helps identify concealed threats in advance of police K9s and officers entering the room, minimizing risk,” Botsch said. “Bottom line: we can cover more ground from the air than we can with an officer on foot or in a car. This technology helps us to be faster, smarter and safer, which ultimately makes us better.”
Monday, November 3, 2025
Trump administration says it will restore partial SNAP funding for programs like Wisconsin's FoodShare
Molly Beck
MADISON - The Trump administration said Monday it would provide partial funding for food assistance programs that are set to go dormant while the federal government shutdown continues.
The administration reversed itself on whether to release the funding after two federal judges ruled it must use contingency funds to pay for benefits for food programs, including Wisconsin's FoodShare, while the government remains shut down.
It was not immediately clear how the partial payments would be distributed in Wisconsin. A spokeswoman for Gov. Tony Evers did not immediately return a phone call from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
In Wisconsin, about 700,000 Wisconsinites receive benefits from the state program known as FoodShare. As of September, the benefits totaled $115.8 million. About 270,000 recipients are children.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture initially advised that $3 billion in contingency funding could be used for administrative costs and benefit payments in the event of a shutdown. But then on Oct. 24, the agency issued a new memo saying funding cannot legally be used for such purposes.
Attorneys general in 25 states, including Wisconsin, and a group of city officials and nonprofit groups filed two lawsuits to compel the Trump administration to use the available funding. The federal judges overseeing those lawsuits sided with the plaintiffs.
Evers on Friday declared a state of emergency in Wisconsin over the FoodShare funding lapse, directing state officials to police price gouging and to suspend state rules that he says would hinder the state's response.
Evers' office said that, unlike in other states, the Wisconsin governor cannot unilaterally spend state funds on federal programs that do not already have an appropriation.
State lawmakers must vote to create an appropriation to direct state funds to the program, or expand an existing appropriation, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Republican leaders of both legislative houses have indicated they are not supportive of the idea.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com.
Racine police investigating two fatal weekend shootings
Milana Doné
RACINE — The Racine Police Department is investigating two homicides that occurred over the weekend.
About 4:17 a.m. Saturday, officers responded to the 400 block of 10th Street after a report of shots fired.
At the scene, officers learned that a 26-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound had arrived at Ascension All Saints Emergency Room.
The man died as a result of his injuries.
About 5:28 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to the 1100 block of Washington Avenue after a report of shots fired.
They found man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
He was taken to Ascension All Saints Emergency Room, where he died as a result of his injuries.
RPD is asking anyone with additional information about these incidents to call the Investigations Unit at 262-635-7756.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers at 262-636-9330 or through the P3 Tips app.
Sunday, November 2, 2025
JT transitioning to e-edition only on Mondays beginning Nov. 3
Saturday, November 1, 2025
How daylight saving time impacts your sleep, heart and overall health
Gov. Tony Evers declares state of emergency over impact of government shutdown
Molly Beck
MADISON – Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Friday declared a state of emergency due to the effects of the month-long federal government shutdown, directing state officials to police price gouging and to suspend state rules that he says would hinder the state's response.
The order focuses on the shutdown's effects on food assistance programs. Nearly 700,000 Wisconsin residents receive benefits through a program known as FoodShare, which is federally funded and administered by state officials. Around 270,000 of FoodShare recipients are children.
Funding for such programs is set to evaporate Saturday, Nov. 1, because Congress has been unable to agree on a new bill to fund the federal government.
A pair of federal judges intervened in the matter on Friday, compelling the Trump administration to make available contingency funding to keep the programs alive as the shutdown persists. But Trump officials have said they disagree with that analysis of the law.
Evers' office said that unlike in other states, the Wisconsin governor cannot unilaterally spend state funds on federal programs that do not already have an appropriation.
State lawmakers must vote to create an appropriation to direct state funds to the program, or expand an existing appropriation, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Republican leaders of both legislative houses have indicated they are not supportive of the idea.
Evers issued an executive order Friday declaring a state of emergency and period of abnormal economic disruption related to the shutdown "that is jeopardizing access to critical resources and programs that are necessary for the health, safety, well-being, and economic security of Wisconsinites and calling for state agencies to take a whole-of-government response to the situation," according to his office.
The order directs the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to police price gouging while FoodShare benefits are depleted. The order requires the agency "to take any and all measures to respond, including reviewing and suspending any administrative rules that will hinder or delay the state’s response to the emergency."
Aides to Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu did not immediately have a reaction to the order.
Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Friday, October 31, 2025
Gov. Tony Evers signs law banning cellphones in public schools. 'Our kids are struggling.'
Jessie Opoien
MADISON – Public school students will largely be banned from using cell phones in classrooms under a bipartisan bill Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed into law Oct. 31.
The law will require public school boards to develop a policy by July that generally bars students from using cell phones during the school day.
The legislation, which passed the state Senate 29-4 on Oct. 14 and was approved by the state Assembly in February, allows school boards to create exemptions for certain reasons, like emergency situations and to manage a student's health care. The law also allows for the use of school district-issued electronic devices.
Evers said he continues to believe it's best to leave such decisions to local school boards in cooperation with their communities, and he wishes the Legislature would have taken a different approach with the legislation.
"Nevertheless, my promise to the people of Wisconsin is to always do what’s best for our kids, and that obligation weighs heavily on me in considering this bill, as it does every bill affecting kids that reaches my desk," Evers, a former educator and state Superintendent of Public Instruction, said in a statement.
The governor, who declared 2025 the "Year of the Kid" in his January State of the State address, said he is "deeply concerned about the impacts cell phone and social media use are having on our kids and their mental health, school outcomes, and how our kids engage and interact with each other and the world around us."
"Our kids are struggling today, perhaps now more than ever. It’s really tough to be a kid these days, and we know that cellphones can be a major distraction from learning, a source of bullying, and a barrier to our kids’ important work of just being a kid," Evers said.
While schools must prepare students for a "21st-century world, economy, and future," Evers said educators must also evolve along with technology — including "taking pragmatic steps to keep our kids safe and protect them from the harmful impacts of new and emerging technology."
As the state Senate debated the bill earlier this month, Sen. Melissa Ratcliff, D-Cottage Grove, suggested lawmakers should pass legislation addressing the prevalence of firearms and the scourge of school shootings instead of regulating cell phone use, noting her daughter alerted her to a school shooting nearby because she had access to a cell phone.
Bill author Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevera, R-Appleton, said the bill allows for exceptions and should help students listen in class and would keep communication lines from being clogged during a threat at the school.
The vast majority of public school districts — 90% — already report having a policy similar to what is prescribed in the bill, according to a survey conducted by the state Department of Public Instruction.
Research compiled by the state Office of Children's Mental Health points to concerns with smartphone use among children impairing development of social skills, contributing to mental health issues, disrupting ability to focus and exposing kids to inappropriate content and cyberbullying.
Some school administrators told lawmakers earlier this year that they oppose the bill because it is written too broadly to be effective.
"Limiting cell phones, gaming devices etc. to maintain an effective learning environment is essential in the classroom," Greg Kabara, Nicolet Union High School District superintendent, wrote in a letter to lawmakers.
"While I understand the overall intent of the bill it seems too broad and less effective than allowing schools local control in regards to wireless devices during the school day."
Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, said in February that the bill would help school officials maintain their existing policies.
"We are saying to the school districts that we’re standing with you on this, because everyone agrees this is a problem," he said ahead of the Assembly vote.
In recent years, a growing number of states have adopted statewide bans or policies for cell phone use in schools, and such policies are generally popular with voters across the political spectrum, according to a recent report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum.
Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.
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