WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) Parents in St. Croix County may soon know whether Thomas Woznicki had sex with an underage student 20 years ago. A Wisconsin appeals court in Wausau ruled Woznicki can’t continue to block the release of his personnel file from his time as a teacher in New Richmond.
A citizen watchdog group sued to see the records. Woznicki argued that the New Richmond School District violated its own records retention guidelines by holding her personnel files 18 years after he left his job there.
Woznicki faced charges for sex with a student in 1996. The student was over 16 and the sex was consentual. Prosecutors decided not to pursue the case.
Woznicki said releasing the records would harm his reputation. The court ruling says embarrassment isn’t a good enough reason to continue to keep public information secret. The court says there is “significant public interest supporting disclosure”. The appeals court ruling this week upholds a lower court decision in the case from last year.
The MetroSource news wire contributed to this report.
