GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Leaders within the Green Bay Public School District held a news conference Wednesday to discuss recent allegations of unsafe conditions at Washington Middle School.
District Superintendent, Dr. Michelle Langenfeld, says they’re committed to the well-being to everyone in their schools and safety is their highest priority.
“We have been engaging our community in conversation, and my hope today is that others who may be hearing for the first time our work, will join us to ensure that we have solutions.”
Langenfeld says the challenges that schools face today cannot be addressed alone and asked for a call to action within the community.
The news conference was a response to a shocking description of conditions at Washington by now former sixth grade teacher Kerstin Westcott.
Other community leaders spoke during the conference, including President of the Green Bay Public School Board of Education, Brenda Warren.
She explained the board’s response to Westcott’s concerns during the board meeting on June 5th.
“Every single one of us would have liked to have said something to Kerstin, however, we are bound by state open record laws that prohibit us from doing that,” said Warren.
Wescott said students and staff members were “physically, verbally, emotionally, and mentally, sexually abused” every day by students in the building.
Green Bay Police Lt. Jeff Brester says there’s an officer at every public middle and high school in Green Bay every day.
He explains the protocol when it comes to disciplining a student.
“In general we let the schools handle it first, and if the school’s principal or the staff are unable to control it or unable to come to a resolution with discipline within the school, then the officers get involved.”
In the 2016-17 school year there were 164 police calls for service at Washington Middle School located at 314 S Baird St.
During the same year, police reports say there were 174 charges, including 54 for disorderly conduct, 32 for habitual truancy and 30 for intimidation of victim- felony.
There were also 122 citations given out; 28 for disorderly conduct, 32 for habitual truancy, and 32 for loitering.
Moving forward, Superintendent Langenfeld, says they need to bring in even more community partners than ever before to address these problems.
She asks for a community “call to action, bringing people together to problem solve the concerns that we see, and develop long term solutions.”
Lori Cathey, teacher and president of the Green Bay Education Association, released the following statement:
“The teacher-members of the Green Bay Education Association pledge to continue to advocate at the state and district levels for more school counselors, support systems for students and appropriate staffing levels. We will continue our work on district’s behavior task force, and additionally are preparing our findings from teachers’ perspectives about what more could be done to support students and staff. Green Bay teachers will continue advancing solutions, including a public call for the community to partner in support of Green Bay Area Public Schools, to make sure students are secure and in an environment that supports their learning and success.”
