APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Outagamie County circuit court judges will no longer participate in the Appleton Area School District’s truancy court program, which has been suspended for the remainder of the academic year by the school board.
Questions have been raised by parents regarding how the program was operated and particular scrutiny has been directed towards Judge Mark McGinnis.
The administrative chief for the region’s judges, Marinette County Judge James Morrison, ended the judges’ role in the program by writing a letter to the district.
The letter reads, in part:
“The Outagamie County judges have been statewide leaders in developing evidence-based and innovative court programs to address serious community problems, with drug and mental health courts being leading examples of such efforts. Appleton’s Truancy Court is another such example of an innovative, collaborative, multidisciplinary program with a heavy reliance on voluntary judicial involvement that has been effective at addressing the known problem. Judge Mark McGinnis who, with community partners founded and developed the truancy court, has been the primary reason for its success. We are grateful for his work and dedication to the schools, students and families who have been served by the truancy court over the years.”
It continues:
“While the court system is justly proud of the innovative work and results that have been achieved by the Truancy Court, it is clear to me that the responsibility for effective truancy response in the district belongs squarely back in the hands of the School District. Therefore, the Courts’ participation in the Truancy Court program is discontinued.”
The Appleton Area School District did not have a comment on Morrison’s letter on Friday.
At a January 10 meeting, the district staff is expected to brief a school board committee about the next steps in the district’s plan.
