FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It was standing room only at the Fond du Lac School District Board of Education meeting Monday night, as concerns about the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Jefferey Fleig were brought to the board’s attention.
“I’ve heard things like, ‘I have to keep my head down to avoid a target on my back’ or ‘I’m afraid to lose my job,'” said speaker Dana Roloff. “When people who are on the front line teaching our children are afraid to speak, true collaboration cannot take place.”
Those in attendance say Fleig has been mistreating staff and belittling them in front of co-workers. They said that at an Oct. 15 meeting at Woodworth Middle School, Fleig spoke down to teachers and threatened their jobs.
Paula Klapperich told us what she thinks of the situation.
“He is, essentially, being a bully and calling people out for things. People in the staff and the district are scared. Students are now hearing of this happening because it’s happening in the schools during the school hours,” Klapperich said.
While on a local radio show, Dr. Fleig defended his actions, saying, “That school failed to meet expectations a year ago on the school report card. We have really pumped a lot resources into it and we’re just not seeing what we’d like to. And I thought it was well within my purview, as superintendent, to make that very clear that things need to improve, quickly.”
The embattled superintendent was absent from Monday’s meeting, but that didn’t stop community members like Wayne Wilson from raising concerns.
“Again, I request you, the Fond du Lac School District Board of Education, place Jeff Fleig on administrative leave, pending a third party investigation be conducted,” he said. “No one should be treated different at the administration based on board policies.”
Board members did not offer any comments on the concerns raised at the meeting, but those in attendance say they will keep coming for as long as it takes.
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