Editor’s note: This story clarifies that the girl’s March 25 actions led to criminal charges against Ms. Mathis, but were not proven to have led to the former teacher’s dismissal. The original story did not make that fact clear. Wausau Pilot & Review apologizes for any confusion.
By Shereen Siewert
A Mosinee student and her parents are no longer facing a federal lawsuit filed by a former middle school teacher, but district officials continue to battle on.
In a statement sent to Wausau Pilot & Review by attorney Leslie Freehill, of Pines Bach LLP, the girl apologized for her March 25 actions against Christy Mathis. Those actions led to criminal allegations that were later dropped.
“While I never intended for my complaint against Ms. Mathis to escalate to the level it did, I recognize my actions caused Ms. Mathis and her family pain and hardship,” the girl’s statement reads. “I regret the role I played in this situation, and hope others in this community will not view Ms. Mathis unfavorably moving forward.”
Freehill told Wausau Pilot & Review she had no information about the status of the lawsuit pertaining to the remaining defendants, but online federal court records show School Superintendent David Muñoz, School Board President Kevin Hermening, Mosinee Police Chief Ken Muelling continue to defend their actions. The Mosinee School District and city of Mosinee are also among the defendants named in the Jan. 22, 2022 filing.
In her lawsuit, which names her husband as a co-plaintiff, Mathis alleges she was the victim of lies and malicious prosecution that led to her dismissal as an art teacher at Mosinee Elementary School. But as Wausau Pilot & Review previously reported, district officials had already approved a preliminary notice of non-renewal for Mathis on March 16, 2021, nine days before the student made her accusations.
On April 5, 2021 Mathis was arrested and charged with first-degree child sexual assault. She was placed on administrative leave two days later and was terminated on July 12, 2021 by the Mosinee School Board. In her complaint Mathis said the charges, which were later dropped, were the result of a shoddy investigation.
Superintendent David Muñoz said Mathis’ non-renewal was unrelated to the criminal charges and instead were the result of years of performance issues that, despite multiple improvement plans, were never resolved.
Mathis is seeking damages, attorney fees and court costs, and compensation for “the injuries and damages sustained for loss of consortium,” with interest. She insists the Mosinee School District pursued the investigation for the “improper purpose of finding a justification to terminate (Mathis’) employment and in an effort to cover up the Mosinee Police Department’s and their own reckless handling” of the “false and defamatory accusations” against her, according to court documents.
Muñoz, in a statement to Wausau Pilot & Review, confirmed the lawsuit remains pending against the district and several district employees and said the district is unaware of the terms of any agreement reached with other defendants.
“We will continue to vigorously defend the lawsuit and intend to ask the Court to summarily dismiss the case,” he said.
