Damakant Jayshi
As the debate over a Wausau East band teacher’s alleged behavior rages on, stories of hurtful behavior by other staff members emerged on Monday during a Board of Education meeting.
Some students are suggesting that the district has a racism problem.
During a public comment period that lasted nearly 90 minutes, some speakers said complaints by students of color about district educators have often been ignored or “swept under the rug.” One speaker, who broke down while sharing her experience, said she was asked to “go back to China” and “go back to where you belong.”
Another student, while recalling his own harassment by teachers while he was in the second and sixth grades, said “harassment by teachers has always been a thing” in the district, but the atmosphere in the Wausau East band was always inclusive when he was part of the group. He said he felt bad for the student who had complained of harassment by the band director, Rob Perkins.
“But this does seem very uncharacteristic from what I remember,” he said, while calling for the release of the investigative report into Perkins alleged misconduct. Short of that, he called for a written explanation of why the full report cannot be released.
A senior at Wausau East who spoke Monday said she is unsure about the incident but in her own experience found Perkins to be open to different cultures. In response to comments that Perkins does not deserve punishment because other teachers have “done worse,” she said, “This is proof that racism is very much alive at our schools.”
She asked the board to address discrimination in the district as a whole. “See us, hear us.”
Students defend Perkins, rebut allegations
On Monday, speaker after speaker criticized band director Perkins’ alleged conduct as well as a perceived lack of transparency by district leadership in the matter. Some speakers accused the school board of condoning the teacher’s alleged actions, though several board members told Wausau Pilot & Review they were not given access to the complaint and were not involved in the decision to either discipline or reinstate Perkins, even as they were on the receiving end of significant public outrage.
Though an overwhelming majority of speakers on Monday demanded that the Wausau School Board take action against Perkins, who is accused of using racist and homophobic slurs against a student from the Asian community, conflicting reports have surfaced. Some vouched for Perkins, reiterating what four students said two weeks ago: that the band director is inclusive and ensures that everyone feels welcome in the band. One group of students from Wausau East created an Instagram profile, eastbandstudents, defending the teacher with a point-by-point rebuttal related to the allegations.
“The accusations against Rob Perkins are widely dramatized and inaccurate,” said the post on Instagram titled “Firsthand Accounts – From Wausau East Students Regarding The Allegations Surrounding Rob Perkins.” The students said the words Perkins used represented onomatopoeia, a teaching tactic while directing percussion. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, onomatopoeia is “the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (such as buzz, hiss).”
The post on Instagram said the students who did remember the incident said Perkins apologized after a student in the pit complained they were uncomfortable with the word he used.
“The Wausau East band is deeply struggling with mental health issues and stress related to this situation. Additionally, students of color in the band who are attempting to spread the true story are silenced and told that their recollections ‘don’t count’,” the post said further. “Our band and director have always spread the message that all are welcome into our community and that our space is one of acceptance, inclusivity, and above all, safety.”
On April 27, Superintendent Keith Hilts said during a news conference that witnesses “indicate that (Perkins) did use language that could be insensitive to students of different protected classes including race and sex, but that language did not rise to the level of discrimination or harassment.”
The boy’s relatives alleged that the band director used words like “monkey,” “chink,” “faggot,” and “ching chong.” They said those words attacked their dignity and have caused hurt, and said that, in all, the student was victimized seven times. The two women said the district also overlooked the student’s mother, who has been working at the district for over a decade and a half. “We refuse to be gaslighted by you and we demand justice,” they said.
Perkins last month was allowed to return to the band room after a weeks-long absence prompted by the complaint. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction later launched its own investigation.
After Hilts announced Perkins’ return to school, Asian American leaders sharply criticized the district. Some speakers on Monday demanded Perkins be terminated and that district leaders be disciplined for their alleged failure to address the allegations. Others demanded an open investigation, a public apology and training for school staff. Some criticized the board for “not doing enough.”
The father of the student at the center of the complaint told the board Monday that his son is experiencing trauma caused by the band teacher.
“My son has depression, fear and anxiety going to school because there is safety plan for him in the school district,” he said, choking and breaking down at times. He added that his son was not doing well right now because of “victim-blaming.”
“We are going to continue to fight, be his voice and tell his story,” the father said. “There’s only one victim here – that’s my son,” he added, showing a picture of his son to the board members.
One speaker said the Board members, who are white, might not understand the pain felt by the Asian community due to the insults and racism they face. If the board members felt uncomfortable being called, she added, “then you might feel the pain of Asian Americans.”
Mary Thao, a former Wausau School Board member who signed a letter from Asian American leaders protesting the district’s reaction to the complaint, shared a document in which Hilts appeared to defend his decision not to share information with the board. In the disciplinary process, the student’s family can appeal the district’s decision to the DPI. In the letter Thaos shared, Hilts said if that happened, “the problem with sharing information with the board is that if our plan does not go well and if we need further discipline, it could still come to the board.” But Thao said it was “dishonorable” of Hilts to devalue the Asian American community in this way. Prejudice against marginalized groups “is systematically part of your school district DNA from the top down,” she said, while asking the board to discipline district leaders.
Some speakers vented their anger and frustration against the school board members themselves, saying they were “deeply appalled” by school authorities. “You will be held accountable,” one speaker said.
Superintendent defends decision
On Monday, Hilts defended the administration’s handling of the matter. He made a statement before the public comments period of the meeting, acknowledging that many people in the community are hurting.
“We are listening,” said Hilts, who faced severe criticism during the meeting. “With that said, we do have to follow state laws and policies and practices that we have in place to handle these situations. For instance, our school board members are not allowed to get involved in personnel matters.”
On Monday, a group of faculty from the high school read a joint statement.
“We are saddened by what has transpired and do not condone what has led us to this point,” they said in a signed statement, read out loud by Jody Krieg, from Wausau East. “It is our hope that the public, especially our beloved and respected Hmong community, along with the board, recognize that this is not indicative of all staff conduct.”
A former East student who spoke said she was shocked by the accusations because of the support he gave her when, as a freshman, her sister was killed in a car crash. The death sent shock waves through the school, particularly the band, where Paige Bootz was a member. Paige was an aspiring musician who was well-known and well-liked, and Perkins at that time was credited with offering enormous support for students, offering them a space where they felt “safe and appreciated” during a time of tragedy and grief.
But comments from some students suggest the issue reaches far beyond the alleged actions of a single teacher, regardless of the investigation’s outcome. A former student who graduated from Wausau West last spring said that just because the board members did not experience hate did not mean it did not exist.
“Please do better, be better,” she said. “Our Asian community will not be silenced.”
