Damakant Jayshi
In a closed session meeting Monday, the Wausau School Board heard an update on a Title IX-related complaint against a teacher accused of using racist and homophobic slurs in the classroom – with another investigation now underway surrounding a different staffer.
District officials have so far remained mum on the details of the second issue. James Bouche, president of the Wausau School Board, said the group “needs to be neutral if there is an appeal to us at a later date.”
The board went into closed session to confer with attorney Alana Leffer, of Buelow Vetter law firm, in part to hear the latest on the complaint against Wausau East High School band director Rob Perkins. The group did not act following the session.
Wausau Pilot & Review confirmed that part of the discussion on Monday centered on the Title IX investigation and who Leffler had interviewed as part of her inquiry into the complaint, which was filed by an East senior who has since graduated. The board appointed Leffler in May after fresh charges emerged. The report is expected by the end of July or early August, said Bouche.
An earlier investigation conducted by district officials resulted in Perkins’ reinstatement, when human resources head Tabatha Gundrum found that the teacher’s language did not rise to the level of harassment. Instead, Gundrum dismissed Perkins’ comments as part of an effort to create a “fun” environment in the classroom. That decision was slammed by leaders from the Hmong community, among others, including students who said they too suffered harassment from Perkins.
Leffler overturned the dismissal on procedural grounds. Perkins resigned on June 12, but Leffler’s investigation and another from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction are ongoing.
The investigation against Perkins began in March after the student reported the alleged harassment, a charge some students rejected in an Instagram post.
DPS officials have not said when they will conclude their review.
