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Volume VII – July 23, 2025
Volume VII – July 23, 2025
The Tosa Ledger offers a clear, weekly roundup of actions, alerts, and stories that matter. Forward freely. Act boldly.
The Wauwatosa School District’s governing crisis has entered a new phase — defined not just by what has been exposed, but by what remains unspoken.
The board failed to respond by the July 18 deadline to the formal calls to action issued in xCore Part II, a pattern now echoing the broader dysfunction revealed over the past three months. Silence, too, is a response.
The Task Force offers this edition of The Ledger as a public update and record for oversight authorities. The WSD Board, members of the media (BCC) and oversight authorities are copied here for transparency.
NO RESPONSE: BOARD MISSES DEADLINE TO ACKNOWLEDGE XCORE PART II
On July 14, the 2030 Task Force released xCore Part II, documenting over 30 corroborated findings and 22 whistleblowers across multiple schools and systems. The report formally requested the board’s response by Friday, July 18.
As of this publication, no response has been issued. Not even an acknowledgment. Not a word.
Key elements included in the call to action:
Immediate termination proceedings for Superintendent Demond Means and now former Principal Ted Martin (recently transferred to the Recreation Department as its new Director, raising a whole host of new questions)
Independent Oversight Commission to review all leadership appointments
New investigations into active concerns at Madison Elementary and East High School
Public response to DPI racial disproportionality data
Independent equity audit of Wauwatosa Virtual Academy, Underwood, and Eisenhower
Board response: None. We now turn to the public and to outside authorities and the media.
THE SILENCE STRATEGY?
Why would a governing board say nothing in the face of a detailed, public report with over 30 findings and 22 whistleblowers? Observers are left to speculate — but the silence may not be accidental.
Overwhelmed and Unprepared
The scope and credibility of xCore Part II may have left board members at a loss. With no prior internal reckoning and multiple leadership figures implicated, silence may simply reflect paralysis.
Waiting It Out
Some may believe that by avoiding acknowledgment, the report will fade from public attention. But in a connected age, silence often invites louder scrutiny — not less.
Deference to Legal Advice
Board members may have been advised to avoid public comment for legal reasons. If true, this raises another question: when governance fails this comprehensively, should legal containment take priority over public accountability?
Lack of Internal Consensus
A divided board — with some members perhaps privately troubled and others firmly loyal to current leadership — may be unable to produce even a basic acknowledgment. That, too, is a form of dysfunction.
A closer look at board dynamics offers further insight:
The Old Guard: Woehrle, Heimerl-Rolland, and Morris have consistently aligned with Superintendent Means, even amid mounting public concern and evidence of collapse. Their silence may reflect continued loyalty rather than a lack of awareness.
The Loyalist: Wautier, in less than a year on the board, has positioned himself as a visible defender of the administration. His high-profile promise to pursue a five-year contract for WSTEM — followed by his very public reversal, a vote for shutdown, at the April 22 vote — speaks volumes about his strategic alignment.
The Newcomers: Bach and Burzynski, elected in the last six months, may be in over their heads — unprepared for the magnitude of the breakdown they've inherited.
The Enigma: Bauer stands out as a contradiction. He led the parent movement that removed the principal during the Eisenhower crisis — a striking show of courage and leadership. His current silence is hard to reconcile. Has something changed? Or is he simply navigating political constraints? His recent correspondence to the city and to the governor’s office suggest active participation in optics and obfuscation to promote the appearance of normalcy and a separate reality.
In the end, whatever the rationale, the outcome is the same: Silence in the face of systemic harm is not neutrality. It is complicity.
SPEAKING OF ALTERNATE REALITIES…
On July 3, the Wauwatosa School Board sent a letter to Governor Tony Evers summarizing several resolutions from earlier in the year — including calls for special education funding, school facility security, inclusive policies, and local governance protections. The letter frames the district as united and proactive in its leadership, a sharp contrast to the turmoil, silence, and whistleblower allegations now publicly documented.
The letter, co-signed by Board Members Phillip Morris and Christopher Bauer, emphasizes collaboration with the superintendent, legislative restraint, and “a standard for excellence, safety, and equity.”
This letter raises key questions:
How does this narrative square with reality on the ground?
Why was no mention made of the governance crisis or xCore findings? The breakdowns at McKinley, Madison and across the District? The waves of whistleblowers coming forward and mounting cases of documented harm?
Is this a strategic attempt to project stability to outside officials — while suppressing dissent at home?
In light of the board’s total silence on xCore Part II and the ongoing resignation and retaliation reports, this letter may function more as performance than policy — a bid to contain external scrutiny, rather than confront internal truth. Meanwhile, the Task Force has also been in regular contact with the governor’s office, receiving formal acknowledgment of reports and confirmation of referral to DPI and internal offices.
WAUTIER’S CAMPAIGN REVERSAL SPARKS COMPLAINT
In a development that underscores ongoing public frustration with board accountability, a formal complaint was filed on June 5 by WSTEM parent Dr. Justin Dux against Board Member Jason Wautier. The complaint was addressed to Board President Lynne Woehrle, Superintendent Demond Means, and Wautier himself.
The complaint alleges that Wautier, at the time a sitting board member, violated Board Policy po0144.5 by failing to include Superintendent Means on campaign-period communications with a supporter who was later observed canvassing for him. According to Dux, the messages included predictions about how board members would vote on WSTEM — shared privately while Wautier was actively running for re-election.
“This community member did come to my house delivering election material on your behalf,” Dux wrote, “and I do not believe Dr. Means was copied on the text messages sent... regarding how you thought board members would vote regarding WSTEM.”
The complaint further alleges that these communications were used to influence voter perception, misleading the public about Wautier’s true position. On April 22 — just weeks after the April 2 election — Wautier voted against the very WSTEM extension he had appeared to support on the campaign trail.
Despite an earlier assurance that the matter would be resolved by the end of June, no update was provided. However, in response to a recent follow-up inquiry, Board President Lynne Woehrle confirmed via email that the complaint will be addressed in closed session on July 28.
In a widely shared Facebook post after the board’s reversal vote, 2030 Task Force member Chris Merker wrote:
“Why did you mislead voters, Jason Wautier?
During the campaign, you gave the impression that you supported a five-year extension for WSTEM. But when the vote came — you reversed yourself. Again. I asked you directly for a position before the election because your signals were confusing. Now we have our answer — too late for voters (this year). Wauwatosa families deserve honesty and consistency from board members. This kind of bait-and-switch erodes public trust.”
The post received widespread engagement and added to growing calls for transparency and public integrity.
Next Steps: In addition to the pending board review, a formal complaint to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission is also being prepared, citing potential violations of campaign conduct standards and misuse of public office. If accepted, the state-level review could add a new layer of scrutiny to the matter.
The 2030 Task Force continues to monitor these developments and encourages WSTEM families and community members to stay engaged and speak out.
Separately, an internal email from then board member-elect Heidi Bach — recently surfaced — reinforces the push to close WSTEM. In the message, Bach expresses her support for the shutdown and urges fellow board members to align behind it. The tone, date and timing (April 22) suggests internal coordination behind the scenes, even as the public was left unclear about final outcomes. (Screenshot on file.)
MADISON STUDENT TEACHER SPEAKS OUT: “THE ENVIRONMENT WAS DISGUSTING”
The release of xCore Part II has opened the floodgates. This past week, a new whistleblower came forward from Madison Elementary, corroborating the climate of intimidation, favoritism, and leadership failure.
“There is a reason that everyone on the top floor quit.”
This former student teacher — one of several placed at Madison during the 2024–25 school year — provided the following with permission to publish, with anonymity preserved:
“Izquierdo did not get to know ANY student teacher at this school… We were all much more involved in the school community than she was.”
“She showed clear favoritism with staff and valued opinions from people with no educational background over experienced teachers.”
“She was obsessively rigid about the ELA curriculum. We were discouraged from reteaching or combining lessons, which directly contradicted everything we were taught in teacher training.”
“A student who required self-contained placement was allowed to ‘pick and choose’ what to do each day — even after he attempted to harm me.”
“This was a nerve-wracking, disgusting environment. The staff made it bearable. The leadership climate did not.”
The educator said she felt compelled to speak up following the report’s release:
“My time at Madison was short… but I’ve never experienced anything like this. The silence needs to be broken.”
She has since accepted a job in another district.
EQUAL RIGHTS DIVISION RESPONDS (A PSA FROM LAST WEEK)
Following the release of xCore Part II, the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division (ERD) formally acknowledged receiving the report. ERD confirmed that it enforces retaliation protections for employees who oppose discrimination based on categories such as race, disability, sex, and age.
Employees impacted by alleged retaliation are encouraged to file a complaint:
Catherine.Eskridge@dwd.wisconsin.gov
(608) 405-4002
WSD LEADERSHIP FAMILIES MOVING OUT
Last week, the Task Force received confirmation that a high-level administrator in the district is moving their child to another public high school this fall. The family appears to be relocating outside WSD boundaries.
The optics raise fair questions: If district leadership places their own child elsewhere, what message does that send to the families being asked to stay?
This is not the first administrative family to quietly exit. And it likely won’t be the last.
FROM ILLINOIS TO NORTH CAROLINA: NATIONAL ECHOES
As reports of governance failure continue to circulate, other districts are beginning to echo the Wauwatosa experience:
Country Club Hills, IL — Local parents recently called for the resignation of their superintendent amid allegations of mismanagement and harmful leadership. A forensic audit is now underway — the same accountability measure repeatedly proposed in Tosa by the Task Force and its members.
North Carolina — A parent from Chapel Hill wrote:
“Public school shenanigans and the resulting harm to children and to student-facing staff are apparent across the country… Your mission and the xCore reports are commendable. I hope to continue learning from your efforts.”
These aren’t isolated incidents — they’re signals of a national reckoning. The public is watching. Here, there, and everywhere.
WHERE THINGS STAND
xCore Part II was a final line of good faith.
The board crossed it — by saying nothing.
The 2030 Task Force now asks the public:
Do you see what we see?
Do you agree it’s time for change?
Are you ready to act with us?
This is no longer a question of interpretation.
It is one of responsibility.
The 2030 Task Force
2030TaskForce@gmail.com
www.Tosa2030.com
This report is offered as a public update and good-faith communication by the 2030 Task Force. All accounts are either public record, sourced with permission, or presented as opinion protected under the First Amendment. Questions or corrections may be directed to 2030TaskForce@gmail.com.
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