La Follette head custodian publicly alleges targeting and racial discrimination; board encourages high-level comment only

Tyesha Agee, the head custodian at La Follette High School, used the March 17 public comment period of the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education to say she has been removed from her position for 24 days with limited communication and alleged she was being “targeted” over not having a driver’s license.

Agee described her 12-year district tenure, leadership roles since 2016 and community involvement, and told the board she had been denied training for her custodial and maintenance team while replacement staff received such training. She said she has received threatening and harassing messages from a former custodial employee and that those messages made her fear because that person “has access to confidential information.”

Board staff interrupted to remind Agee that board policy discourages naming or airing specific personnel grievances during public comment; the presiding board staff member advised Agee to keep remarks “high level” and to file a formal complaint if appropriate. Agee said she would remove a named individual from her remarks and continued to describe alleged discrimination.

The board did not take action on personnel matters during the meeting. The superintendent later noted the meeting forum is not an appropriate place for individual personnel investigations and the board’s staff direction was to keep comments general while offering channels for formal complaints.

Ending

Agee asked the board for clarity about her employment status and restoration of her position; the board did not respond with a personnel decision. Board staff advised follow-up through formal complaint channels and district human-resources processes.