Community speakers urge reinstatement of Dr. Nikaya Wiley and Southside principals at MMSD meeting

Dozens of speakers during public comment at the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education meeting on June 23 urged the district to reinstate Dr. Nikaya Wiley and to return Southside Elementary principals Candice Terrell and Annabelle Torres, saying their removals harmed school programs, morale and trust.

Supporters described Wiley as an effective inclusion and disability-advocacy leader and said the district’s handling of her separation raised procedural and compassion concerns. “A compassionate employer recognizes and acknowledges that everyone has bad days,” Pamela Ferrell said, adding that she reviewed the communication that led to Wiley’s “medical separation” and could not find a clear policy term for that outcome.

Speakers who identified as Southside staff, parents and community partners described lost programming and damaged relationships after the principals’ removal. “Their removal from Southside Elementary has left our community with deep concern,” Molly Schmidt, a teacher at Southside Elementary, said. Jacinda Brown, community schools resource coordinator at Southside, told the board she saw “critical programming like Saturday school, tutoring opportunities, and additional supports” disappear and said staff morale “plummeted.”

Multiple speakers said the district’s internal review did not substantiate the complaints that prompted the leadership changes and called for a public apology or reinstatement. “We want our leaders back. We want the truth. We want healing,” Jacinda Brown said.

Board members did not move to reinstate or otherwise act on personnel decisions during the meeting. Superintendent Dr. Gothard and district staff heard the statements and noted the public record of written statements: the board secretary reported 10 written statements submitted that included seven on Van Nuys staff culture and morale and several in support of Wiley’s reinstatement.

The board meeting’s consent agenda later approved the human resources transactions report; speakers who criticized personnel actions did not cite a separate board vote on reinstatement. Supporters asked the board to review communications and accommodations processes that led to Wiley’s separation and to make staff-level decisions transparent.

The board did not announce follow-up steps on the public comments during the meeting. Several speakers requested the district return to Southside and to visibly address the community’s concerns; Alder Barbara Harrington McKinney and other speakers offered to assist with solutions.

Board members thanked speakers for their testimony and did not debate or vote on personnel reinstatement or reversal during the open session.