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Public commenter alleges video withholding and misconduct by middle-school staff
Summary
At the Aug. 12 Wausau School District board meeting, a public commenter identified as Jeff accused a middle-school vice principal of disorderly conduct and said the district has refused requests for surveillance footage, prompting reference to a petition for a writ of mandamus and Wisconsin open records law concerns.
Public commenter Jeff accused a middle-school vice principal of disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer and said he has tried for nearly three years to obtain surveillance footage that would show the incident.
"I'm here unfortunately to point a very big accusatory finger and accuse one of you of felony misconduct," Jeff said, adding that the district "is knowingly refusing to perform a ministerial function" by not producing the video. He said he has filed a petition for a writ of mandamus and asserted violations of the Wisconsin open records law.
Jeff asked the board to release the footage and said the delay has harmed his family by creating the impression he did something wrong. He invited the board to respond; the board did not provide a response during the public comment period, noting the rules that limit replies during that segment.
The board packet includes public records material referenced by Jeff, and he told the board he would send additional emails. The transcript does not record any on-the-record staff or board rebuttal to Jeff's assertions during the meeting.
The district's materials and the meeting transcript identify the relevant legal standard as the Wisconsin open records law; no district representative in the transcript explained why the footage was withheld or whether any redactions or exemptions were claimed.
Next steps referenced in the meeting: Jeff said he had already filed a writ of mandamus; the board did not take immediate action on his request during the meeting. For clarification or a formal response, interested parties would need to contact district administration or consult the public records petition he referenced.
