MPS recall group threatens class action lawsuit

(The Center Square) – The group driving the Milwaukee school board recall is now looking to file a class-action lawsuit.

The MPS School Board Recall Collaborative said it has filed formal complaints against the city’s school board with the Wisconsin Board of Ethics, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Education against Milwaukee’s elected school board members. The group is alleging “malfeasance, illegal and unethical activities that cannot be denied by any of the Board members.”

“Our community is enraged, fed up, and more organized than ever before. We are standing united against the systemic corruption, illegal, and unethical practices that have plagued the Milwaukee Board of School Directors,” the Collaborative said in a statement. “This latest action is in response to their continued and blatant disregard shown to city of Milwaukee residents displaying their continued lack of honesty, integrity, accountability and transparency.”

The Recall Collaborative is targeting four MPS school board members, Marva Herndon, Jilly Gokalgandhi, Missy Zombor and Erika Siemsen, and is accusing them of ignoring MPS’ dire financial conditions and hiding those facts from parents.

“We are not only demanding an investigation [into the four] for abusing their board powers and failing to lead with integrity, but we are taking matters into our own hands and seeing to it that these Board Members be held accountable for dishonoring their oath and pledge to the city of Milwaukee residents,” the collaborative added.

The key accusations, according to the group include:

● Withholding crucial and public information about the health and safety of MPS buildings, specifically concealing an audit report detailing the presence of unhealthy and hazardous substances found in MPS school buildings; substances that causes cognitive disabilities, various forms of respiratory problems and other diseases and cancers.

● Failure to recuse themselves from key budget and policy decisions despite their being undeniable conflicts of interest due to being romantically involved with key district leaders and having familial ties with other beneficiaries who are employed with the district.

● Ignoring the illegal and unethical activities of the former superintendent and his administration, including irrefutable claims of theft, nepotism, harassment, retaliation, and misappropriating funds.

● Abusing their powers and positions to support the recruitment efforts of specific collective bargaining units under duress, even leading to the mistreatment, retaliation, and wrongful terminations of some who didn’t conform.

The Recall Collaborative has been pushing to unseat the four MPS school board members since news broke in early June of late and/or missing state financial reports. That led to the resignation of former Superintendent Keith Posley.

But the Collaborative has yet to submit its recall signatures, and it’s unclear at this point if they have collected any, or whether a recall election may even happen.