After months of conflict at meetings, the De Pere School Board took a quiet vote April 21 to censure board member Melissa Niffenegger for violating code of conduct rules. There was little discussion — Niffenegger was absent, and board members seemed to want to get the vote over with.
“I don’t think any curriculum or any school official is above question, I think that’s part of our job. I am only voting yes for this resolution because of the conduct taken,” board member Matthew Petersen said. “Going forward, once we’re done with this issue, I plan to try to work with Melissa pretty much (with) a clean slate, and I hope that we can move forward as a result of the learning we all got out of this.”
Last October, Niffenegger reported the school district to Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction, alleging teachers and administrators were violating state law. The tension ramped up after Niffenegger yelled at De Pere director of curriculum and instruction Kathy Van Pay at a board meeting and maintained her allegations against the district, even after DPI ruled the district follows the law.
In December, board member Brandy Tollefson filed a formal complaint against Niffenegger. Four months and an independent investigation later, lawyers reported April 7 that they’d found Niffenegger violated board policy through her complaint to DPI and her social media use.
What does censure mean?
Censure is the lowest-grade enforcement allowed in the district’s board code of conduct, the policy the investigation said Niffenegger violated. It’s essentially a public reprimand: by censuring a member, the school board shows they disagree with the member’s actions.
Tollefson told the Press-Gazette, speaking on behalf of herself and not for the board, that she had no intention of going to censure, but did so after Niffenegger declined to discuss any resolution and public commenters requested a censure. She, along with a majority of the board, voted to censure; she said it was a public statement that she didn’t condone Niffenegger’s actions.
“We all learn, grow and become better versions of ourselves through things like this, and I hope Melissa will come to the board with concerns in a different way going forward,” Tollefson said in an email. “I value each board member’s opinion and knowledge and, as long as policy is followed, I will always be open to listening to Melissa’s concerns.”
It’s not the first time the De Pere school board has considered censuring one of its members. In 2023, board member Brittony Cartwright asked the board to censure president Adam Clayton after she accused him of disrespect and bullying. The board voted not to censure Clayton.
What does the resolution say?
The resolution cites the investigation, saying Niffenegger’s conduct violated the district’s policy on behavior, communications and conduct. The investigation is based on a complaint from Tollefson that states among other points that Melissa disrespected district employees, harmed the district’s reputation and misled the public.
It also lists the occasions in which Niffenegger violated policy, including “certain text messages and certain media statements.” The media statement point refers to incorrect statements made to several local media stations, including the Press Times, WBAY and NBC 26, according to Tollefson’s complaint.
How did the De Pere School Board get here?
Last fall, Niffenegger started raising questions about whether De Pere was meeting its legal requirements under Act 20, a major 2023 statewide early literacy law. After a back-and-forth with district administrators, Niffenegger reported the district to the Department of Public Instruction, saying the district was using three-cueing, a teaching strategy banned under Act 20.
The district was found not to have violated Act 20 in December, but Niffenegger maintained her claim, speaking publicly at least once in January about her belief that De Pere teachers were using three-cueing practices.
Tollefson made her complaint in December. Months earlier, she requested Niffenegger apologize to Van Pay for disrespect and correct inaccurate statements made to the media.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: De Pere School Board censures member who reported district to DPI