“I can’t just come in with big plans. I need to make those big plans with the community,” Cassellius said. “I’ve said all along that this is going to be community-led and community-driven, and these listening sessions are a way to be able to demonstrate that to the community.”
Laundry list of issues leads to distrust of the school district
Cassellius arrived in Milwaukee after the school district faced one of its most tumultuous years in recent memory.
First, there was a battle to convince taxpayers to boost district funding through a hefty property tax increase. By a margin of just 1,720 votes, voters approved a $252 million referendum in April 2024.
But just one month later, financial mismanagement by former Superintendent Keith P. Posley and several members of his team was revealed.