The Cap Times found the Department of Public Instruction has investigated more than 200 educators from 2018 to 2023 following allegations of sexual misconduct or grooming. The reporting also revealed the department relies on a rudimentary system to track its investigations, obscuring the scale of misconduct for policymakers and the public.
Wisconsin State Superintendent Jill Underly, who leads the Department of Public Instruction, was absent during Thursday’s hearing, drawing bipartisan criticism from the committee’s members.
“I’m disappointed that Dr. Underly is not here today,” said Rep. Mike Bare, D-Verona. “She should be here.”
Three department officials answered questions from lawmakers for more than two hours, highlighting the agency’s antiquated online licensing system and asking that a definition of grooming be added to the state law governing the Department of Public Instruction’s authority to revoke an educator’s license.
“Would we prefer more clarity? Would we prefer more authority? Absolutely,” said Rich Judge, assistant state superintendent for the DPI’s Division of Government and Public Affairs.
The Joint Legislative Audit Committee has also scheduled a public hearing Nov. 5 for a proposed audit of the Department of Public Instruction’s license investigations in response to the Cap Times’ reporting.
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200 Wisconsin teacher sexual misconduct, grooming cases shielded from public.