In a recent high-profile case of educator sexual misconduct, the parents of a Kenosha student are suing their school district and their daughter’s former teacher after administrators concluded the teacher groomed the girl when she was 14.
Christian Enwright, 31, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of disorderly conduct in April. Prosecutors accused him of a “sexually charged” social media relationship with the student, according to the criminal complaint.
The plea and the family’s lawsuit have gained widespread attention, including from legislators at the state Capitol. This fall, lawmakers cited the Enwright case while proposing to criminalize grooming a minor for sexual activity.
Educator sexual misconduct and grooming often only become publicly known when an educator is arrested and charged with a crime.
A Cap Times investigation found that more than 200 educators were investigated by the state Department of Public Instruction from 2018 through 2023 following allegations of sexual misconduct or grooming, a likely undercount of the true prevalence of these behaviors. In November, the Legislature ordered an audit of the department’s handling of misconduct investigations in response to the Cap Times reporting.
The Enwright case is a rare instance in Wisconsin where educator misconduct resulted in new legislation and changed school policies. It’s also unusual that Enwright’s conduct resulted in criminal charges, despite no criminal penalty for grooming in state law.