Capital Times Investigation Sparks Questions

RIPON, Wis (WRPN)- State Senator John Jagler says there are a few questions he would like to ask State Schools Superintendent Jill Underly about a Capital Times investigation into alleged teacher sexual misconduct and grooming.

Underly was in Indiana receiving a distinguished service award when an Assembly Committee held a hearing about the Capital Times investigation which looked at 200 investigations into Wisconsin teachers over a 5-year period.

Jagler says the Senate Education Committee he chairs will hold its own hearing on Tuesday, November 4^th hoping Underly will attend. He says some school districts investigated teachers and asked the teachers to forfeit their teaching licenses but the DPI has been evasive about whether those licenses were returned. In at least eight of those cases the licenses were forfeited but they got them back.

He says the DPI will also say it doesn’t have the financial resources to conduct investigations like that. Jagler says legislators would be glad to provide additional funding to ensure kids are safe. Private school teachers are not required to be licensed in Wisconsin.