TBS has recently discovered that the book “Invisible Monsters” is in the North High School Library. This book is vile, pornographic, and disgusting.
This is the second incident of a book with inappropriate content found at North High in the past month. Palahniuk’s Invisible Monsters was originally rejected by the publisher for being too disturbing.
“Invisible Monsters” includes a quote from a scene depicting the family eating Thanksgiving dinner:
This is only one passage, there are many more examples of this type of crude, vulgar, appalling, and horrific language.
Is this how you raise your children?
Does this reflect your family values?
Would your family talk like this over Thanksgiving dinner?
If you answered NO to any of these questions, you must act now!
In January 2023, the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) was made aware of pornographic graphic novels in the library of South High School.
SASD leadership has done nothing to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.
Incoming Superintendent Jake Konrath and School Board President Mary Lynne Donohue have failed to keep vulgar content from the SASD libraries.
Are you frustrated with Donohue and Konrath failing your kids?
This is the second controversial book discovered at North High.
If you are frustrated by the failure of SASD leadership to protect the children of Sheboygan, you must act now!
Email North High School principal John Matczak and demand that Invisible Monsters and Push be removed from North High School.
Email incoming superintendent Jake Konrath and ask what steps he will take to stop this from continuing to happen. High school libraries should not be places where kids learn about felching!
Take Back Sheboygan County knows that many former and current City employees have been reluctant to share their stories for fear of retaliation. If you are one of these, we welcome you to contact us. Your name will not be shared without permission. You can contact us at https://takebacksheboygancounty.com/contact/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
TBS has been reflecting on the moral ineptitude of the local leadership, driven by the local Democratic Party. This came full circle yesterday with a high-level Democratic operative being officially charged with election fraud.
That’s right—election fraud right here in Sheboygan, in the most basic form of our democracy, for a seat on your Common Council.
A theft of a political opponent’s election literature.
An act of election fraud recorded on camera—a suspect who admitted to stealing a political opponent’s literature.
Something that is so fundamentally wrong it should be assumed everyone can agree on this.
That assumption has been proven false.
Local Democratic supporters denounced the story’s relevance. Some suggested on social media that the theft was a kind act by Deb Klock because it prevented the candidate from committing a federal crime by placing election materials in a mailbox.
An extensive police investigation uncovered only one crime: election fraud by a member of the local Democratic Party in coordination with Alder Zach Rust’s re-election campaign.
It seems like an easy political opportunity to own the mistake and apologize.
Far from it, Zach Rust, who is running for re-election and was questioned in the criminal investigation, has neither apologized nor acknowledged his campaign’s mistakes.
A local Democratic Party activist’s account on X, GoSheboygan, referred to individuals and the Sheboygan Police Department as a “bunch of retards.”
A local political activist, identifying as Blossom on X, “liked” the tweet.
The term “retard” is considered outdated and offensive. It is a hurtful word that diminishes people with disabilities. It is regarded as hate speech. A campaign called “Spread the Word to End the Word” raises awareness of the need to eliminate this term.
Yet, local Democratic Party activists have used and “liked” the term.
Candidate Roberta Filicky-Peneski, running for re-election for the 2nd District seat on the Common Council, was recorded using the N-word.
She has not acknowledged her mistake or apologized during this campaign, stating instead that she was in the comfort of her own home and recorded without her knowledge.
People show their true selves in the safety of their homes. When someone like Filicky-Peneski tells you who they are, believe them.
City Attorney Chuck Adams ardently defended former Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook, who has since been charged in federal court with sex crimes against children.
None of them, nor anyone else from the City of Sheboygan, has denounced Adam Westbrook’s actions.
Mayor Sorenson appeared in a photo that mocked the Catholic faith. There were concerns about religious discrimination. Sorenson removed a citizen complaint from a Common Council agenda, effectively silencing the community.
Mayor Sorenson could have simply acknowledged the feelings of others and apologized for making city employees and residents feel small by apologizing for minimalizing the religious beliefs of residents and employees.
Co-chair of the local Democratic Party, Mary Lynne Donohue, described herself as the chair of a social justice project and encouraged DEIB work in city government.
Donohue is on record at a school board meeting referring to the “growth formula” of the state report card as an intergalactic formula that nobody can understand.
The formula, a DEIB initiative, gives schools credit for increasing achievement among traditionally underperforming groups: kids of color, kids living in poverty, and kids with disabilities.
Kids with disabilities, the same group GoSheboygan carelessly referred to as “retards” on X.
Kids that need support from a true social justice warrior.
Donohue also serves as the School Board President of the Sheboygan Area School District, which is under scrutiny for allowing a sexually graphic book titled ‘Push’ in the North High School library.
This is the second incident involving graphic sexual content in a SASD library in the past 15 months. Donohue has taken no action as School Board President to prevent this from continuing to happen.
These individuals tell you that you lack understanding of:
Diversity
Equity
Inclusion
Belonging
Yet none of these actions demonstrate a commitment to genuinely enhancing any of these principles. The controlling Democrats’ reckless behavior in Sheboygan has resulted in two federal lawsuits.
In one suit, the Federal Magistrate indicates there is reason to investigate a hostile work environment that was not prevented but was perpetuated by Mayor Sorenson — a suit that is moving forward based on a white, Christian, heterosexual male being discriminated against.
A second complaint with the Department of Workforce Development has forced the city to hire outside lawyers. That complaint states a white, heterosexual female was harassed while working for the City of Sheboygan.
The actions of the members of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party are rooted in:
Division
Exclusion
Indoctrination
Blasphemy
Take a look at the well-documented evidence of what DEIB looks like in Sheboygan under the leadership of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party here:
When is enough going to be enough for you? Are you ready to take action?
Filicky-Peneski and Rust are unfit to serve.
There is a local election today. Polls close at 8:00 p.m.
Go vote!
Today’s election does not mean an end but rather a beginning.
Take Back Sheboygan County knows that many former and current City employees have been reluctant to share their stories for fear of retaliation. If you are one of these, we welcome you to contact us. Your name will not be shared without permission. You can contact us at https://takebacksheboygancounty.com/contact/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
It has recently been discovered that there are concerning books in the library of North High School in Sheboygan. The book Push by Sapphire is listed as available on SASD library websites to be checked out by students at North High School.
The book is described on Amazon as:
Precious Jones, an illiterate sixteen-year-old, has up until now been invisible to the father who rapes her and the mother who batters her and to the authorities who dismiss her as just one more of Harlem’s casualties. But when Precious, pregnant with a second child by her father, meets a determined and radical teacher, we follow her on a journey of education and enlightenment as she learns not only how to write about her life, but how to make it truly her own for the first time.
Push details explicit accounts of sexual activities that include incest and molestation.
TBS has included an excerpt from Page 27:
Push uses the following words in the entire book:
F*ck- 83 times
P*ssy-13 times
C*nt- 3 times
There are other accounts that are this graphic in a sexual nature. The book is dominated by explicit and vulgar language.
TBS has shared one passage. Overall, the book is alarming and concerning with the quantity of vulgar passages.
Last February, the Sheboygan Press reported on how South High School decided to remove three books that were graphic novels and included extremely graphic drawings of sexual activity.
Take Back Sheboygan County knows that many former and current City employees have been reluctant to share their stories for fear of retaliation. If you are one of these, we welcome you to contact us. Your name will not be shared without permission. You can contact us at https://takebacksheboygancounty.com/contact/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
The Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) is beginning a campaign to ask taxpayers like you for a $126 million referendum to build two new middle schools.
This site has raised concerns about academic achievement in the SASD high schools. Lack of student achievement is a significant economic issue as we fail to prepare students to enter the workforce.
Our community and surrounding areas are rich with strong businesses that need employees. Companies cannot find people to work, and SASD fails to provide qualified talent to fill jobs despite significant investments by area businesses in the Red Raider Manufacturing program.
Local businesses have invested millions of dollars in Sheboygan’s high schools to equip students to enter the workforce and fill jobs in your local economy.
Companies that invested millions of dollars in the Red Raider Manufacturing programs should question the return on investment they are receiving today.
The current state of Sheboygan South and Central High School is abysmal.
97% of Wisconsin high schools in academic achievement
99.5% of Wisconsin high schools in academic growth
Sheboygan Central High School fails your kids. Your tax dollars go to a high school that fails to meet the expectations set by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
There have been no presentations by the current SASD superintendent, Seth Harvatine, or the incoming superintendent, Jake Konrath, last year to address the miserable results of Central High School.
They have avoided the failures of Sheboygan Central High School while they are preparing to ask you for an additional $126 million in taxes!
This site has been referenced by SASD leadership and the SASD school board as disseminating disinformation.
Others in the community have referred to this site as propaganda.
In June, TBS estimated the project’s cost to be $150 million. Today, SASD says it is $140 million. SASD will ask taxpayers for $126 million and fund the balance of the project on their own.
TBS has been accused of misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda.
Why did no other media outlet in Sheboygan talk about this last June?
Take Back Sheboygan wants to hear from you about this referendum.
Is the Mill Road and Najacht Road site ideal for a new middle school?
Has this referendum been well thought out?
Is this referendum reflective of a district with declining enrollment?
Is there a better solution?
Is it time to consider combining our Sheboygan High Schools into one school?
Take Back Sheboygan County knows that many former and current City employees have been reluctant to share their stories for fear of retaliation. If you are one of these, we welcome you to contact us. Your name will not be shared without permission. You can contact us at https://takebacksheboygancounty.com/contact/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
This coming Tuesday, September 12, the SASD Board of Education will vote to approve an 8% pay raise for staff. You have been silenced in this process as it has been done without any public knowledge. The time is now for you to show up and be heard.
Do you currently make nearly $80,000 a year and expect an 8% pay raise from your employer?
Are you struggling with getting by with the increased cost of living due to inflation and make less than $80,000 a year?
Does it sicken you to hear someone making almost $80,000 a year voice concerns over how hard it is to live in this economy?
Do you oppose lying by the SASD teachers’ union?
The Sheboygan Education Association (SEA) has lied to its members, stating that the SASD is going to impose a pay cut by only increasing wages by 4%.
The time to act is now! You must show up and voice your opinion on this 8% pay increase by the SASD.
There are teachers that deserve a significant pay raise, but that is not all teachers of the SASD.
You need to plan to attend the Board meeting on Tuesday, September 12!
What: Sheboygan Area School District Board of Education meeting When: Tuesday, September 12, at 6:35 p.m. Where: SASD Offices at 3330 Stahl Rd. Sheboygan, WI 53081 Room: Board Room
Your voice is needed as the SASD moves to approve an 8% raise for all staff. The impact on you as a taxpayer is significant. Plan to stay after the public input session to see presentations from North High School which currently “meets few expectations” and South High School which “fails to meet expectations” based off the current State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Report Cards.
The community and our children need your support Tuesday night!
This upcoming Tuesday, September 12th, the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) School Board may approve a 4% pay raise with an additional 4% salary stipend for employees of the SASD. This 8% pay raise is on a Committee of the Whole agenda, which prevents any public input on the matter. This is a significant expenditure for the district and involves taxpayer dollars. Should taxpayers have a chance to share their input?
The SASD had a Board meeting on August 22nd where there was an opportunity for public input. This opportunity was clouded in secrecy in that the agenda item was for a closed session that stated, “To deliberate strategies to address specific issues pertaining to collective bargaining for teachers.” Take Back Sheboygan County has received insight that some, if not all members of the school board, were kept in the dark on the breakdown in negotiations between the SASD and the Sheboygan Educators Association (SEA) which is the formal name of the teachers’ union.
Take Back Sheboygan County discovered concerns over SEA by district leadership prior to this meeting. Seth Harvatine expressed concerns to Board members over the SEA’s activity in the negotiation process. Harvatine normally does not comment on matters like this but felt compelled to voice concerns over the SEA during the negotiation.
Harvatine was made aware of an email that SEA sent only to its members that included false information. The false information revolved around the August 22 Board meeting and stated that the administration will be presenting information to the Board on salary negotiations during the open session. That was untrue based on the posted agenda reference previously.
The second lie from the SEA stated that there is a likelihood that the Board will impose a pay cut on the teachers unless SEA members show up in solidarity.
It was also uncovered that Harvatine met extensively with the SEA President and was not made aware of this messaging by SEA. Harvatine then met with three SEA team leadership members, and they all stated they did not send the email with inaccurate information, and they would need to check on who sent that email to SEA members.
It was not until teachers began sharing in the public comment of the August 22 Board meeting that it was clear that the SASD was offering a 4% raise and the SEA was asking for an 8% raise. This clearly illustrates the SEA was lying to its members by stating the SASD would impose a pay cut.
Had this been clearly communicated in a transparent way by the SASD Board to stakeholders, you would have had an opportunity to share your opinion on the 8% raise in that meeting as well. The SASD Board of Education is leaving you out of the decision-making process and silencing you!
Several SASD staff members spoke about the challenges of inflation and providing for themselves and their families in today’s economy.
If the advocacy of the SEA is for teachers on the low end of the pay scale to receive a pay raise, why is the SEA lying to its members in their communication? If you are a teacher struggling to make a livable wage at around $40,000 a year and do legitimately deserve a pay raise, can you honestly look at your colleague making close to $80,000 a year and believe that they need and deserve the same raise as you?
The following SASD staff members spoke at the August 22nd meeting in support of an 8% pay increase.
The pressure of inflation is real, and some of the stories shared by SASD staff members were sad and authentic. Take Back Sheboygan County supports a significant pay raise for some SASD teachers.
In reviewing the salaries of some staff members who spoke at the meeting, there are some concerns. Everyone is impacted by inflation. When you see someone making almost $80,000 a year voice concern over the impact of inflation and demand an 8% raise, it is tough to swallow. As a taxpayer, do you currently make close to $80,000 and plan on receiving an 8% raise from your employer this year?
The staff members making $42,000 a year should receive a significant pay raise. In the current economy, the cost of rent, childcare, food, and gasoline presents real challenges to living comfortably on close to $40,000 a year. Take Back Sheboygan County advocates for a significant raise for SASD employees on the low end of the pay scale.
The concern arises from the SASD strategically moving to pass the 8% raise in the dark, excluding taxpayers from any voice in the decision. There is also massive concern about an 8% raise across the board. That is not acceptable without the public and stakeholders like you having a voice in the process!
If the SASD staff members on the high end of the pay scale are advocating for this raise for the employees on the lower end of the scale, then they should decline the massive pay increase to afford the SASD the opportunity to increase pay for employees on the lower end in a fiscally responsible way. If this is about advocacy for an employee making close to $40,000 a year, then exclude the high-end pay scale employees from the massive raise!
This is not exact math but a general example of the impact this massive pay increase will have on the financial health of the SASD. The SASD annual budget is roughly $160 million. Salaries make up approximately 70% of the budget or $112 million. An 8% salary increase would cost the SASD $8.96 million this year. This is an estimate, and actual numbers could be requested from the district.
It would be more responsible for the SASD to provide stakeholders with an estimate of the fiscal impact of this massive raise. It would also be far more responsible to allow this discussion to take place in full transparency, during a general board meeting where there is an opportunity for public discussion. As a taxpayer or stakeholder in the SASD, do you want an opportunity to share your opinion on this massive pay raise?
The SASD School Board is eliminating you from this process! Board President Mary Lynn Donohue and Superintendent Seth Harvatine strategically placed this massive pay increase on the agenda of a meeting that does not allow public input to silence you!
The Board does not value your opinion or make any effort to seek your opinion as a stakeholder in the SASD. If you want an opportunity for your voice to be heard, you need to contact the SASD and the school board.
Demand an opportunity for public input! Demand that your voice is heard.
This is your tax dollars being spent without you having a seat at the table.
Email your concerns to SASD Leadership and the Board.
The challenges that Sheboygan faces in poor student achievement at the high schools in the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) and the lack of direction and leadership in the City of Sheboygan’s government have a common denominator in Mary Lynne Donohue. Donohue serves as the current School Board President of the SASD and Co-Chair of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party. Donohue has also previously served on the City of Sheboygan Common Council.
Donohue’s ties to everything happening in Sheboygan are deep. Donohue uses those ties to influence key decisions, and as evidenced in the previous post, she is comfortable advocating for causes by directly emailing the Common Council to publish a Request for Proposal that her organization drafted for the Common Council and would likely compete to secure the funding and contract for executing the work. Donohue’s connections also run into major budgetary decisions made by Sheboygan.
In the 2023 City of Sheboygan budget, the Sheboygan Press published an article on November 3, 2022, discussing the budget. Sheboygan Press reporter Maya Hilty states, “An increase in the budget for Mead Public Library is the largest proposed change in department budgets from 2022 to 2023.” The same article quotes Mead Public Library Board President Maeve Quinn on how the board unanimously approved a wage increase and expressed gratitude for the increased spending in the budget to do so.
Mead Public Library received a greater increase in funding in the 2023 budget than any other department. This increase was larger than the Police Department, Fire Department, and every other department that provides essential services to you as a taxpayer. The Mead Public Library Board President Maeve Quinn is also co-Chair of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party along with Donohue.
The following photograph comes from media reports on December 9, 2022. This illustrates that Donohue was serving as co-Chair of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party with Mead Public Library Board President Maeve Quinn at the same time the library received the largest increase in funding of any department in our city.
Donohue has been involved in the recruitment of Common Council members and has close ties to Mayor Ryan Sorenson. Mayor Sorenson has referred to Donohue as a mentor and, at one time, stated that he views Donohue as his second mother. Donohue’s involvement with the Common Council and Mayor Sorenson led her to be named in a current lawsuit against the City of Sheboygan. She is the only non-City employee or official named in this lawsuit.
When City Administrator Todd Wolf was fired without cause in January, there was a lack of clarity on who would manage the operational responsibilities of the City Administrator due to the vacancy. The Finance and Personnel Committee passed a resolution numbered 153-22-23 that appointed the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee to take on some of the authority of the City Administrator. This was requested by department heads of Sheboygan to ensure day-to-day operations could be maintained and not require the two-week wait for Common Council approval. This went before the Common Council for approval on March 20, 2023.
Alder Amanda Salazar asked for an amendment to the resolution and asked for the body of the Common Council to make changes rather than allow just the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee to make decisions. City of Sheboygan Assistant Attorney Liz Majerus commented that the majority of these decisions would be Human Resources-related and also Finance-related.
Alder Grazia Perella stated that she does not see much of a need for the resolution and does not see any daily tasks or responsibilities that would, in fact, hinder or prevent the Common Council as a whole from making the decision rather than one individual.
Alder Salazar made a motion to file the resolution. This means that the resolution would not be voted on, and the resolution could not be brought up again for one year. It was stated that all decisions would need to come before the Common Council.
On the roll call vote to file the resolution, Alder Mitchell abstained due to being the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee. The motion to file the resolution passed on a 5-4 vote. Alder Roberta Filicky-Peneski voted in favor of the motion to file the resolution. She is the Vice President of the Finance and Personnel Committee, who approved the resolution and sent it to the Common Council with the recommendation for approval. Alder Filicky-Peneski was also the alder that brought the motion forward to the Council for a vote. The resolution was filed and could not be brought forward for a year. The City of Sheboygan moved forward with a lack of clarity and understanding of who was responsible for decisions on the day-to-day operations of running the City of Sheboygan. The understanding was that decisions that the City Administrator was required to make would come before the entire Common Council.
The vote to not identify a decision-maker on the day-to-day operations, leaving the decisions to the entire Common Council, was made with no alternative or options to a request that came from the City of Sheboygan Department Heads to allow the City to function efficiently. The day-to-day operations and the needs of the department heads were referred to by Alder Perella as not needed. She then voted to file the resolution. This shows a lack of understanding of the number of decisions made daily to ensure services are provided to taxpayers. An organization with a $124 million dollar budget and responsible for running a city with 50,000 residents requires efficiency and direction to function. Alder Salazar and Alder Perella demonstrated that they do not have concern or see much of a need for efficiency in daily decision-making power for the City of Sheboygan to provide you with daily services.
Since that vote, there have been multiple requests that have been brought forward to the Finance and Personnel Committee for consideration. Following is a document that was recently submitted and shown for your review:
Under staff comments, it states, “City staff has reviewed the above notice of claim and, under the authorization of the Mayor of Sheboygan, in consultation with the City Attorney and the Finance Department, have denied the notice of claim listed above” Previously, documents reviewed would state the decision made by the City Administrator on these claims In rejecting the resolution that would have allowed the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee to have the authority to make decisions on the day-to-day operations of the city it was agreed that decisions would come before the Common Council.
Mayor Sorenson has now taken the responsibility of some day-to-day decisions from the responsibilities defined in the Municipal Code to the City Administrator. This illustrates that the needs and services of taxpayers are secondary to the power grab of Mayor Sorenson and the members of the Common Council with deep ties to Donohue.
While the day-to-day operations of the City of Sheboygan have been an afterthought, the commitment to Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has been a central focus. Members of the Common Council and Donohue have advocated for a Request for Proposal to be published that was drafted by Donohue. The City’s proposed 5-Year Strategic Plan neglected priorities like Police and Fire Department and, instead, heavily incorporated elements favorable to DEI. That Strategic Plan was denied after public outcry and cost you as a taxpayer $140,000 in lost fees to a consulting company.
Budget priorities from last year, such as a new Firehouse No. 3 and development in the industrial parks have stalled. The City is moving forward with hiring a City Administrator, and the process included explicit directions from Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook that taxpayers like you, who are not City of Sheboygan employees, who attempted to attend would be asked to leave. The presentations by the two finalists for the City Administrator position were referred to as a Stakeholder Presentation. According to Mayor Sorenson, Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook and members of the Common Council, you are not a stakeholder!
Mayor Sorenson has gone rogue in approving and denying claims from residents without oversight from the Common Council. Mayor Sorenson is trampling on City Ordinances by denying resident claims that were previously the responsibility of the City Administrator. Mayor Sorenson has also trampled on the right to Free Speech by not allowing resident complaints to be on the Common Council agenda. This also prevents other residents from sharing their thoughts or opinions due to there not being an agenda item.
Again, Donohue is a major influence with the Common Council, the Mayor, and the SASD.
At a recent SASD Board meeting, Donohue referred to a Wisconsin State Report Card growth formula as “intergalactic” and difficult to explain, while the formula rewards schools that are increasing the academic achievement of students who have been traditionally marginalized by the educational system.
These are people that would benefit from relevant DEI work, work that focused on helping people of color, people with disabilities, and people who are economically disadvantaged. As Chair of the Sheboygan Justice Equity group and an advocate for DEI work, Donohue dismissed another school that is doing better than Sheboygan South in increasing achievement in these marginalized populations.
Under the leadership of Donohue, DEI in Sheboygan has demonstrated a different priority than enriching the lives of marginalized populations.
The following are pictures from Sheboygan South High School’s library of books that had to be removed after public outrage drove the SASD administration and School Board to act. These pictures were in books available to be checked out in a library of a school that was under the governance of School Board President Mary Lynne Donohue. The picture of Mayor Sorenson was from the Pride Event in Sheboygan on June 24 and was published on the Visit Sheboygan Facebook page.
We caution you that some of the images from the books that were available for students in the Sheboygan South High School Library are explicit.
This is what DEI looks like under Mayor Sorenson and School Board President Mary Lynne Donohue!
The City of Sheboygan is currently facing many challenges. There has been recent attention brought to the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) and the academic failures of the high schools. Additionally, the City of Sheboygan’s government is in a pending budget crisis due to the firing of the City Administrator. Furthermore, significant decreases in tax revenue are on the horizon with the expected closing of the power plant. The priorities from last year’s budget are in danger of not being delivered, as the Firehouse 3 project and the development of the industrial parks have stalled.
The filling of the vacant City Administrator position is moving forward with a stakeholder presentation from the two finalists on Monday. HR Director Adam Westbrook communicated to City employees that they would not be able to ask questions and that only City employees would be allowed to attend. The public was entirely eliminated from the hiring process, and Westbrook even informed City employees that if they shared or invited non-employees, they would be asked to leave. Taxpayers like you are not viewed as stakeholders in the hiring of the most important position the City of Sheboygan will hire.
The overall City employee experience has been concerning, as key services like the Human Resources office have been outsourced, and City employees fear sharing concerns due to the risk of being terminated without cause, similar to former City Administrator Todd Wolf. City Hall heavily emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, but day-to-day operations are often overlooked.
The challenges faced by the City of Sheboygan and the Sheboygan Area School District have something in common.
Mary Lynn Donohue has a history of serving the City of Sheboygan. She has served on the Common Council and currently serves as President of the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) School Board.
Donohue previously advocated to the Common Council as the Chair of the Sheboygan Justice Equity group by submitting a Request for Proposal (RFP) to City leadership with the aim to research, identify, and strategize on a process to bring a diverse, equitable, and inclusive structure to City government. Below is a copy of an email that Donohue sent to the Common Council on October 28, 2022, with the subject: “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Issues in the City.”
At the SASD School Board meeting on June 13, 2023, the Board was hearing updates on the strategic plan and the progress of the district. Donohue was referencing concerns regarding the Wisconsin State Report Card Scores of Sheboygan South High School and Green Bay East High School. It has been previously reported that Green Bay East High School has a score of 70.6, which is defined as “Exceeds Expectations,” while Sheboygan South High School has a score of 41.2, which is defined as “Fails to Meet Expectations.”
Donohue expressed concern over how South High School can have higher achievement scores in Reading, Math, and a better graduation rate than Green Bay East High School and stated that she can show many ways that South High School is better than Green Bay East High School.
There was then a discussion of how the report card places emphasis on growth to balance the score and challenges of schools serving populations that are more diverse in ethnicity and economic status. The Department of Public Instruction implemented the growth factor to show the hard work that schools do to improve learning for student groups that face challenges in everyday life. Ms. Donohue referred to this as “some intergalactic growth formula.”
In examining the report card data, this is the definition under the growth section directly from the report card:
“This priority area measures the year-to-year student progress on statewide tests. It uses a value-added model that seeks to control for circumstances beyond the influence of educators. A high-value added score means that on average students in the school are progressing more quickly than other, similar students. Growth is scored from 0 to 100 to match the other priority areas and is a conversion from the roughly 0 to 6 value-added score.”
The growth scores are as follows:
Green Bay East High School: 80.3
Sheboygan South High School: 33.7
The report card then provides data of growth in Reading and Math for groups of students that have been traditionally marginalized by the education system.
Here is a breakdown of a small sample of the data (Scores go from 0-6. The higher the number, the better the score):
Data Retrieved from: https://apps2.dpi.wi.gov/reportcards/ Department of Public Instruction School Report Cards 2021-2022 School Year for Green Bay East High School and Sheboygan South High School
The data illustrates that Green Bay East High School is more successful in serving students of traditionally marginalized populations than Sheboygan South High School. Donohue’s claim that she can show many ways Sheboygan South High School is better than Green Bay East High School is alarming. As Chair of the Sheboygan Justice Equity group, she does not seem to have the ability to analyze data and determine that East High School is outperforming South High School in educating students of marginalized populations.
Donohue did not use her platform as School Board President to advocate for South High School to better serve the needs of students in poverty, students with disabilities, and students of color.
This calls into question Donohue’s expertise in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Donohue also has ties to members of the Common Council and Mayor Ryan Sorenson. She serves as one of the leaders in the local Democratic party. Donohue is involved in the focus on DEI in Sheboygan, and her ties to this are deep. The current version of DEI in the schools and the city government has been prevalent for the last year. Donohue serving as a chair of an organization that is focused on DEI and emailing the Common Council directly to open a request for proposal that her organization drafted is brazen. It is uncommon for an organization seeking to bid on a proposal to submit a draft of a proposal to the Common Council and then follow up to encourage the Common Council to publish the request for proposal.
This brazen nature illustrates the connection of Donohue to members of the Common Council and to Mayor Sorenson.
The City of Sheboygan is operating with no structure or leadership currently on key issues like the official budget process, strategic plan, and completion of budget priorities from the current year. The City has no defined process on who can approve spending or sign-off on key measures in the absence of a City Administrator. The City of Sheboygan is currently on a path of fiscal uncertainty that will impact you soon, following the significant increases in property assessments you recently received!
Donohue is connected to current City leadership and is School Board President of the SASD. Donohue is also so closely connected to the City of Sheboygan government that she is named in a pending lawsuit regarding the termination without cause of former City Administrator Todd Wolf. The connection is even stronger in that Donohue was initially being represented in that case by City of Sheboygan Attorney Chuck Adams.
Would City of Sheboygan Attorney Chuck Adams represent any other private citizen of Sheboygan in a court case?
The serious concerns expressed on this site about student achievement at the high schools in the SASD and the corruption at City Hall have one common denominator… Mary Lynn Donohue.
One of the key issues plaguing the SASD is its lack of transparency and accountability. The established state report card ranked the SASD in the bottom 9% of all school districts. Instead of addressing and reversing these poor academic trends, the district decided to create its own Career and College Readiness (CCR) Report Card. Parents and taxpayers want to know why they changed? And how does this improve academic achievement and readiness for the work world? The SASD has stonewalled in answering the key question: Why is the SASD hiding the CCR Report Card Data?
Superintendent Harvatine recently responded to the email of a concerned stakeholder by comparing the SASD high schools to Green Bay’s high schools, calling it an “apples to apples” comparison. As pointed out in our previous message, this comparison was both inaccurate and laced with misinformation. And when SASD Board President Mary Lynne Donohue receives emails from concerned parents, she simply defers to the superintendent. Why is she, an elected official, not responding to her stakeholders directly?
**Poor Student Achievement (Return on Investment)**
The SASD is in the bottom 9% of all Wisconsin school districts. And it is NOT improving. State report card ratings reveal that 91% of SASD high school students attend schools that meet few or fail to meet expectations. The majority of students that attend South, North, and Central High Schools are basic or below basic in Reading, Writing and Math! For a city that not long ago touted its schools as a reason for young families to move here, this is both appalling and unacceptable!
When Superintendent Harvatine directed a stakeholder to compare SASD high schools with Green Bay, the data revealed that all Green Bay High Schools perform better than South and Central. Three of the four Green Bay high schools perform better than North! In a self-proclaimed “apples to apples” comparison, SASD underperforms Green Bay high schools.
But it gets worse! Comparing South, North and Central to Milwaukee Public High schools is even more alarming. The majority of MPS high schools outperform South and Central. SASD high schools are worse than MPS high schools.
The SASD receives $159 million annually, predominantly from taxpayers’ pockets. Average spending at SASD high schools is over $13,000 per student; yet student achievement remains abysmal. The district’s focus on lowering taxes while neglecting academic improvement raises concerns about its priorities. Taxpayers and parents rightly demand that the SASD change course and use their money more effectively to give children the education they deserve.
**Damaged Trust in the Community**
The SASD’s lack of transparency and poor academic results have severely damaged trust within the community. Stakeholders feel frustrated, disappointed, and unheard. The current school board and school board president are incapable of correcting this concern. Though they are elected to serve the taxpayers, they simply refuse to reply to emails from stakeholders. Is it any wonder why they have lost the trust of this community? They are unfit for public office!
**Demanding Accountability and Change**
As concerned stakeholders, it is our responsibility to demand answers and accountability from the SASD. We must unite as a community, voice our frustrations, and urge the SASD to implement a more effective academic system and a way to see clear results. The SASD must prioritize student achievement, provide transparent and accurate measurement tools, and demonstrate a commitment to restoring trust within the community.
The time for you to act is now!
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
Wisconsin’s public schools heavily rely on taxpayer funding, with the state and federal governments sharing the financial burden. The large majority of funding comes from residents in the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s funding system aims to ensure equal opportunities for all districts, bridging the gap between those with higher and lower property values. The Sheboygan Area School District (SASD), classified as a lower property value district, receives the majority of funding from the state.
**The Cost and Funding Breakdown**
$159 million was allocated to the SASD for the 2022-2023 school year. This funding primarily stems from taxpayers’ pockets. Taxpayers living in the SASD paid $24.9 million, while Wisconsin residents not in the SASD paid $87 million to the SASD. The rest of the funding came from the federal government. The point is: If you live in Sheboygan County but are outside the SASD, you are funding the SASD!
**Academic Performance and Unmet Expectations**
Despite substantial financial resources, the academic performance of the SASD’s high schools remains deeply concerning. Per-pupil spending reveals that the district invests:
Central High School: $14,124 per student
South High School: $13,228 per student
North High School: $12,782 per student
State Report Card Data:
Central High: 27.4 (Fails to meet expectations)
South High: 41.2 (Fails to meet expectations)
North High: 56.3 (Meets few expectations)
The majority of students at these three high schools are basic or below basic in Reading, Writing and Math!
**A Broken Promise of Returns**
As taxpayers, we invest in our local school district with the expectation of a meaningful return. We anticipate that children will graduate from the SASD equipped to contribute to society.
Yet, the current reality falls far short of this promise.
Is the $24.9 million paid by property taxpayers within the SASD or the $87 million contributed by state residents truly producing an acceptable return on investment? Student achievement results shows otherwise!
**Misguided Priorities and Fiscal Deception**
SASD leadership is playing a game of deception. Instead of increasing academic scores and our return on investment, their focus has been on lowering taxes over the last two years. Here is why! SASD leadership is preparing to sell you on a referendum to build two new middle schools, estimated to cost $150 million!
Soon, you will hear the SASD pitch: We lowered taxes over the past two years. If you support this referendum, your taxes will not go up that much! In other words, the lowering of taxes was done to sell you on supporting a massive referendum to build two new middle schools!
**A Call for Accountability**
The issue at hand centers on the dire need for the SASD to be held accountable for the money entrusted to them. Before pouring more funds into a referendum, it is our duty to question whether the district can deliver a return on investment to taxpayers. As taxpayers, we demand results in student achievement and a return on our investment in the form of student achievement!
The SASD’s inability to fulfill its promises is a cause for justified anger. Spending $159 million annually, coupled with appalling academic outcomes at the high school level, highlights a broken system. As concerned citizens, we deserve better. We demand accountability and a radical shift in the SASD’s priorities.
If the SASD focused as much on Reading, Writing and Math as it does on pushing an LGBTQ-laced human growth and development curriculum, student achievement would sky-rocket! The time to act is now!
**Questions for SASD Leadership:**
Will the SASD use the lowering of taxes the past two years to sell us on supporting a massive referendum to build two new middle schools?
How does the lack of academic achievement prepare graduates to add value to our community and economy?
Why should I continue sending my kids/grandkids to the SASD which is failing to prepare them?
Why should I continue investing in the SASD with this lack of return on my investment?
In order for board members to respond, you must email them one at a time. If you send an email to all board members, they cannot respond independently.
Over the last 2 weeks, many members of our large and growing Facebook group, TakeBackOurSchools, have reached out to SASD leadership with questions about the poor performance of the SASD High Schools. Superintendent Seth Harvatine has responded but failed to answer! Just as a reminder, 91% of all SASD high school students attend a high school that meets few or fails to meet expectations based on the State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Accountability Report Cards.
In multiple communications, Superintendent Harvatine has stated the following:
“When trying to compare apples to apples (accounting for the percent of economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and multilingual learners), the Green Bay School District is the closest comparison to the SASD in the state, and we perform favorably in comparison to them.”
So, let’s look at the actual data comparison between the SASD and Green Bay School District, which can be found in the attached images.
The data clearly illustrates that South, North and Central High Schools do not compare favorably to Green Bay high schools. All four Green Bay High Schools are rated higher than South and Central High Schools in Sheboygan. Three of the four Green Bay High Schools are rated higher than North High School in Sheboygan.
Economic hardships, disabilities, and multilingual needs are challenges that every district across the state faces. Yet, most districts have higher accountability scores than South, North and Central, including Green Bay high schools, even if Superintendent Harvatine states otherwise!
SASD High Schools Fare Worse Than Milwaukee High Schools
When we examined the data of the three largest SASD high schools in comparison to Milwaukee Public School (MPS) High Schools, the data was alarming.
MPS has 20 high schools that have DPI Report Card Scores. Here are where the SASD high schools would rank in MPS with DPI Report Card Scores
Sheboygan North HS – Would be 5th best high school out of 20 in MPS
Sheboygan South HS – Would be 13th best high school out of 20 in MPS
Sheboygan Central HS – Would be 17th best high school out of 20 in MPS
Sheboygan South High School scores worse than over half of the MPS high schools!
Sheboygan Central only scores better than 4 MPS high schools!
SASD high schools are performing at incredibly low numbers. When MPS high schools are outperforming SASD high schools, there needs to be concern. The SASD School Board is complicit in this lack of student achievement and return on investment to taxpayers. If they know how poorly our high schools score, why are they not outraged and taking steps to bring significant change and improvement? School Board President Mary Lynn Donohue responds to stakeholders by simply deflecting questions to Superintendent Harvatine.
Call to Action:
It is time to contact each of the SASD School Board members independently and demand answers to these questions:
Do you support the current direction of the SASD?
How can you hire an internal superintendent candidate when SASD high schools underperform Milwaukee Public Schools high schools?
How can you support Superintendent Harvatine when he spreads misinformation to stakeholders by stating that SASD high schools compare favorably to Green Bay District high schools?
When will the Career and College Readiness (CCR) data be released to the public? Why does the SASD hide by keeping their accountability data from the public?
All data was retrieved from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction School Report Cards for the 2021-22 school year and can be viewed here: https://apps2.dpi.wi.gov/reportcards/home
Final Action Step:
Select your favorite platforms, help us share the information, and join the conversation!
Many of you have contacted the SASD regarding concerns about results in student achievement. Currently, 91% of high school students in the SASD attend a high school that meets few or fails to meet expectations. Most students that attend South High School, North High School, and Central High School are basic or below basic in reading, writing, and Math. Seth Harvatine responded that the SASD utilizes a long-range plan to address these concerns.
In examining the long-range strategic plan, there are even more reasons to be concerned. The Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) has left many of us frustrated and deeply disappointed with their strategic planning and accountability approach. It’s incredibly concerning that the SASD has chosen to use its own accountability tool, the Career and College Readiness (CCR) Report Card, instead of the established state report card. This decision only creates confusion and raises doubts about their commitment to transparency and consistency.
What adds to the frustration is the SASD’s lack of transparency regarding the CCR data. Where is this data published? Despite claiming to value stakeholder engagement and a “we mentality,” they fall short of delivering on those promises by withholding crucial information about student performance and college readiness. What are they hiding?
Furthermore, the first goal of the SASD’s strategic plan is to ensure that all students are engaged in a rigorous and relevant curriculum. What does this mean? The lack of clarity and a way to measure if the goal is met does little to instill confidence in the SASD.
Additionally, the SASD’s decision to use their own CCR report card as an accountability tool raises legitimate concerns about the validity and effectiveness of their continuous improvement efforts. Not using the same standardized measurement tools as other districts in the state makes it impossible to track progress accurately and evaluate their performance in a meaningful way.
As concerned stakeholders, it’s crucial that we demand answers and accountability from the SASD. We have the right to know how our students perform and how our tax dollars are utilized. Let’s unite as a community to express our frustrations and call for transparency. By voicing our concerns, we can push the SASD to reassess their approach and work towards a more effective and accountable system that truly serves the best interests of our students.
Here are several questions you can send directly to SASD Superintendent Seth Harvatine at sharvatine@sasd.net:
Why is the Career and College Readiness (CCR) Report Card data not available to the public?
How can the SASD be trusted to measure accountability when the measurement tool is hidden from the public?
When will the SASD release to the public all the CCR data from the start of implementation to now for South, North and Central High School?
On a related note, the SASD Board is responsible for governance, including hiring a superintendent. Recently, the Board decided to hire internally for that role. The School Board has an obligation to answer questions of stakeholders regarding governance.
Here are several questions you can send directly to SASD Board President Mary Lynn Donohue at mldonohue@sasd.net:
Does the current school board support the direction of the SASD based on this strategic plan?
Does the school board support the current levels of achievement at South, North and Central High Schools?
What is the school board policy regarding the superintendent keeping the CCR data hidden from the public?
Is the SASD delivering a return on your investment (tax dollars) in terms of student achievement results and preparing kids for life after high school? You have a right to know how the SASD measures and holds itself accountable!
The Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) is not educating the children of Sheboygan. The district’s overall state report card is rated 385 out of 421 school districts in the state of Wisconsin. That places it in the bottom 9% in the state of Wisconsin.
This means that 91% of school districts in Wisconsin are doing better for their children than the SASD. When you look at the state report cards for the largest high schools in the SASD, it gets even worse:
North High – 56.3 – Meets few expectations
South High – 41.2 – Fails to meet expectations
Central High – 27.4 – Fails to meet expectations
Here is the fact: 91% of all high school students in the SASD attend a high school that meets few expectations or fails to meet expectations.
In looking at student achievement data of these three high schools, there is great reason to be alarmed. Let’s look deeper.
Central High School
88% of students are below basic in English Language Arts
85% of students are below basic in Math
7-year cohort graduation rate – 94.7%
South High School
77% of students are basic or below basic in English Language Arts
77% of students are basic or below basic in Math
7-year cohort graduation rate – 91.5%
North High School
67% of students are basic or below basic in English Language Arts
61% of students are basic or below basic in Math
7-year cohort graduation rate – 92.7%
Think about this! The large majority of our high school students are basic or below basic in Reading, Writing, and Math! Yet, the overwhelming majority of students still graduate from the SASD!
How are so many students that are struggling in basic skills still graduating from the SASD? What is a diploma from the SASD really worth?
With these academic failures, one would think that the SASD would consider opening its recent superintendent search to candidates outside of the district. Instead, the SASD decided to promote an internal candidate to be the next superintendent.
If you are satisfied with these academic results, do nothing!
However, if you feel that the SASD has failed to deliver an acceptable return on your investment (taxes), the time is now for you to act!
Contact the SASD leadership:
Demand answers on why your taxes yield this return on investment – academic failure!
Ask why the SASD is letting down our kids by not preparing them to succeed after graduation!
Take Back Sheboygan County 