Alliance Statement in Support of Melissa Tempel

Alliance for Education in Waukesha
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2023
Contact: allianceforeducationwaukesha@gmail.com

STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR SDW TEACHER MELISSA TEMPEL

The Alliance for Education in Waukesha (AEW) was disappointed to learn that the School District of Waukesha (SDW) has placed Heyer Elementary School First Grade bilingual teacher, Melissa Tempel on administrative leave. This Superintendent and Board began the march toward marginalization last year, and it has only served to stoke fear and sow distrust in the Waukesha Community, which has yielded a pattern of bullying against anyone who calls out the district’s bias and harassment. Now Waukesha is a national laughingstock and the blame for that falls squarely to the feet of the district’s leadership, not those who have the courage to hold them accountable, like Ms. Tempel.

A Heyer parent commented, “Melissa is a wonderful teacher, and the fact that the district did not address this issue with her and with the school principal directly, but instead called her out in a communication to the entire district community is not only wrong but juvenile.”

AEW stands in support of Melissa Tempel, who is an outstanding educator. According to a Heyer parent in her classroom, “She goes above and beyond to meet the needs of her students and engage them in learning. I am deeply concerned that Ms. Tempel was removed from her classroom for standing up for them and what she knows is right.” It is time for Ms. Tempel to be returned to her students and for the district to take accountability for starting this mess in the first place simply, because they wanted to keep rainbows out of a first-grade classroom.

AEW is aware that there are two items listed for executive session on the Board Meeting Agenda for Wednesday, April 12, 2023. AEW hopes that one of these items pertains to Ms. Tempel’s immediate return to the classroom.

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