COVID-19 Lawsuit, Budget On Special School Board Meeting Agenda

WAUKESHA, WI—The Waukesha School Board Tuesday is expected to discuss during closed session a lawsuit filed by a parent whose child fell sick with the coronavirus. The board will also take up approval of the 2021-22 budget during regular session.

Earlier in October, a parent in the district filed a lawsuit against the school board and its superintendent, alleging that they failed to follow federal COVID-19 prevention guidelines.

Shannon Jensen, whose three children attend a Waukesha elementary school, sued members of the Waukesha Board of Education, Superintendent James Sebert and Deputy Superintendent Joe Koch, according to the lawsuit complaint.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, alleged that members of the school board deprived students of their constitutional rights when they voted in May to remove COVID-19 mitigation procedures such as masking.

The lawsuit seeks an immediate injunction to force Waukesha schools to comply with federal and state coronavirus mitigation guidelines.

The Minocqua Brewing Co. Super PAC, a political action committee that started in Northern Wisconsin in January, is funding the lawsuit in order to force Waukesha schools to comply with federal guidelines, the PAC said.

After the closed session, it is possible the board will go into open session to take possible action on it.

Also on the special meeting’s agenda is approval of the 2021-2022 budget.

Ethan Duran, Patch Staff, contributed to this report.