Waukesha Man Says School Board Member Swore At Him During Meeting

WAUKESHA, WI — Waukesha resident Ben Strong came to the Wednesday, July 8 Waukesha School Board meeting to share his views. What he didn't expect, he told Patch, was that he would be sworn at by a board member.

Ben Strong said he went to the meeting that night to share his views on the topic of School Resource Officers — law enforcement personnel stationed at school that have a variety of public safety responsibilities.

Strong says he's collecting all the data he can to see if School Resource Officers are really the best option for local schools, or if they've had a net-positive effect on schools in Waukesha. Strong said it was his intention to present what he learned to the board, he told Patch. "My opinion on this is subject to change, depending on what the data says."

In a video shared with Waukesha Patch, Strong was shown walking up to the microphone to speak during a citizen comment period.

"How about instead of divesting $2 million dollars over the next five years towards school resource officers, you divest that money towards social workers," he said.

As he walked away from the microphone, the audio picked up a board member whispering an expletive under their breath. Only public officials and the then-empty citizen microphone were live.

Strong said he had a "pretty good idea" who made the comment, but didn't want to tell Patch because he wasn't 100 percent sure which board member it was.

“Calling people names, even if you don’t know the microphone is on...there’s just certain things you don’t do,” said Waukesha City Alderman Aaron Perry.

Ina CBS 58 report, Waukesha Ald. Aaron Perry said he was taken aback by the news. “Calling people names, even if you don’t know the microphone is on; there’s just certain things you don’t do,” he said in the report. Waukesha School Board President Joe Como apologized for the incident, the report stated.