(The Center Square) – Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Gillett, wants Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction to continue an investigation into allegations of grooming and sexual assault at Oconto Falls School District even after one of those accused voluntarily surrendered his teaching license.
DPI has come under fire this year for allowing accused teachers to surrender a teaching license to avoid the scrutiny of a full investigation into misconduct, leading the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to order a full audit of the department’s investigation process that Wimberger recently said would be completed in the coming weeks.
Oconto Falls is currently facing a federal civil rights lawsuit over a series of sexual misconduct accusations over decades and how the school district has handled those accusations. David Heisel, one of the teachers accused of misconduct, surrendered his teaching license March 31, according to DPI’s investigation database.
“The highest responsibility of any education official is to ensure our children are safe at school, especially from predators disguising themselves as authority figures,” Wimberger said in a statement. “Ending the Heisel investigation early will not only betray the public’s trust, but deny the chance of restoring accountability for the victims who came forward.
“I am calling on DPI to continue investigating the Oconto Falls situation, even after David Heisel surrendered his license. These allegations deserve a full and proper examination so our community can transparently know what happened, when it happened, and who knew about the misconduct occurring in our schools.”
