Under the Democratic leadership of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jill Underly, Wisconsin's public schools have taken a nosedive.
Nearly one-third of Wisconsin students cannot read on grade level and Black students in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), the state's largest district, score at the bottom nationally on reading and math standardized tests.
If that wasn't bad enough, a new investigation from the Capital Times reveals a widespread problem of sexual misconduct amongst Wisconsin educators -- and the public was largely kept in the dark about it.
Today, a yearlong investigation from the @CapTimes:
— Danielle DuClos (@danielle_duclos) October 15, 2025
Hundreds of Wisconsin teachers, administrators, substitutes and aides have been investigated for sexual misconduct and grooming students. State education officials have kept the public in the dark.https://t.co/edtCkZ7WZA
After Shawn Umland took a group of his students on a field trip to Florida, licensing regulators at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction started investigating him. The inquiry followed a media report alleging Umland touched the tops of a student’s breasts during the trip while applying sunburn treatment in a hotel room, the agency’s records show.
That was in 2019. Umland had previously been disciplined in 2005 for his behavior in a hotel room with a female student on a school trip, according to the department’s records.
Umland, who worked at Lakeland Union High School in Minocqua, resigned in lieu of being fired. But he kept his Wisconsin teaching license. Officials at the Department of Public Instruction concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to revoke it, citing inconsistencies in witness statements.
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Another teacher, Michael Hanson, visited a student's house so frequently and unannounced that the family considered getting a restraining order against him. Hanson, who worked in the Baraboo School District, resigned from his job, but like Umland, he kept his teaching license. In case notes, teaching licensing regulators simply wrote Hanson "did not recognize appropriate student-teacher boundaries and his behavior with two students constituted grooming."
Between 2018 and 2023, more than 200 Wisconsin educators -- teachers, aides, administrators, and substitutes -- were investigated for sexual misconduct and "grooming behaviors" towards students. Records obtained by the CapTimes showed the allegations included sexual assaults, the solicitation of nude photos from students, or the initiation of sexual relationships immediately after graduation.
This information was not made publicly known until now.
A federal report estimates that one in ten students will be the victim of sexual misconduct at the hands of an educator. In Wisconsin, that means more than 90,000 students could be the victims of abusive educators.
Between 2018 and 2023, almost 500 educators were investigated for some form of misconduct, not just sexual misconduct. More than 200 of them were able to keep their teaching credentials, even after investigations by state officials.
Department of Public Instruction spokesperson Chris Bucher blamed budget cuts and staffing limitations for the problem. "We do as much as we can with the resources and tools and authority that we have," he said.
Underly declined to comment on the CapTimes investigation.
It's INSANE how few Wisconsin reporters are touching this INSANE story. 197 days ago, Jill Underly hid from voters more than 200 pedophiles at schools to win 4 more years leading WI's schools.
— Chris Olmstead (@ct_olmstead) October 16, 2025
Hats off to @danielle_duclos & @CapTimes for this insane story. https://t.co/br7PWKpVnO
This was incredible investigative work on the part of the CapTimes.
As a parent, this is disgusting to read. But you should read it anyway. Our “education governor” and DPI have been covering up these horrific acts for YEARS!
— Matt Henkel (@mhenks05) October 16, 2025
Credit to @CapTimes for their journalism. We know how vindictive Evers’ team can be to press that step out of line. https://t.co/FPvB5URujN
Thankfully, Tony Evers is not seeking reelection in 2026. Jill Underly will be up for reelection in the spring of 2029.
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