MEQUON, Wis. — The atmosphere more closely resembled a pep rally than a small-town school board election outside of Mequon City Hall on Tuesday.
Opposing camps in the Mequon-Thiensville School District (MTSD) contentious board recall election waved signs and cheered as passing cars honked.
At one point, the police even showed up after a case of one supporter saying the opposite side got too close to them. The allegation was denied. Police left without issuing any citations.
Four of seven MTSD board members are being challenged after a group, Recall MTSD, gathered enough signatures among district voters to force four recall votes.
Recall MTSD argues that the current board failed students. They say the board's Covid-19 protocols hurt students academic performance. The recall camp also says it's worried about how race is being taught in local schools.
The Coalition to Support MTSD — and maintain the current board — says every district in the country was impacted by Covid-19 in some way and the recall is simply politics over policy.
"This is a great district. People should not be scared into a hijacking of our school board. They're trying to take over a super majority in one fell swoop," said Nancy Urbani, a backer of the incumbent board.
Recall backers say they're only putting the welfare of their children first.
"I think that the parents in the district who have kids suffering from academic decline are worth it. i think the kids that are doing awesome are still worth it," said Amber Schroeder, who's helped lead recall efforts.
Both Mequon and Thiensville officials have been reporting strong voter turnout, and both camps say they expect at least 50 turnout. The polls close at 8 p.m.
