SHAWANO, WI- The Shawano School Board re-voted in open session May 11 on teacher non-renewal notices after originally voting on them in closed session two weeks earlier.
Attorney for the School District, Geoff Lacy told the board the April vote should have been repeated publicly, taking responsibility for not recommending the additional step sooner. He said the board can discuss the matter in closed session for confidentiality, but approving the final notices in open session is the “path of least resistance” to avoid concerns about transparency. “We are doing it to be cautious and in the district’s best interest and best practice,” Lacy told the board.
Board President Christine McKinnies questioned the need for another vote, asking if the board was simply repeating its earlier decision. Lacy said state open meetings law does not prohibit closed-session votes, but also does not clearly allow them, so the public vote helps protect the district.
Lacy noted there are situations where closed-session votes are allowed, others where they are not, and some that fall into a “gray area.”
Bobbi Lemerond, questioned why the vote was made in closed session to begin with, and voted no on the non-renewals publicly. Jeana Winslow abstained because she did not attend the earlier closed session, and Karen Houston had left the meeting before the item was discussed.
The board voted 5-1 to reissue the non-renewals.
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