(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
On January 25 the KUSD School board met to talk again about the mandatory mask policy. Retired Kenosha Police Lieutenant David Molinaro, who works school board security, removed his security vest and spoke against the mandatory masks. He criticized some members of the board saying that they “need to stop kow-towing the [Kenosha Teacher’s Union]….. Covid stops at 4:00pm at unified, and it starts again at 8:30am in the morning” said Molinaro, referring to the optional mask policy for after-school activities. “Those students there become my children, but I’m not going to tell them to go get vaccinated.”
Two minutes and thirty seconds later he put his vest back on and resumed his security duties about 6 feet from the podium. A second officer working security on the 25th is a retired KPD detective and was watching the front door to the building. Molinaro is usually seen in the western door-way of the board room, where he has a clear view of the entire board room and down the hallways.
On March 11, 2022, a KUSD insider told KCE under the condition on anonymity, Molinaro was ”let go” from school board meeting security. He was seen entering and leaving a KUSD administrator’s office.
Today, March 15, 2022 Molinaro talked for about 10 seconds longer than he did in January. Molinaro didn’t mince words:
“The problem with [me] speaking, Miss Adams, is it went against your agenda. If [Kenosha] Unified’s bullying policy had a high bar you would clear it in street shoes! You are a bully! You are unprofessional!…. I have kids at school who don’t want to wear a mask. Teachers are afraid to come speak here because you will retaliate. You are retaliating for me speaking my mind…… Dr Ormseth, I want my job back. Miss Adams – I suggest you resign from the board tonight – if not you might find my name next to yours when your term is up! Resign tonight because you cannot be trusted for doing your job in an ethical manner. You are a bully – I want my job back. Thank you”
At tonight’s meeting, there was only one retired police officer who was armed, unlike the usual two. There were also two un-armed security officers present.
Masks
Board member Todd Price beat Member Rebecca Stevens to the punch to make a motion to amend the “masks optional” policy to begin this Thursday. Stevens told the board she wanted to make the motion, but board president Santos-Adams made a ruling the the motion was Price’s.
Board Member Rebecca Stevens Mask-less at A Crowded Event
(Youtube)
Stevens made a angry speech reacting to a wide-spread photo of her mask-less in the community. “I wasn’t wearing a mask because I wasn’t at KUSD!” she screamed. During the citizen’s comments portion of the meeting a man held up a photo of Stevens mask-less at a crowded event which caused Stevens to flail her hands and yell. She had to be talked down by her colleagues.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Board members initially wanted to transition to mask-optional on Thursday to give KUSD administration a “day to transition.” This was mentioned by several board members several times until Superintendent Dr. Bethany Ormseth said bluntly “I can do it tomorrow, no problem.” The board went on to vote unanimously to end mandatory masks beginning Wednesday, March 16.
15 Responses
Too little too late. Permanent damage has been created.
Nice to hear that he told the over paid hypocrite Pelosi wannabe to resign. Good for him.
Wisconsin is an at-will employment state thanks to Act 10, meaning anyone can be terminated from any position for any reason. This officer made the choice to abandon his post. No one was required to remind him of his job duties as he is an adult and a professional and it’s ridiculous that an officer can not accept responsibility for his actions.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
I left this comment the other day for a previous article on this matter. It still holds true.
From my perspective, this officer had every right to speak and say whatever he wanted. However, he should have taken the night off and done so only when he was fully and completely off duty. He should be relieved of his duty no matter what he said. Taking off you vest at a meeting in which you are hired to be as a security guard to speak does not put you “off duty.” He gives up his right to speak at any meeting at which is hired to work. It doesn’t matter what he says.
You really think he would’ve been fired if he spoke in favor of masks and how the school board is doing a wonderful job? This wasn’t about abandoning his post. Especially considering they only had one officer at the next meeting.
It is my position that no matter what he said in his on-duty speech he should have been disciplined. Apparently, he still works for the district. He just does not work at the meetings. He used poor judgement in speaking at that meeting. The content of his speech was not relevant. I would think that if his remarks would have supported the school board, public pressure would have forced the board to “let him go”. He had the right to speak and say anything he wanted, as long as he was fully off duty when he spoke. He was not when he spoke.
So if he was in favor of her, and apparently your agenda would he and should he have been fired? He has children in the district. He’s paid taxes and probably done a lot more for Kenosha than most. Yet as usual liberals can’t respect an opposing opinion. Democratic My Axx!
Remember to vote April 5th for Meadows, Schamiling and Kim!!! Then, time to get rid of Adams and Modder! Our kids deserve better!
Mr. Molinaro needs to contact an employment attorney ASAP
M & WATCHER are DEAD WRONG.
Just because D Molinaro works(ed) for KUSD does mean he doesn’t have a voice as a citizen, taxpayer, or parent/grandparent at a KUSD Board meeting. If Adams has a problem about Molinaro being “in-pay status” while commenting, then dock his pay for 3 minutes. Was the KUSD Board meeting better off with one or two security officers that night?
The bottom line, there is a disciplinary policy in place at KUSD and employees just don’t get fired at will by the DESPOT Chairwoman for a possible discretionary infraction. There are steps of action that need to be followed. A good Labor Person like Mary Modder should know this and if not, should resign too. Why didn’t Modder stand up for Molinaro’s rights? Or is Modder also part of a double standard KUSD Culture?
I totally agree with commentator “G”‘ advice to get a Labor Attorney ASAP to sue KUSD, Adams, and Modder for violating his rights and wrongful termination. Perhaps the “Southeast Wisc Labor Times” then may fall under new (Molinaro) ownership and finally put out some fair and unbalanced news.
Please advise if you would support this security guard being let go if he would have gotten up there and praised the board.
If you are honest, you would admit that you would be screaming that he be fired.
This security guard/officer was clearly acting outside his duties when he spoke, regardless of what he said. The First Amendment is not absolute. If you are an employee, your employer can restrict your voice while you are on the clock, which he was. No attorney will take this case for him because he has no chance to win.
He could have said whatever he wanted to say if he was not on the clock. Docking his pay for three minutes is lunacy. If he wanted to speak, he needed to be fully off duty.
A few years ago there was some guy who was a quarterback for an NFL team who knelt during the National Anthem to support minority rights. His symbolic speech caused an uproar among an incredible number of people. These people were upset that he made his symbolic statement while he was being paid to be on the field as a football player. I would bet many shiny new dimes that you were one of those upset people.
Please let us know and tell us why these two cases are different. The only difference I see is the content of the speech. Maybe you see something I don’t. Enlighten us.
And said guy from the NFL was given special privileges to get his job back, multiple times, even though he is clearly unfit for it, despite his disrespect for the flag, which was the real reason for the uproar, and not his pathetic message.
Yeah, different rules for different opinions.
that old bitch hasn’t had a kid in public school in over 30 years. an, old, sour, hag.
Miss Adams is such a good little Marxist. Resign!
That plexiglass is RIDICULOUS.