On September 28, 2022, Kenosha County Eye editor Kevin Mathewson sued the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Mathewson is asking a Judge to order the University to turn over public documents that the University’s Chancellor, Debbie Ford and Executive Director of University Relations, Tannette Elie, don’t want the public to see.
KCE learned earlier this month that Kenosha’s Progressive DA, Michael Graveley (D), who is a professor at Parkside, collaborated with Chancellor Ford to hook up Kenosha violent felon Sharmain Harris with a job as a criminal justice professor. Harris wrote on Facebook that what he thought was a job interview, was actually an orientation, meaning no one at the University actually interviewed Harris. Also, the minimum requirement fort the job Harris was given is a degree in “Criminal Justice or Related Field” – Harris’ degree is in “Business Design and Innovation.” It actually appears that Harris didn’t meet a single one of the qualifications of the job, unless they consider his long prison term as knowledge and experience. Now that Harris works for the University of Wisconsin- Parkside, he is a state government employee in thus subject to records requests. His job application is a public record, even according to the University’s own website.
Here is language you read when you apply for a job at Parkside:
On September 4, 2022, KCE asked for his employment application and his salary. We wanted to know if he disclosed all of his convictions on his application. We were denied access to his salary and employment application. We asked Ford her reason for hiring Harris. She had no comment about Graveley’s involvement but told us:
“Thank you for your email. In response to your request, the University of Wisconsin–Parkside performs criminal background checks on every candidate recommended for hire (as required by UW Board of Regents policy) and makes all offers of employment contingent on successful criminal background checks. Candidates with a criminal history cannot be automatically disqualified from employment to comply with Wisconsin fair employment law, which prohibits an employer from discriminating against a candidate on the basis of conviction record unless a conviction is substantially related to the position.
For candidates with a criminal history, UW–Parkside considers the nature of the crime and its relationship to the position, time since the conviction, and whether hiring the applicant would pose an unreasonable risk to the university, employees, or students. UW–Parkside analyzed Mr. Harris’s history and the circumstances of the part-time criminal justice lecturer position and determined he was eligible for appointment.”
Here is Harris’ citation/arrest/conviction record that Chancellor Ford deemed OK for eligibility:
Felony Second Degree Reckless Endangerment
Burglary
Felony Strangulation and Suffocation (Repeater)
Felony Bail Jumping
Felony Bail Jumping
Felony Bail Jumping
Felony Manufacture and Deliver Cocaine on or near a school (Possession with Intent)
Felony Manufacture and Deliver Cocaine on or near a school (Possession with Intent)
Felony Imitation of Controlled Substance on or near a school (Possession with Intent)
Felony Imitation of Controlled Substance on or near a school (Possession with Intent)
Misdemeanor Battery (Repeater)
Misdemeanor Theft (Repeater)
Misdemeanor Criminal Damage to Property (Repeater)
Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct
Misdemeanor Criminal Damage to Property
Misdemeanor Resist/Obstruct Officer
Ordinance Possession of Marijuana
Ordinance Retail Theft
Ordinance Curfew
Ordinance Curfew
Ordinance Curfew
Ordinance Curfew
Ordinance Curfew
Ordinance Curfew
Ordinance Operating Vehicle after Suspension
Ordinance Operating Vehicle after Suspension
Ordinance Operating Vehicle after Suspension
Ordinance Operating Vehicle after Suspension
Ordinance Operating Vehicle after Suspension
Ordinance Operating Vehicle after Suspension
Ordinance Operating Vehicle after Suspension
Ordinance Operating Vehicle after Suspension
(10) Other Traffic Citations
Let’s talk about the serious charges.
He was convicted of crack-selling in two cases. Judge Mary K. Wagner (D), who is perhaps the most soft-on-crime judge Wisconsin has ever seen, went easy on him, giving him 4 years of probation for the two felony convictions.
Four months after he was caught selling crack, he was charged with 6 felonies and 2 misdemeanors for an alleged gang-land assault in the 4600 block of 36th Ave. According to the criminal complaint, and a source, on May 17, 2009, Harris, also known by his gang name of “Slim”, was accused of beating a man with a baseball bat. He then threw a brick through the window of a house hitting a woman and nearly missing a child. Harris was with about 30 other people, all alleged to be members of the same street gang. Believe it or not, Wagner gave him only 2 more years of probation on top of the 4 already imposed. No jail.
In 2011, Harris was charged for yet another incident of violence. He was charged with 1 felony and 3 misdemeanors. According to the criminal complaint, Harris kicked in the door to his ex-girlfriend’s (now wife and mother to his children) home and entered it without permission. The victim told police he was upset looking for drugs and money. When Harris realized she was on the phone with 9-1-1, he strangled her and dragged her around the home by her throat and hair. He then took the phone from her. He then took her wallet and left the home. This case revoked his probation and sent him to prison. He was given an over-generous plea deal again for the domestic violence case.
Harris was finally made to account for his criminal behavior and was sent to prison where he did several years behind bars. For some reason, the progressive DA, Mike Graveley (D) and Mary K Wagner (D) really took a liking to the dangerous man. They allowed him to be released from his extended supervision early. The two are also endorsing a pardon for Harris. If pardoned, he will have the felonies forgiven and he will be allowed to carry a gun and hold public office.
If KCE wins in court, the tax-payers and students of UW-Parkside will be on the hook for our attorneys and other fees.
Click here to read the entire lawsuit petition
36 Responses
Delete this comment after you make this correction:
The first sentence says, “On September 28, 2022, Kenosha County Eye editor Kevin Mathewson has sued the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.”
Change it to either, “As of September 28, 2022, Kenosha County Eye editor Kevin Mathewson has sued the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.” or “On September 28, 2022, Kenosha County Eye editor Kevin Mathewson sued the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.”
You combined past simple and past perfect tense in that sentence.
Thank you!
You sound like somebody that spent years earning a useless degree that you can’t pay off and are content just hanging out in your home town, trying to impress childhood friends. You don’t even know how to capitalize a proper noun.
Wow. You are speaking of grammar? You my friend, sound like a child who is upset with criminals being held accountable. Holy run on sentences. Baby
Settle down Francis!
You send like a pussy that would get his ass handed to him if you cocked off in front of any male with a jaw line.
Your degree of self-importance means nothing to anybody but you. Four years or better of classes to be a good employee that doesn’t use his degree in the same field anyway. While you are at the 9-5 sucking corporate dick, your wife is probably getting bent over by guys like Harris. Who are you trying to impress coming here like the grammar police? Take another booster shot.
There are bigger fish to fry and KM is doing a great job of frying them. Keep up the great work! Ignore the haters.
Oh Phil. If you ever wanted to meet up and be tough that would be a site. But continue to be a internet tough guy living in ur moms basement. And people like sharmaine prolly dick u on the daily
You gotta be the same guy who drove all the way to my house in Salem after a facebook comment to confront me huh? Trouble is when someone like me stood up to and your roid rage, you ran home like a little girl. Right Ray? BTW, some people have cameras to back up the story. Settle down Andy!
You’ve got a comma splice in that sentence.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, we wept when we remembered Kenosha. As our city burned, a kid named Kyle rose from the ashes and took on the pagans. We saw that the heretics do not give up easy, and as they praised the sinners, we prepared for the rapture. The end is nigh. Get ready.
Kyle has an ugly crack whore for a mother
Wow. Very educated response. Are you 13?
Excellent work, Mr. Mathewson! A lot of great stories in past couple of weeks. You’re doing important work. Thank you.
Man, real investigative reporting is an uphill battle — a real struggle. No wonder so many newspapers just reprint AP stories and write a few feel-good fluff pieces, e.g., the annual apple-picking fest, or whatever.
Good luck with the public records lawsuit. I predict the U. will settle quickly. No one can shield public information from The Eye.
Now do the story on Gateway’s upcoming drag show. https://www.gtc.edu/campus-life/student-involvement/diversity-365
Notice how the truth has struck a nerve with those of like minds of Harris’. Now a days Good is evil and evil is good. So it is written.
It’s hilarious (and scary) that they hired a violent felon for a Criminal Justice professor?! Maybe with all the diversity and inclusion going on, they wanted to make sure they were checking all the boxes. The only box they missed was hiring a non-binary violent felon for the job.
Maybe he was non-binary in prison.
He identifies as innocent.
LOL!!!!!!!!!
Gravely , what does he do except work the underbelly of the Kenosha county liberal system. Getting career criminals a job ? He sends all of his cases to other counties . Why is he still in office ?
13% of the population causing 87% of the crime ..I’m sure he got his PPP.. Great work Kevin ..
Great job exposing the filth. Empire’s fail like the united states of Israel is failing when governments refuse to follow laws that they created. Usi is a shit hole country
Great article and thank you for bringing all of this to the surface!! It’s amazing what these elected officials like to sweep under the carpet!! We need to get these demons out of office!!!
Some people choose to get a skill as a career to provide for their needs. Some of these skilled persons, excell in their profession and go on to teach others the skills they have mastered. It appears that Prof DA Graveley has initiated the process to give Harris the opportunity to teach his trade as a career criminal at UW Parkside with the help of Chancellor Ford. Is Graveley looking for job security? From what I see, the only documentation in Harris’ employment file is the picture of him lifting a finger indicating his IQ. It’s obvious with professors on staff like Harris, they are promoting the Liberal Democrat agenda for the destruction of America. I would speculate there are more of Harris’ peers on the payroll at UW-P and public institutions.
The public needs to be informed. To many things are being done without the public knowing. Seems like they are intentionally being covered up. Also Kenosha has become a liberal haven with our court system and the D.A.’s office being the failure that it has become.
Liberals support criminals (especially black) and paedophilia.
Great job Kevin. You’re a real reporter and Kenosha needs you.
For the love of God please shut down that useless radical left wing incubator UW Parkside.
Turn it into a giant high school/middle school campus for inner city minority children from Racine and Kenosha that desperately need to escape from KUSD/RUSD prison preparation educational system. Hire the best and brightest black talent from across the country with or without education degrees to save these children from their cycle of despair and poverty. WE DONT NEED UWP ANYMORE.
If pencil neck, ball less DPI Governor Evers tries to interfere have him arrested and thrown in jail.
%80 to %90 OF ALL BLACK CHILDREN IN KUSD AND RUSD ARE NOT PROFICIENT IN READING MATH AND LANGUAGE.
What the F*UCK are these monsters doing with all that money and why are these children graduating from high school with zero marketable skills………..this is a sin and is criminal.
The woke liberal left has lost all common sense.
Increase reparations and the test scores will improve. Until then, tow the liberal, progressive line!
“why are these children graduating from high school with zero marketable skills………..this is a sin and is criminal.”
Marketable skills?—–Don’t need no “marketable skills” to become Lt. Governor….Mandela Barnes is a prime example.
Most of the black leadership in Wisconsin has done jack shit to help black people.
The one thing they have managed to accomplish is having a church and a liquor store on most corners in almost every ghetto. These poverty pimps and race hustlers only feather their own nest. Many are true racists that hate white America. Get rid of them and replace with old fashioned, old school, church attending, down South African American men and women that have not been warped by the liberal communist shitheads.
Been around the block a few times.