KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha Unified School District is facing criticism after publicly spotlighting Bradford High School teacher Jennifer Sepanski, a liberal activist who previously campaigned for KUSD’s failed tax referendum and admitted she “shut down” student discussion about former basketball coach Montenia Nelson, who was later fired after repeated student-boundary violations and a police investigation into possible grooming behavior.
Earlier this week, KUSD featured Sepanski in its “Employee Spotlight” series, praising her for “building strong relationships” with students, promoting “student voice,” attending student events outside the classroom, and serving in multiple leadership roles, including the district’s Guiding Coalition Committee, the Poetry Club, the Gender & Sexuality Alliance Club, and Bradford’s English Department.
The district described Sepanski as someone who helps students feel “seen, heard and supported.”
But records previously obtained by Kenosha County Eye show Sepanski took a very different approach when students began talking about concerns involving Nelson in 2023.
In an Oct. 18, 2023 email to then-Bradford Principal Brian Geiger, Sepanski wrote that students were “gossiping on social media about Monty” and that it was upsetting to some students close to him.
“I have shut down any gossip,” Sepanski wrote. “I have heard and talked privately with the kids who are upset to tell them to report anything they see to a dean or to talk to you.”
At the time, Nelson had already been under scrutiny over allegations that he recorded underage girls at a Bradford dance, asked them to “turn around for the camera,” and referred to one student as “a grown ass woman.”
Nelson was ultimately fired in January after repeated violations of KUSD’s staff-student boundary policy. District records show Nelson had previously been suspended multiple times for inappropriate social media contact with students, including following girls on Instagram, liking their photos, texting students, communicating with them on Snapchat, and making comments that made students uncomfortable.
The Kenosha Police Department investigated whether Nelson’s conduct could amount to grooming or sexual misconduct involving students. Detectives ultimately concluded there was not enough evidence under Wisconsin law to support criminal charges because the allegations did not involve physical or explicitly sexual conduct.
Even so, police records and district documents showed numerous parents and students believed Nelson’s conduct crossed the line.
Nelson has publicly claimed Kenosha County Eye’s reporting about him is false. Because of that, Kenosha County Eye created montenelson.com to archive reporting, public records, disciplinary documents, and other information connected to the case.
Sepanski was also previously identified in Kenosha County Eye reporting as openly campaigning in favor of KUSD’s failed referendum while on duty inside a taxpayer-funded school building.
Kenosha County Eye asked Superintendent Jeff Weiss whether district leaders believed it was appropriate to highlight Sepanski despite her role in trying to silence student discussion about Nelson and despite her past referendum advocacy.
KUSD did not directly answer those questions.
Instead, Chief Communications Officer Tanya Ruder said the district’s employee spotlight program is based on peer nominations and is reviewed by Human Resources for eligibility.
“Our Employee Spotlight is a peer-nomination program that allows staff to recognize colleagues for their work in Kenosha Unified,” Ruder wrote. “Featured employees are selected on a rotating basis to promote representation across a variety of roles and buildings. Selections are reviewed in coordination with the Office of Human Resources to confirm eligibility.”
Ruder did not say whether district leaders considered Sepanski’s prior involvement in the Nelson controversy or her referendum advocacy before approving her for the public spotlight.
Critics say the district’s decision sends the wrong message.
They argue that if KUSD truly values “student voice,” it should not be celebrating a teacher who previously acknowledged trying to stop students from discussing a coach who was later terminated after years of concerning conduct involving students.
For some parents, the issue is bigger than Sepanski herself.
They say it reflects a broader culture inside KUSD where administrators and influential staff members appear more interested in protecting the institution and its employees than addressing warning signs before they become larger scandals.
3 Responses
Can her title be any longer. Look at me!
Holy moly that’s a heavily filtered photo of her!
Dumb twat!!!