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.
33 Responses
Can her title be any longer. Look at me!
Where does KUSD find these teachers. We used to have a top notch school system and people would move here just for there child’s education. My how this district has gone downhill. Stop employing pedos and woke teachers already!
Stuff goes “downhill” because no one pays attention or does anything.
Lazy, lazy, lazy people …………….. that’s how s#it get like it does.
She has worked for the district for many years. Started as sub, then long term sub, went to school to get her teaching credentials, and her masters. It appears as the anchor to employment has strengthened, her voice has gotten louder.
Holy moly that’s a heavily filtered photo of her!
Trust me, she needs it.
Oh I know. I went to high school with her
Dumb twat!!!
Enough is enough, DEFUND KUSD!
Leadership failure, staff failure, administrative bloat, activist crap, grooming, pedophiles, enough tax dollars WASTED on greed, corruption and criminal behavior.
Parents SAVE you children! Get the out of KUSD if you love them.
She looks like a retarded liberal (I know its redundant) Family Guy character.
These teachers exist in their own world. I’ve heard stories that would blow your mind, and its just kept silent due to some type of ”professionalism”.
I don’t see it that way but, I’m just a carpenter.
Here’s an idea: Perhaps she should stick to teaching English. That is why she was hired. She took corrective action with the students and then informed the principal, asking if that was O.K. It seems she’s a busybody who loves to stir the pot.
These f’n libs…what in the world is their obsession with gender, trans, etc these days. Sick
Sure that’s not a dude?
People like this seek inclusion and popularity from kids because they did not experience peer popularity while they were in school. Especially easy with groups of kids who see themselves as outcasts/victims of society. That’s why some teachers idolize and support these small groups of “vulnerable” groups, that will look up to that teacher and in turn boost that teachers self esteem and image.
Accurate post…..Never ends well for those sort of educators—KUSD provides many stories about adults who lose sight of what is appropriate and what is not.
Unfortunately, it’s not exclusive to KUSD. It is everywhere. Whether we know it or not. Had knowledge of these inappropriate situations when I was in high school in the early 2000’s. Now days, I am not sure if teachers are taught to “relate” to students to feel “inclusive”, versus actually “teaching”. Involving oneself on to an emotional unstable juvenile. Feelings of empathy and sympathy will cause that one young person to attach. Unfortunately I believe this is adding to inappropriate behavior.
My nomination for jackass of the year…..enough said and a much simpler title we can all understand!!!
KUSD gave her an award that simply de-values and makes a mockery of real achievement. Anything to make her feel important and valued.
Is Kenny Sepanski a Cold Case in KPD?
Just an opinion, but based on years of experience dealing with high-maintenance drama queens lacking any sense of reality regarding their job skills and what how they view their educational achievement—–Usually you throw the whiners a bone such as rather meaningless award to hang on the wall in a place of prominence while you spend endless hours of employer/taxpayer time whining about how unfair things are, gov’t should erase student debt, how your feet hurt, and that obesity has nothing to do with the endless quantities of fast food and charcuterie they consume—often at taxpayer expense.
In this case the “titles” after the signature have little value in the real world and if part of a job application would end up in the shit-can.
“Poetry Club Advisor”—-WTF? BWA HaHaHaHaHaHa
Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.
I spotted two grammatical errors in her e-mail without even trying to look for them. So much for that huge title in academia she keeps pushing.
Her grammar and format of the email is embarrassing for a leader of a high school English department.
I’m surprised she isn’t another worthless history teacher..
GENDER and SEXUALITY CLUB. Our civilization is doomed. Kids can’t sign their own names. Couldn’t find Iran on a map and so many other things not learned. The list is too long.
Makes me very sad 😞
“Couldn’t find Iran—–Simple search ‘Iran caves to Trump–Straight of Hormuz open’
Why is it always the English teachers who are the most radical?
“Here a year or two back me and Loretta went to a conference…. got set next to this woman…she kept talkin about the right wing this and the right wing that. I aint even sure what she meant by it…She kept on, kept on. Finally told me, said: I dont like the way this country is headed. I want my granddaughter to be able to have an abortion. And I said well
mam I dont think you got any worries about the way the country is headed. The way I see it goin I dont have much doubt but what she’ll be able to have an abortion. I’m goin to say that not only will she be able to have an abortion, she’ll be able to have you put to sleep. Which pretty much ended the conversation.”
– Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men
“They sell that shit to schoolkids. It’s worse than that. How’s that? Schoolkids buy it.”
― Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men
Hey Fatty
Have you rver heard of the first amendment?
Kids can discuss your creepy token pet gym teacher as much as they want and there is nothing you can do about it.
She was campaigning for the (failed) referendum on “company” time? Did she face any consequences for stealing taxpayer dollars that way? I remember a whole bunch of people getting their lives turned upside down in a John Doe probe a few years ago because they were accused of that. But, silly me, they weren’t libs, were they?
Weird family. I heard her brother is now her sister