(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — The principal of the largest high school in Kenosha County has acknowledged that he knows of teachers who use grades as “weaponry,” but has refused to explain what he meant, identify whether any teachers have been disciplined, or say whether improperly assigned grades have been corrected.
Scott Kennow, principal of Indian Trail High School & Academy, made the statement during communications with Kenosha County Eye. The remark immediately raised concerns, prompting follow-up questions asking him to explain exactly what he meant by “weaponize” grades, how widespread the problem is, whether students have been harmed, and what corrective action has been taken.
Kennow declined to answer.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Kenosha County Eye also sought answers from Kenosha Unified School District Superintendent Jeffrey Weiss, asking whether he shared Kennow’s concerns, what oversight the district provides, whether teachers found to have weaponized grades are disciplined, and whether affected students have their records corrected. Weiss also declined to comment.
The unanswered questions come as Indian Trail High School has experienced an extraordinary string of employee misconduct investigations in recent years, leading many parents to question whether the problems stem from isolated employees or deeper failures in leadership and accountability.
Among the controversies:
- Danielle Nixon, a school receptionist, resigned amid allegations that she altered student attendance records, allegedly helping athletes remain eligible for competition.
- Odin Cabal, an art teacher, was investigated after administrators discovered a hidden bed inside a locked storage closet connected to his classroom. Investigators also found students left unsupervised while Cabal was elsewhere. He later resigned.
- Jamil Sanders, an educational support professional, was allowed to resign while facing allegations involving a student at Indian Trail. He later was charged in Racine County with multiple felony sex crimes involving students at another school.
- Michael Russell, an information technology employee, was fired after allegations he engaged in grooming behavior toward students. He later pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct under a plea agreement resolving criminal charges.
- Nathan Gardner, an orchestra teacher, was convicted after prosecutors alleged he used a dating app to pursue a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
- Melvin Tart, a teacher, was permitted to resign after investigators concluded he sent inappropriate text messages to a 17-year-old student, including discussing a sexual dream involving her.
- Ryan Nachtigal, a math teacher, was first disciplined after making a “Heil Hitler” comment and gesture in class, then later fired after investigators substantiated additional racially insensitive comments.
- Antonio “Tony” Garcia, a former KUSD Board member and bilingual community liaison, was terminated after investigators concluded he engaged in grooming-like behavior toward multiple students. He was later criminally charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
- Kayla Estevez, the school’s cheer coach, was fired after leaving her two-month-old baby with students for approximately 90 minutes during practice. Her tenure also generated questions regarding cheer-related finances.
- Samuel Sauceda, an interventionist, was arrested following allegations he threatened a teenager with a handgun during a domestic confrontation. Although initially arrested on felony allegations, prosecutors ultimately pursued only a municipal citation.
- Jonathan Arnett, a teacher, was investigated after showing students a sexually charged video and conducting a classroom exercise that made students uncomfortable. The School Board initially rejected a recommendation to terminate him before later voting not to renew his contract.
- Mercilie Toney, an assistant principal, was investigated after a teacher alleged she asked him to award her son French credit he had not earned. The district deemed the allegations unsubstantiated, but Toney was later quietly reassigned to Bradford High School. District insiders told Kenosha County Eye that trust in her leadership had been lost.
The growing list of personnel controversies has unfolded while Kennow has served as principal of Indian Trail.
Whether that reflects bad luck, systemic management failures, inadequate oversight, or district-wide problems remains an open question. Many insiders blame Kennow, himself.
When asked directly whether he bears any responsibility for the repeated misconduct occurring under his leadership, Kennow did not answer.
Kennow sidestepped questions and ultimately made a comment about how he is hoping to “survive until retirement.”
He did, however, indicate that many important decisions are made above his level, telling Kenosha County Eye that there are numerous matters that are “above my pay grade,” suggesting that ultimate authority rests with district administration.
That response appears to place at least some responsibility on Superintendent Jeffrey Weiss and the district’s central administration.
But neither Weiss nor Kennow would explain who is responsible for ensuring teachers do not use grades as “weaponry.”
Neither would answer whether students have received improper grades, whether any teacher has been disciplined for weaponizing grades, how many incidents have occurred, or whether any allegedly weaponized grades have ever been corrected.
Those questions remain unanswered.
32 Responses
If they only had more money
😂🤣🤣🤣
Lol
At least the school officer isn’t missing loaded guns in waistbands still at Indian Trail.
I believe it was in his crotch. 🤷♂️
It’s okay…..he’s black right? So it must be okay.
Just how many open records requests is this going to take to find out who’s responsible for all of these questions ?
Considering all these “off the cuff” comments by Kennow that then were declined for verification with follow up questions, it seems that Kennow so badly wants to spill the beans but is countering the devil and angel on his shoulders to just make it to retirement.
Me thinks he needs to read the tea leaves and leave before an investigation scoops him up !
As we all know, the chances of getting charged with something is greatly reduced once you quit.
KUSD strikes again with the brooms used to sweep things under the rugs.
So who is demanding accountability in Racine County at Racine Unified….DA Pat Hansen, and/or the Racine County Eye?
Years on the job until it’s time to exit and collect tax payer supplied benefits. Doubt there isn’t even any way WI Retirement Systems are lost since KUSD allows resignations rather than terminations.
Age and years in service are all that counts and even the most incompetent are going to collect a pension courtesy of the taxpayers.
Kennow will talk you in circles without any real answers or solutions. Weiss wants the title without any accountability or action. KUSD is trash. They do nothing when it comes to real issues for students. They hire anyone to operate and do not care about the quality at all, which is clearly displayed in the above. No way there should be so many failed students under the watch of these people who are supposed to help protect them!
Just another way to say ….
…. “get your kids OUT of public schools”
“Survive until retirement” is a statement of defeat and weakness.
.. says it all !!!
Someone who is so disgusted with their job but doesn’t know where the door is !
Sad for the Taxpayers to see the quiet part said out loud. “survive until retirement.”
Sad way to be. Not going to be much of a party as he slinks out the back door.
I’m guessing right now he’s regretting ever talking to Kevin.
No ……… it’s laughing all the way to the bank
on taxpayers …
Most places would replace him and change the culture in the school. It all starts at the top.
He has been replaced in the past- Central high for some other scandal (allegedly)
Why don’t u ask kennow how the new scoreboard was paid for ?
That is where the real shady stuff starts
Reminds me of the 80s movie wildcats. The principal made announcements daily about “buy the peanut brittle” to pay for a scoreboard
Do tell?
The best part was when Kennow single handedly tore down a working scoreboard, and wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars on a new one. Once installed, it did not the the proper horn/audio that he wanted. Kennow then had to dip into the budget for several thousand dollars more, because he “didn’t realize” it didn’t have everything he wanted hahaha. (allegedly, a mouse told me)
Why did he even open his mouth? Fucking moron.
… that they either are not supposed to know or wish they didn’t know the urge to tell others is very strong.
Only the most disciplined government lifer can control that urge to not tell others.
In this case a basic inquiry into an ongoing investigation about favoritism and conversely weaponization of perceived power over others has exposed the reality of working in a toxic broken institution. Kennow has no power that can save himself from the coverup that will eventually get exposed.
KUSD will continue its path of limiting damage as it tries to ride out the political change that this country is experiencing.
Someday, hopefully soon, schools will become better or they will get overrun by the private sector.
But both require political will at both the local and state levels.
Sandy ? Are you listening ?
It’s down to earth local school choice and accountability of existing schools that could be something you champion if you get to Madison.
Remember Sandy, you are jumping right into the second level there. Once there we will expect a lot from you. Not just going along with what others do.
I think he is just a fucking moron and had diarrhea of the mouth.
KUSD is running as a business. NOT ONE OF THEM CARES ABOUT THESE KIDS! Bunch of pathetic losers who should be embarrassed of what they have allowed, drunks, pedofiles, DEI hires, liars and criminals. What happened to taking pride in yourself and your work? Sad world we live in when we use our children to get ahead in life instead of doing what’s best for these children to get ahead in their futures. Here’s big FU to the board and staff at KUSD, I’m out in a year thank the Lord.
Disturbing
wow, and this is at one school. plus, this is what we are aware of.
The desire and objective just to make it to a full pension retirement is completely logical under the progressively impossible conditions faced in today’s public and catholic education environments.
Accountability requires accurate sensing, thinking, rational judgment and action. This combination of characteristics are baseline masculine and have been successfully labeled culturally “Toxic”, without effective sustainable kickback, socially or politically.
Today is ruled by the baseline feminine combination of knee-jerk emotive sensing, feeling, and emotional vicious judgment across public and catholic education, with rare exceptions. Consequently, any rational person employed with long tenure in either is as a Alice in Chains “Man in a Box”, just waiting for the clock to strike “Full Pension & Benefits” then immediately RETIRE.
But what could he do to not get his pension? He can be a murderer, felon, groomer, pedo, rapist or all of the above and KUSD won’t do fire them.
Pensions are federally protected. OJ Simspons pension was the one thing the Goldmans could not take even after winning a civil trial. They got his Heisman though
Fyi…the Goldman’s got a civil judgement, they collected none of it. OJ could afford better civil lawyers. What is not generally known is that a winning plaintiff has to collect the judgement themselves. If the losing defendent doesn’t pay up, without a competent private eye/attorney to garnish wages or directly clean out the defendent’s bank accounts, it’s tough beans to the “winner”.
This guy has been no good for a
Long time !!! Not sure how he even has the job still !!!!
This principal has repeatedly asked teachers to change grades for athletes (not to mention protected staff over students for years). Everything he says and does is self-serving.