GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – In light of recent events that led to the resignation of Dr. Claude Tiller Jr. as Superintendent of Green Bay Area Public Schools, the district’s Board of Education on Monday issued a statement supporting the amendment. Please contact the community for specific details about your situation.
The school board's announcement raises multiple questions, starting with how the district knew in the first place. Statements made by Dr. Tiller J. during a radio interview.
According to board members, Mr. Tiller Jr. first publicly posted on his personal
After the Feb. 6 broadcast, the board became aware of Dr. Tiller Jr.'s comments on the program that he felt there were growing concerns about his ability to “lead the district effectively and collaboratively.”
The school board has since sought outside counsel and says an investigation into the incident began shortly before public comment regarding the online video was made at the Feb. 12 meeting. In other words, Ed Dorff's comments did not trigger an investigation or a school board meeting. The Board of Directors accepts Dr. Tiller Jr.'s resignation.
The board then decided, due to concerns from members of the public who had seen the video of Dr. Tiller Jr.'s comments, that Dr. Tiller Jr. would be placed on administrative leave until the investigation was completed.
According to the school board, Dr. Tiller Jr. was notified of his leave of absence on February 13th, and on February 17th, after the school board met in private to discuss Dr. Tiller Jr.'s proposed resignation. It is said that a unanimous resolution was passed to accept the resignation.
“We would like to assure the community that the Board has ensured that all of Dr. Tiller's rights as an employee will be respected. During this period, he will be represented by his own attorney. Dr. Tiller voluntarily submitted his resignation, which the Board carefully considered in a closed session that lasted nearly three hours and then unanimously accepted his resignation.''
GBAPSD Board of Education
The school board added that neither the school board nor district leadership has asked that the video of Dr. Tiller Jr.'s comments be removed from social media. Under public records laws, the district had to wait a certain number of days before releasing the video.
In a joint statement between the board and Dr. Tiller Jr., both sides agreed that resignation is the best option for both parties, and the board added: They accepted Dr. Tiller Jr.'s resignation in good faith. And he said he had legal representation throughout the process.
Although the Board acknowledges that this is not what some people wanted to hear, the Board supports and values Dr. Tiller Jr.'s daily efforts within the District's schools and within the community. It states that
“We are committed to the academic goals established by Dr. Tiller and the instructional team, which will facilitate the learning of students who need the greatest support. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to move it forward.”
The full statement can be viewed below.
“The Board of Education wishes to correct misinformation in the community regarding the resignation of Dr. Claude Tiller Jr. as Superintendent of the Green Bay Regional Public School District. We are aware of the threats made against individuals as a result. It is important to note that the information that boards can share regarding personnel matters is limited by laws that protect employees' right to confidentiality. Similarly, board members are required to maintain confidentiality regarding information discussed during closed board meetings.
Questions have been raised about how the board became aware of the Facebook video of Dr. Tiller and Dr. Adrian's interview. Dr. Tiller publicly shared on his personal X (Twitter) account on February 1st that he had been invited to appear on the show.
After the Feb. 6 broadcast, the board discussed Dr. Tiller's comments that raised concerns of potential litigation against the district and concerns that could impact his ability to effectively and collaboratively lead the district. I recognized a comment. The school board has sought outside counsel regarding the matter. Dr Tiller was notified on February 7th that an investigation would take place. The investigation process had begun prior to public comment at the board's Feb. 12 meeting regarding the video content. Allegations that Ed Dorff's comments in a public forum resulted in the investigation or that the Board accepted Dr. Tiller's resignation are false.
Board members heard concerns from individuals who saw the video or learned about the comments recorded on the video, and the decision was made to place Dr. Tiller on administrative leave until the investigation is complete. He was informed of this on February 13th. On February 17, the Board of Education met in private to discuss Dr. Tiller's proposed resignation, then held a public vote and unanimously accepted his resignation. A joint statement was released by the school board and Dr. Tiller regarding his resignation.
Allegations have been raised that Dr. Tiller was not given due process. We would like to assure the community that the Board has ensured that all of Dr. Tiller's rights as an employee will be respected. During this period he was represented by his own attorney. Dr. Tiller voluntarily submitted his resignation, and the Board of Directors unanimously accepted his resignation after careful consideration in a closed session that lasted nearly three hours. The investigation has now ended.
We are aware that a Facebook video released after the Board accepted Dr. Tiller's resignation has caused concern to some community members. Neither the school board nor district leadership requested that the video be removed from social media. Under public records laws that require notification of affected employees, the district could not release the video until a certain number of days had passed. Video requesters received a detailed explanation of the timeline. Again, as stated in the joint statement, the Board of Education and Dr. Tiller mutually agreed that his resignation was the best course of action for both parties. The Board of Directors has accepted Dr. Tiller's resignation in good faith. Dr. Tiller provided legal representation throughout this process.
We understand that this is not what some members of the community want to hear. This does not mean that we have ignored concerns about fairness and equality, or the need for greater understanding and inclusion among all stakeholders.
The board supported and recognized Dr. Tiller's efforts to spend time in the school every day and be visible in the community. Additionally, we are fully committed to the academic goals developed by Dr. Tiller and his instructional team, which allows us to facilitate the learning of students who need the most support. As a board, we are committed to doing what is necessary to move our district forward. ”
GBAPSD Board of Education
