Eisenhower community wants answers

GREEN BAY - First grade bilingual teacher Mark Bazaldua came to Green Bay's school board meeting on Monday night on behalf of his students' parents at Eisenhower Elementary School, two-thirds of which are Hispanic.

“A lot of them are intimidated to come here without the language and I was hoping to go back to school with some answers for them or some insight on what did happen to our principal,” said Bazaldua.

But Bazaldua didn't get the answers he was looking for.

The district has said former Eisenhower principal Claudia Orr took a new job within district offices after it started investigating the school for testing irregularities.

Last week, the district confirmed state education officials are looking into the test concerns. It focuses around whether actual test questions were used while preparing for the Wisconsin knowledge and concepts exam.

The district says it has reassigned administrators and staff involved in the situation.

At Monday night's meeting, the district didn't provide any new information.

“I know it has been difficult, but we want to be respectful to all involved and make sure that the investigation is done as it should be to assure the support of students and parents and staff and community,” said Michelle Langenfeld, the district’s superintendent.

Bazaldua says the investigation has some students asking teachers what happened.

“A lot of the fourth and fifth graders are asking their teachers like, 'hey did we cheat? Like where were we for this?'” said Bazaldua.

According to the district the answer is no. It is something Bazaldua says is being reassured at school. But he says the uncertainty surrounding the situation is weighing on staff.

“No matter what is said or what's done, it looks bad for our teachers, that staff who are really dedicated to that population,” said Bazaldua.

District leaders still don't have a time line of when the investigation will be resolved. They hoped to hear from the Department of Public Instruction last Thursday.