(The Center Square) – The leaders of Wisconsin’s Senate Committee on Education are asking for answers from the state’s Department of Public Instruction following a report showing that 200 investigations into teachers for sexual assault and grooming were shielded from the public.

Senate Committee on Education Chair John Jagler and Vice Chair Romaine Quinn asked a series of 12 questions of DPI Superintendent Jill Underly, including when she was made aware of the 200 cases, why she believes she shouldn’t be directly responsible for addressing concerns in the report and if local law enforcement was notified of any of the investigations.

“Allowing teachers under investigation to simply resign to stop an in-depth probe of the alleged abuse is a moral disaster,” the letter stated. “We also wholeheartedly reject the attempt to pin this on the legislature due to an alleged lack of funding. The first dollar spent by DPI should be ensuring that our kids are safe. Full Stop.”

The Capital Times report showed that DPI investigated more than 200 cases involving teachers, aides, substitutes and administrators from 2018 to 2023 involving accusations of sexual misconduct or grooming toward students without revealing that those investigations occurred.

U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican candidate for governor, told The Center Square through his campaign that citizens are asking the right questions in response to the report.

“Wisconsinites are rightly asking how these incidents could be hidden from the public, and the bottom line is that this is failed leadership, starting at the top with the so-called ‘education governor’ Tony Evers and his accomplices Sara Rodriguez and Mandela Barnes,” Tiffany said. “If an educator’s license is revoked or an investigation finds misconduct, the DPI should consistently track this information and establish a clear system for parents to know the truth, just as our state does for nurses and accountants.

“Educating children and prioritizing their safety should be DPI’s top responsibility, but instead, we have seen resources diverted to DEI initiatives and woke gender ideology in schools. As governor, I will ensure we have a transparent and honest system in place.”

The letter asked:

• When were you personally made aware that more than 200 sexual assault cases were under investigation?

• You declined to be interviewed for this story, citing a “conflict of interest”. What is the conflict of interest and why shouldn’t the state’s top education official be directly responsible for addressing child safety and educator misconduct?

• Was local law enforcement contacted to help investigate any of these allegations? What policies are in place that would trigger when law enforcement is notified? Are there clear guidelines DPI staff follows in this regard?

• What statutory or administrative authority allows DPI to close cases through license surrender without a formal finding?

• Are local school districts notified when DPI begins an investigation? Is there a clear policy on when the local schools should be notified and are their guidelines on how immediate in the process that notification occurs? What records are kept at DPI recording these cases, including the cases where a staff member resigns or voluntarily gives up their license?

• What safeguards exist to prevent educators who resign or surrender licenses from re-applying at a later date?

• Are future districts warned when these staff apply for other jobs?

• Why are disciplinary outcomes for educators not published in the same manner as other professional licensing boards in Wisconsin? Shouldn’t transparency, when it comes to safety of our children, be a top priority?

• The DPI spokesman blamed this inadequate record keeping on a lack of funding. If this is accurate, why was this issue not addressed in your last budget request or voiced in your State of Education Speech?

• The story lists that of the 416 teachers investigated, 207 have kept their licenses and are continuing to work with children. What standard do you have to exonerate those under investigation?

• Does DPI have a written policy for how these cases are identified and how the department takes action to address them? Please provide our offices with any of these records.