Complaints filed about potential Oshkosh Area School District hires

UPDATED at 8:00 am on 5/31/23 to include statement from Oshkosh School Board member Kelly DeWitt.

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OSHKOSH, Wis–Concerns are being raised about two potential administrative hires for the Oshkosh School District. Tonight (Wednesday) the Oshkosh School Board will vote to hire Samuel Coleman as an Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, and Anthony Miller, Junior as the district’s first Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Coleman was involved in a controversy last year in the Shorewood School District, as the former Director of Information Technology sued, claiming he was fired in retaliation for providing officials with text messages containing racial insults. According to records obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last fall, Coleman sent messages to co-workers that stated “Tell them crackas to holla at you when they sober” and “I’m feeling recharged and ready to check some white folks“.

In a statement provided to the Journal-Sentinel, Coleman denied the messages were racist and that “”My comments that were made from a place of anger, pain and frustration were not about all White people. My comments were solely made about specific individuals whose racist actions provoked anger, pain and frustration.” Coleman took medical leave from the Shorewood district after the incident and eventually resigned.

School Board member Kelly DeWitt provided the following statement to WHBY:

“Recently, I was made aware of the statements made by Mr. Coleman at his previous role at the Shorewood School District by members of our school community. The concerns I have heard regarding those comments has led me to believe that further vetting is required for this leadership position within our school district. The students, families, and employees of our Oshkosh school community are my number one priority, and they deserve to have leaders who listen and treat everyone with respect. Candidates we hire for leadership positions reflect our values as a school community, and it’s my hope that these concerns about this appointment are listened to and appropriately addressed by the administration.”

Meanwhile, a complaint against Miller’s hiring has been filed with the district pointing out that he is not licensed as an instructor by the state Department of Public Instruction and will have oversight over principals and other administrators.

Dear Oshkosh Area School District Board of Education,

Pending May 31st board approval, the Oshkosh Area School District is recommending Anthony Miller Jr. serve as the district’s first-ever director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. A position that pays $120,000 a year. However, Anthony Miller Jr. is not qualified to serve in this position. Although this position will be responsible for supervising principals, Anthony Miller Jr. is not licensed by the DPI. He also does not have any principal experience or k-12 teaching experience. The hire is a reach by any standards.

When comparing Anthony Miller Jr.’s experience, licenses, and qualifications against the other directors recommended for approval, Anthony Miller Jr. is not qualified for this leadership role. The district made minimal efforts to recruit for this position, and as a result, selected an unlicensed individual who has minimal k-12 experience.

Please review his qualifications and reject the proposed hire.

References

https://elo.wieducatorlicensing.org/datamart/searchByNameWIDPI.do (DPI License Lookup)

https://wecan.waspa.org/Vacancy/168135 (Job Description)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-miller-jr-b3377164 (LinkedIn Profile)

Miller is currently the manager of the Scholars for Success program at Fox Valley Technical College.