Community addresses Green Bay School Board in open forum

GREEN BAY, Wi. (WGBW, WISS) – Several dozen concerned citizens attended the Green Bay School Board open forum Monday night to beg for the reinstatement of Claude Tiller, Jr. as superintendent. Each person was given 5 minutes to address the board during the forum which lasted almost 3 hours. 

Amanda Garcia spoke on behalf of the United Front for Social Change, which includes We All Rise: African American Resource Center, Casa ALBA Melanie and COMSA, the cultural non-profits that have circulated a petition to reinstate Tiller. 

“We urge you to consider the impact of this decision,” said Garcia, “and we demand the reinstatement of Dr. Tiller, immediately.”

Her sentiments were echoed repeatedly by speakers like Stephanie Ortiz who said, “When we have leaders like Dr. Claude Tiller, in our space, in our positions of leadership, who understand what the root causes of all the inequities are, it’s time we keep them. My ask and my demand is that you reinstate Dr. Claude Tiller and do not waste any further tax dollars on thinking that somebody else is the best person to lead our Green Bay Area Public School District.”

Matt Froehlich said he feels the actions of the board show that its commitment to diversity is negotiable.

“It’s time to fully acknowledge the gravity of your decisions and their impact,” said Froehlich. “Act boldly; correct the course; and commit to genuine lasting change. Our students deserve no less. And let this be the moment you choose to be on the right side of history.” 

Many of the supporters echoed that Tiller was the first superintendent to listen to the concerns of the community especially those that are brown and black.

“It’s not hard,” said Forehlich. “It’s really not hard. It’s just a bunch of people that want to hear their voice heard. And not have 6 people stand up here who look nothing like them.”

Tiller, the first black superintendent of schools in Green Bay, was put on administrative leave on February 13 as the school board investigated comments made on an Atlanta radio show. He eventually resigned, and the school board voted unanimously to accept his resignation on February 17.