What you should know about past incidents in Baraboo, Wisconsin

Last week, the central Wisconsin city of Baraboo attracted critical attention after the white parent of a high school graduate pressured the school district’s black principal to prevent him from shaking his daughter’s hand.

The incident has sparked accusations of racism on social media from many quarters, including a Wisconsin lawmaker, and led to the man being charged with disturbing the peace. On social media, community members and groups have pushed back against claims that the incident targeted the broader community or was racially motivated.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is not naming the man to avoid identifying his daughter and could not reach him for an interview.

Baraboo is a city of about 12,500 people near Wisconsin Dells and the county seat of Sauk County. The city has earned a reputation as a low-key tourist destination due to its proximity to Wisconsin Dells, Devil’s Lake State Park, Circus World Museum, and its history as the home of the Ringling family of circuses.

The event has also brought a spotlight on several negative incidents in the community over the past six years. Each of them has involved racist behavior or accusations of it. Here’s a timeline of the six years Baraboo has been in the spotlight – for all the wrong reasons.

November 2018: Male high school students from Baraboo take a photo with the Nazi salute

The most notable incident that attracted attention in the community occurred in November 2018. At that time, a photo was posted on social media showing male graduates of Baraboo High School apparently giving the Nazi salute.

The photo, taken by a professional photographer who is the father of one of the students pictured, shows about 60 students standing on the steps of the Sauk County Courthouse before their prom in May. About half of the students are giving the Nazi salute, while one holds his hand in a three-fingered OK sign that some associate with the white power movement.

The photographer later told the Associated Press that he asked the teens to wave goodbye to their parents before heading to the prom.

The incident also sparked debate within and outside the community. Some former and current students spoke in detail about the atmosphere at the school, saying that racist comments and attitudes were prevalent there and that officials did little to stop them.

Ultimately, the incident resulted in a lengthy apology from then-District Administrator Lori Mueller, and various organizations such as the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Wisconsin Jewish Conference jointly signed a statement condemning the incident.

January 2020: A former student files a lawsuit alleging a racist culture in the Baraboo School District

Less than a year later, the school district made headlines again when a former student filed a lawsuit against the school, alleging that the district violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.

In the lawsuit filed by Dasia F. Banks, a former black student, she accused the school district of failing to respond to a classmate’s alleged sexual assault of her and others, and of “deliberate indifference and lack of response to the numerous instances of racial harassment and discrimination directed against Dasia F. Banks by both students and staff.”

The district agreed to pay Banks and her legal team $862,500, one of the largest amounts in Wisconsin for a K-12 lawsuit involving two federal laws that protect students from racial and sexual harassment and discrimination. The district pleaded not liable in the case.

October 2022: Baraboo activities director was part of group that allegedly arrested teenagers

Over two years later, a Baraboo School District activities director was arrested after he and two other men illegally “citizens’ arrest” a group of high school students in a local residential area.

This incident was also controversial. One of the young people, a white man, told the police that the three adults had forced the black students in the group to lie on the ground while he was allowed to remain standing.

The incident occurred during the high school’s homecoming week, and there had been a period of vandalism in the neighborhood, according to a Journal Sentinel report at the time. One of the adults, who was not a school district employee, brandished a flamethrower-like device during the incident and shot flames from it three times.

No charges were filed against two of the adult men, including the school district employee. The school official told police the group of boys “did nothing” and claimed he was the reason the incident was stopped.

Charges of second-degree reckless endangerment of safety, disturbing the peace and false imprisonment were filed against an adult and forwarded to the Sauk County District Attorney’s Office. A disturbing the peace case against the man was dismissed in October 2022, according to state court records.

May 2024: Headmaster is pushed away by the father of a graduating student

A week ago, the latest incident that sparked controversy occurred during Baraboo High School’s graduation ceremony.

A recording of the May 31 graduation ceremony by MAX TV, a local television station, shows the event.

In it, a high school graduate is seen smiling as she receives her diploma and shakes hands with school officials standing in line. As she reaches the end of the line, a man the district has identified as the graduate’s father is seen pushing Briggs out of the line.

In the restraining order against the man, Briggs wrote that the man told her he would not “touch my (expletive) daughter.”

In the video, the graduate looks confused and pauses for a few moments before placing her tassel on the other side of her graduation cap and leaving the stage. Other officials watch as others come onto the stage and appear to begin helping to deal with the incident.

The man was escorted from the building and charged with disturbing the peace. He is due to appear in Sauk County District Court in August.

A judge also ordered the man to have no contact with Superintendent Rainey Briggs after a restraining order was issued. A hearing is scheduled for June 14.

Since the incident, several statements have been issued by community groups. The Baraboo School District, the County School Board, and the Baraboo Chamber of Commerce each released statements regarding the incident, criticizing the father.

“The fact that this adult felt emboldened to behave in this way in front of hundreds of students and other adults should be of deep concern to all of us; such behavior will not be tolerated,” the school board said in a statement.

The incident prompted state Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison) to post on X that “no one should have to endure this kind of rude and racist behavior.”

The Baraboo Chamber of Commerce said in a statement Thursday: “It does not believe that the actions of one misguided individual should be used to portray Baraboo as something it is not.”

“Baraboo is a welcoming, open and supportive community that supports its institutions and strives to create an inclusive community,” the statement said.

The incident drew national attention on social media and from at least one civil rights organization. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a press release Thursday that it was calling for an investigation to determine whether bias was a motive in the incident.

The incident also came after controversy had arisen in the school district in recent months.

School board chairman Kevin Vodak is facing an attempted recall. Organizers accuse him of misusing taxpayer money by giving salary increases to Briggs and another district administrator.

Vodak was also on stage at Friday’s graduation ceremony. The man who interrupted the ceremony did not stop his daughter from shaking Vodak’s hand.

Contact David Clarey at [email protected] or 605-579-0223. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @david_clarey

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