Trust in Turbulent Times

The deep political divide in our state and nation hit a raw nerve in the Elmbrook School community on March 6, 2026, when Brookfield Central High School hosted an assembly called the History Rocks Tour. It’s time to talk about what we learned, and how we move forward.

My first notice of this assembly was a calendar invitation on March 2^nd via email from Elmbrook Superintendent Dr. Mark Hansen. No details were provided. I began receiving emails two days later from parents, students, BC alumni, and other community residents expressing deep concerns about the political bias embedded in the planned event.

In 48 hours I had received and read 110 emails – 104 of them in opposition to the assembly with requests that it be cancelled. Board members don’t make a habit of reviewing school assemblies, but community outrage rapidly escalated this to a Board issue. I looked into concerns about the planning, communication, political and religious bias, and safety of our students brought to my attention. A visit to the Department of Education website identifies the groups that sponsor the History Rocks Tour. I voiced my objections regarding the political nature of the event to the superintendent on March 4^th. The assembly went on as scheduled two days later.

I attended the assembly on March 6^th to bear witness. I spoke with one of the presenters before the program began. This was not a politically neutral event.

The History Rocks project is sponsored by a large partisan coalition – a coalition that includes an organization (Project 1776) that sent a vile, negative mailer filled with lies about me and another board candidate in 2024. I have not forgotten the postcard, nor the false attacks from other partisan groups, social media posts, and even a board colleague during the campaign. You can read more of my thoughts on the importance of keeping politics out of public schools in other posts on this page.

Clearly, this week is not the first time toxic partisanship has shown up in our community – but it is the first time the community’s outrage indicates that now is the time to address the problem.

Were students harmed on March 6? Unlikely, and I did not witness any walkouts from the assembly. Was it a worthwhile learning experience? I'm doubtful, since the 40-minute show was speeches without much substance sandwiching a game show of Revolutionary War trivia complete with a tee-shirt toss and logo hats publicizing the tour. I have no information on the remainder of the day, when these visitors would speak to two classes and one club. A quasi-historical display of the Glenn Beck-curated American Journey Experience museum was on display over the lunch hours, including what appeared to be a small array of cannon balls and popular culture bric-a-brac.

I’ve heard that BC students walking out of classes in protest were temporarily prevented from re-entering school on that rainy Friday morning. I am aware of the walkout of students at Brookfield East HS that appears to have been managed safely and with respect for our students. Elmbrook garnered media attention that we rarely receive for our good works or great students. Good news is not as compelling as toxic controversy in 2026.

Setting aside the event itself, which seems to have been the anticlimax of this week, we are left with a lot of outrage and a lessening of trust in our community. It's time to figure out where we go from here. In that spirit, I share the following lessons learned and opportunities for improvement.

Lesson #1: We live in an engaged community. It is a challenge at times, but I like living in a community where parents step forward, and where citizens feel free to engage. Our schools rely heavily on the hard work and sacrifices of families who volunteer to make our schools exceptional. You have a right to tell us what you think. We are partners in the important work of public education. This incident presents an opportunity to find ways to improve that relationship.

Lesson #2: Our Board of Education has work to do in addressing bias and polarity. We need to discuss and codify our shared understanding of what constitutes political or any other kind of bias in our schools, and then uniformly enforce policies that recognize our responsibilities to lead by example, which require us to keep our students' learning and safety at the forefront of all decision-making. That will take some changes. We must acknowledge the limits of our shared understanding of bias, and remember that bias can exist even if you don’t see it personally.

Lesson #3: It’s time to open a larger community conversation about mutual trust. As a public servant, this is my job, but it's also yours. The Elmbrook Schools are phenomenal – our teachers are amazing, our students hard-working, and we strive to get better every day. Our greatest opportunity for improvement is building community trust based on shared goals. I have some ideas to bring to the Board about how we can improve.

Please do not forget that we all benefit from great public schools. There is an election in just a few weeks - be informed and participate. We also have big decisions to make in the weeks and months ahead that will impact our schools, requiring mutual trust and our full attention.

• The Board of Education has dedicated a year to extensive review and planning for our district facilities, to make them ready for the next 20 years in the most cost-efficient way. A community-wide survey will arrive in April. We have some great, affordable plans. Join in the conversation with an open mind and an eye on the future.

• We had months of community-wide conversations about addressing the physical and mental wellbeing of our students, including potential adjustments to our start times based on an abundance of research that indicates we can enhance student readiness to succeed and learn. We need to bring that work to a successful resolution.

• Many Wisconsin public school districts struggle to provide a robust public education while legislators in Madison have yet to address the inadequacy of a flawed funding model or to invest some of the significant state surplus they are sitting on while failing to fund educational mandates, especially, but not only, in the area of special education. With careful budgeting and proactive planning, we are doing more with less in Elmbrook, but real budget reform in Madison would help every district in the state and serve our taxpayers as well.

The work of my life was coaching high school public speakers, teaching students to exercise critical thinking and understand all sides of complex issues by writing speeches, performing impactful literature, developing legislation, and debating all sides of controversial issues. I know they are quick to learn from what we do as much as what we say. We adults must model collaboration. The kids are watching. We cannot let them down. This is what keeps me up at night.

It’s time to focus on our shared commitment to supporting public education, to engage in a dialogue that builds community trust, and to make sure that our schools remain a safe, politics-free zone.

As Dr. Maya Angelou reminded us, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

There is room for improvement.

Mary Wacker

These comments are my opinion only, based on my experience, and do not reflect the collective opinions of the Elmbrook Board of Education, or any other board members.