In the last week, the central Wisconsin city of Baraboo has garnered critical attention after the white parent of a high school graduate pushed the school district’s Black superintendent to keep him from shaking hands with his daughter.
The incident has prompted accusations of racism from many on social media, including a Wisconsin lawmaker, and resulted in the man facing charges of disorderly conduct. On social media, community members and groups have pushed back against assertions that the incident speaks to the broader community or that it was racially motivated.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is not naming the man to avoid identifying his daughter and has been unable to 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 garnered a reputation as a low-key tourist destination due to its proximity to the Wisconsin Dells, Devil's Lake State Park, the Circus World Museum and its history as the home of the Ringling family, who operated circuses.
The event has also re-highlighted several past negative incidents in the community in the last six years. Each involves racist behavior or accusations of such. Here’s a timeline of Baraboo’s six years in the spotlight — for all the wrong reasons.
November 2018: Baraboo male senior class students take photo doing Nazi salute
The most notable incident to raise intense scrutiny on the community came in November 2018. At that time, a photo was posted on social media of the male members of the graduating class of Baraboo High School appearing to do a Nazi salute.
The photo was taken by a professional photographer who is a parent of one of the students in the photo. It showed about 60 students standing on the step of the Sauk County Courthouse before their May prom. Roughly half of the students appear to be giving the Nazi salute, while one is holding his hand in a three-fingered OK sign that some associate with white power movements.
The photographer would later tell the Associated Press that he had asked the teens to wave goodbye to their parents before they went to prom.
The incident also prompted discussion from inside and outside the community. Some former and current students shared details on the school’s atmosphere, which they said harbored racist comments and attitudes, with officials taking little action taken to deter them.
Ultimately, the event prompted a lengthy apology from then-district administrator Lori Mueller and various organizations, like the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Wisconsin Jewish Conference, co-signed a statement condemning the incident.
January 2020: A former student files a lawsuit alleging a racist culture at Baraboo School District
Just over a year later, the school district was back in the news, as a former student filed a lawsuit against the school. The lawsuit alleged that the district violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX, which prohibits discrimination in education based on sex.
Filed by Dasia F. Banks, a Black former student, she accused the district of failing to respond to alleged sexual assaults against her and others by a fellow student and of "deliberate indifference and failure to respond to multiple acts of racial harassment and discrimination directed at Dasia F. Banks ... by both students and staff.”
The district agreed to pay Banks and her legal team $862,500, one of the largest in Wisconsin for a K-12 lawsuit involving the two federal laws protecting students from racial and sexual harassment and discrimination. The district did not admit liability in the case.
October 2022: Baraboo activities director part of group who allegedly detained teens
Over two years later, a Baraboo School District activities director was arrested after he and two other men made an illegal “citizen’s arrest” of a group of high schoolers in a local neighborhood.
That incident was contentious as well. One of the teens, who is white, told police that the three adults made the students of color in the group get on the ground, while he was allowed to stay standing.
The event occurred during homecoming week at the high school and as the neighborhood had seen some vandalism, according to a Journal Sentinel report at the time. One of the adults, who was not a district employee, was wielding a flamethrower-like device during the incident and shot flames out of it three times.
Two of the adult men, including the school district employee, did not face charges. The school official told police that the group of boys “weren’t doing anything” and claimed he was the reason the incident ended.
One adult had charges of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, disorderly conduct and false imprisonment were referred to the Sauk County District Attorney’s Office. According to state court records, an October 2022 case for disorderly conduct against the man was dismissed.
May 2024: Superintendent pushed away by father of graduating student
One week ago, the latest incident occurred during the Baraboo High School graduation and has sparked controversy.
A recording of the May 31 graduation ceremony from 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 the hands of school officials standing in a line. As she reaches the end of the line, a man, who the district 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 Briggs he was "not going to touch my (expletive) daughter."
In the video, the graduate has a confused look and pauses for several moments before she moves her tassel to the other side of her graduation cap and leaves the stage. Other officials watch as others walk onstage and appear to begin to assist in managing the incident.
The man was escorted out of the building and has been charged with disorderly conduct. He is required to make an August appearance in the Sauk County Circuit Court.
A judge has also ordered the man to have no contact with Superintendent Rainey Briggs after a temporary restraining order was filed; a hearing is set for June 14.
Several statements have been issued by community groups since it occurred. The School District of Baraboo, the district school board and the Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce each released statements on the incident and criticizing the father.
"That this adult felt emboldened to behave in this way in front of hundreds of students and other adults should deeply trouble us all; this type of behavior will not be tolerated,” the school board statement said.
The incident prompted State Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, to post on X that "no one should have to endure this type of gross & racist conduct."
The Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce said in a Thursday statement that it “does not believe the actions of one misguided individual should be used to character Baraboo as something it is not.”
“Baraboo is a welcoming, embracing and nurturing community that supports its institutions and strives to create an inclusive community,” the statement said.
The incident has garnered national attention on social media and from at least one civil rights organization. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a media release on Thursday they are requesting a probe into whether bias was a motive in the incident.
The incident also comes as there has been controversy in the school district in recent months.
School board president Kevin Vodak is facing a recall effort, with organizers saying he's misused taxpayer dollars by increasing salaries for Briggs and another district administrator.
Vodak was also onstage for Friday's graduation. The man who interrupted the ceremony did not prevent his daughter from shaking Vodak's hand.
Contact David Clarey at dclarey@gannett.com or 605-579-0223. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @david_clarey
