Not too long ago, we told you how Wisconsin public schools are foundering. Only 31% of students are proficient in reading. In the state's biggest urban district -- Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) -- things are even worse. Almost 50% of MPS students are Black, and they are dead last in fourth grade reading and math scores, scoring just 8% and 5% proficient, respectively.
Now MPS has hired a new superintendent and this damning thread shows things are about to get much worse for students in the city of Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Public Schools just hired Dr. Brenda Casselius as its new superintendent, which could be a massive mistake. 🧵An important thread on why: 🧵 pic.twitter.com/efFduJgbnw
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
Buckle up.
Casselius is from the Twin Cities and, believe it or not, BOTH of them passed her over when hiring superintendents. Minneapolis rejected her in 2019 and just two months ago, St. Paul chose not to hire her: https://t.co/SK89rVlOXQ
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
It's pretty sad when Minnesota has higher standards than you. They elected Tim Walz governor, after all.
The St. Paul School District was undoubtedly unnerved by Casselius' disastrous tenure as Boston Public Schools superintendent, which ended in a contract buyout less than three years after it began. https://t.co/eXisAPF6HQ
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
On the upside, looks like she won't be in Milwaukee long.
Casselius steered Boston Public Schools into such a freefall that the district was recommended for state receivership "despite being among the nation's best-funded urban districts." https://t.co/B3yNEqS1Ex
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
She bankrupted the district.
What went wrong? According to dozens of people who worked for her, it was Casselius herself. A 2020 Boston Magazine exposé revealed an alarming pattern of horrible leadership. https://t.co/j5hsQ99LmY pic.twitter.com/mKqi2T2IKE
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
When mainstream media start reporting how bad you are, you must be really bad.
She had no ability to run the day-to-day operations of a major school district and would instead consume herself with "splashy proposals" that "did not appear connected to any coherent plan." pic.twitter.com/wfA98BUEBm
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
Great. Just great.
Kids in MPS deserve so much better.
They're not gonna get it, though.
This stemmed from what colleagues believed was her inability to focus on the more mundane but important aspects of her job. pic.twitter.com/vYB9G8FTWs
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
WTF.
Running a major urban school district requires focusing on the mundane aspects of the job.
She "herself realized she was in over her head" and "often broke down in tears" in meetings and "said she felt overwhelmed." pic.twitter.com/dplEgNgOSA
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
Wow.
This is fine. Totally fine. What could possibly go wrong here?
She was so overwhelmed, in fact, that her chief of staff needed to literally prop her up, telling her "Let's breathe in. Let's breathe out. You can do this." pic.twitter.com/R5QLPomkAY
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
Oh my God.
Things got so bad that Boston's high school teachers openly revolted against Casselius, leaking a highly critical letter to her to the "Boston Globe." https://t.co/xXKR5mwFBI
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
Leadership! Or something.
Within two years, Casselius was out. Both she and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu called it a "mutual decision," but it was clear that Casselius was not welcome back to the district.
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
She was fired. Let's be real here.
After that debacle, she returned home to the Twin Cities and applied for the superintendent job in St. Paul. She was rejected...by people who know her well. Five years after she was rejected by more people who know her well in Minneapolis.
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
The Twin Cities dodged a bullet.
Now she is superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools, a district that national standardized testing just revealed is the worst in the nation at educating black students. pic.twitter.com/sbpRnAPVh0
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
This is embarrassing. And that's putting it mildly.
On top of that, the district is mired in a massive financial scandal in which it has been unable to account for $800 million in federal COVID relief money. https://t.co/HFcXlfowkX
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
She drove Boston Public Schools into the ground financially. She'll do the same to MPS.
Will Casselius be able to turn things around? Or, like she did in Boston, will she fall to pieces and take another school district down with her? Only time will tell, but her past performance doesn't bode well for the future of Milwaukee Public Schools.
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 13, 2025
Not a chance. She's Captain Smith heading right for the iceberg.
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