Edgar School Board repeals previous Title IX policy

By Casey Krautkramer

The Edgar School Board last Wednesday approved a revised school board policy that reverts Title IX policy back to president Donald Trump’s original policy before August of 2024.

Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 protects students from experiencing sex discrimination in schools that receive federal government money.

President Trump’s Title IX policy eliminates protections for gender identity in schools adopted by former President Joe Biden’s administration, which related to student pronouns and transgender students using facilities as restrooms.

An executive order signed by Trump in January defines sex as “an individual’s immutable biological classification as either male or female.”

Other business

■ The board accepted the retirement of Kris Federwitz, family consumer science teacher, at the end of this school year.

■ Board members accepted the following teacher resignations at the end of this school year: Ben Melke, middle school social studies; Becky Reissmann, high school ELA; Tristan Knoblock, fourth grade; and Hannah Pankratz, high school science.

■ The district’s spring election canvassers on Tuesday, April 1, will be Morgan Mueller, Michelle Socha and Lisa Nowak.

■ The board renewed the district’s CESA 9 contract for the 2025-26 school year, in the amount of $59,338, an increase of $16,746 due to more days contracted.

■ Board members approved the district’s CESA 10 contract for the 2025-26 school in the amount of $16,060, which is an increase of $460 from the 2024-25 contract.

■ The board approved the FBLA’s overnight trip to the state FBLA tournament in Green Bay on Monday, March 31, through Tuesday, April 1.

■ Board members also approved the high school track team’s overnight stay on March 21 and 22 for an indoor track meet at UW-La Crosse.

■ The school board met in closed session to discuss a parttime employee in consideration of staffing needs and possible action on an employee grievance. The school board didn’t reconvene into open session.