Incumbent Andrew M. Becker and Kou Lee defeated Paul Boucher and Alex Mineau in the general election for two at-large seats on the Green Bay Area Public School District Board of Education on April 2, 2024. Incumbent Nancy Welch did not run for re-election, leaving one at-large seat open. As of April 3, 2024, Becker had 35.0% of the vote, followed by Lee with 27.7%, Mineau with 25.9% and Boucher with 11.0%.
Both the Democratic and Republican parties of Brown County endorsed candidates. County Democrats endorsed Lee, while county Republicans endorsed Mineau. Both parties endorsed Becker.
The election followed the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Claude Tiller, who resigned on Feb. 17, 2024, after he appeared on an Atlanta-area radio show. According to the Associated Press, Tiller “made blunt comments about race relations, criticized the community and derided one of the district’s principals.” Tiller’s comments criticized both Green Bay at large and individual staff members for what he described as outdated and inappropriate attitudes towards race relations. Although the school board did not specify why it had accepted Tiller’s resignation, Tiller’s supporters said he had been pushed to resign for his comments criticizing the community at large and that he had been held to a higher standard than a white superintendent: “They’re sending the message that if you’re BIPOC (black, indigenous, person of color) you can’t make any mistake.”
After Tiller’s resignation, resource centers for the city’s Hispanic, Black, and Somali populations founded a group called United Front for Social Change. The group called for the board to appoint a minority member to replace school board member Laura Laitinen-Warren, who resigned on Feb. 24, 2024. Green Bay’s population is 72% white. The enrollment at public schools is 61% nonwhite.
Becker was, at the time of the election, an IT technician who had served on the board since 1998. Becker said it was “critical to make sure that we give all of our community a voice and that the Board and the Administration find ways to reach out to hear from everyone and respond to your concerns.” Becker said his priorities were selecting a new superintendent and cutting spending. The Wisconsin AFL-CIO, the Green Bay Education Association, and both the Democratic and Republican parties of Brown County endorsed Becker.
Boucher was a Green Bay resident and former Georgetown University employee. Boucher said he was running “with the hope of returning the knowledge and bringing the community to a higher intellectual ground.” Boucher said his priorities were encouraging community attendance at school athletic events and encouraging families to move to Green Bay to increase enrollment.
Lee was, at the time of the election, a business owner. Lee said he supported “a vision for a school board that values diversity, champions education for all and is committed to making a real difference in our community.” Lee said his priorities were increasing enrollment and proficiency rates, raising standards for staff and students, and creating “an environment of trust and growth where everyone is accountable to each other.” The Wisconsin AFL-CIO, the Green Bay Education Association, and the Democratic Party of Brown County endorsed Lee.
Mineau was, at the time of the election, a teacher who earlier worked in the district. Mineau said he knew “from personal experience our district’s weaknesses and strengths and some things we can do to address the weaknesses and capitalize on our strengths.” Mineau said his priorities were reallocating enrollment boundaries for individual district schools, improving student behavior, and changing policies related to staff hiring and retention. The Republican Party of Brown County endorsed Mineau.
There are seven seats on the Green Bay Area Public School District Board of Education. Board members serve three-year terms.
