Meet Mary Grogan, Candidate For Greendale School Board

GREENDALE, WI — Mary Grogan, a teacher and Greendale resident, is running for a seat on the Greendale School Board. She will be on the ballot on April 7.

Grogan says from her point of view, that she has seen enough school-related controversy appear in the news over the last year or two, and is running in order to push racial inclusion and transparency forward on the board.

"The Greendale School Board has been in the news for over a year regarding unaddressed and unresolved racial equity issues dating back to the Fall of 2018," Grogan wrote. "As a result, Greendale has been cast as a racist community. In addition to that, the current Board President has been in place through the resignations of 3 Superintendents and 2 Interim Superintendents in the past 8 years. "

Below is Grogan's campaign profile, written in her own words.

Name: Mary Laurel Grogan
Age: 53
Hometown: Greendale
Occupation: Teacher

Political Experience:

Other than voting in every election since I turned 18, my active involvement in politics began when I ran for a School Board seat during the Act 10 era of Wisconsin history. After serving one term on a rural Public School Board (2012-2015) I moved home to Greendale and ran for School Board seats in my hometown.

In between those campaigns, I also volunteered on The Committee to Re-Elect Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Paul Dedinsky, a friend of mine from college. Currently, I am running against Kathy (Wied) Vincent, an incumbent on one of the most controversial School Boards in Greendale history.

Top issues in my campaign and how I would address them if elected:

The Greendale School Board has been in the news for over a year regarding unaddressed and unresolved racial equity issues dating back to the Fall of 2018. As a result, Greendale has been cast as a racist community. In addition to that, the current Board President has been in place through the resignations of 3 Superintendents and 2 Interim Superintendents in the past 8 years.

The most recent resignation, of former Superintendent Gary Kiltz, was prompted by $9,864 of money Gary Kiltz embezzled during his three year term. The Greendale School Board decided to allow Gary Kiltz to resign without pressing any felony charges.

There were also some issues regarding the calculation of the tax payers portion of the $33.8 million dollar referendum.

Finally, the Greendale School Board is rushing past a community petition and appointing the Interim Superintendent, without full community input or support.

For all of these reasons, and more, I decided to give Greendale residents a choice for positive change on the April 7th, 2020 ballot. And so I humbly ask for your vote.

An interesting fact about myself:

My nickname in college was: The very moral Mary Laurel. As a Teacher, I have had some very interesting summer jobs: Summerfest, State Fair, Cedar Creek Winery, Wollersheim Winery, Westmoor Country Club, Cliffords Supper Club, Marshall Fields, Kwik Trip, Resident Advisor of the Year 1988.

I was also cast in The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney's Hollywood Studios - November 2019.