Former RUSD School Board Official Pardoned By Governor

RACINE, WI — A former Racine Unified School District board member who resigned in 2015 after news she had a felony conviction came to light has been officially pardoned by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.

Authorities say Shelesia Parham of Racine was among 18 who were pardoned by Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday.

The Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board heard from applicants via a virtual meeting on June 23.
“A pardon won’t fix the challenges facing our criminal justice system, but it can have a tremendous impact on a person’s life,” Evers said in a statement. “Each of these people earned a pardon by serving their sentence and making positive contributions to society.”

According to the Governor's office, Parham, now 51 years old, was 23 when she forged her mother’s name on multiple withdrawal slips for her mother’s bank account. State officials said her relationship with her mother has been mended and her mother fully supports a pardon.

She has become an owner of multiple newspapers in Racine and previously hosted a weekly gospel hour on local radio. Parham lives in Racine, officials said.

Parham was elected to the RUSD School Board in April 2015. She submitted her resignation to the school board in June 2015 after news came to light that she was ineligible to hold a seat on the board due to a felony conviction from two decades prior.

Under state law, people convicted of a Wisconsin felony can apply for a pardon if they completed their sentence at least five years ago and have not committed any new crimes. Those currently required to register on the sex offender registry are ineligible for a pardon.