Milwaukee-area school district hit with discrimination complaint over book removal

Editor’s note: After publication, the Wisconsin Independent learned Michelle Cramer filed a second complaint about the removal of the book, this time with the Department of Public Instruction. The complaint accuses the School District of Menomonee Falls of failing to comply with a state law requiring schools to provide students with materials representing “the cultural diversity and pluralistic nature of American society.” The school district declined to comment on this complaint.

A school district in suburban Milwaukee is facing a discrimination complaint over the removal of a book that included an image of a same-sex couple.

The move comes after the school district removed 33 books from shelves in October 2023, citing “sexually explicit” content.

Two parents filed the complaint against the School District of Menomonee Falls over the school board’s decision to take “Love Makes a Family” by Sophie Beer out of a prekindergarten curriculum.

Katrina and Paul Moldenhauer had challenged the book after their 5-year-old daughter came home from elementary school with it, they said during a July 8 meeting on supplemental material reconsideration held by the school board’s curriculum and learning committee.

The book’s publisher describes it as a “fun, inclusive board book” that “celebrates the one thing that makes every family a family … and that’s LOVE. … Whether a child has two moms, two dads, one parent, or one of each, this simple preschool read-aloud demonstrates that what’s most important in each family’s life is the love the family members share.”

Katrina Moldenauer said the relationships depicted in the book were not acceptable for materials in public schools.

“Showing relationships like this to such young children in a classroom is not appropriate,” she said. “It is also not the place of a public school to push sexual or political ideologies. Every family is different, and who children’s parents are is something kids see at home, not something that’s taught at school.”

She said, “Kids don’t need to be learning who to love, and all of that at the age of 4. That to me is grooming.” “Grooming” is a term used by anti-LGBTQ activists to promote panic around a false narrative that LGBTQ people are recruiting children to their “lifestyle.” 

Shady Lane Elementary School Principal Brad Hoffman defended the book in the meeting.

“The subject of the book is that love makes a family. There are several simple statements. The first page says, ‘Love is waking up bright and early,’ ‘Love is baking a special cake,’” he said. “The subject isn’t ‘You must have two same-sex parents.’”

He argued that the book supports the curriculum and aligns with state academic standards.

The members of the committee voted unanimously to remove the book on the grounds that it is not in alignment with curriculum standards.

Michelle and Jesse Cramer filed their complaint over the decision on July 21, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.

“I want all kids to be able to absorb material that is representative of all people, because that is what they are going to see in the real world,” Michelle Cramer told WPR. “And I want all students to feel welcome at school and their families to be represented. How are we going to develop respect between all of our students at school, even if they don’t always agree?”

In the complaint, obtained by WPR, Cramer argued the board’s decision was “impacted by bias.”

“This does not make all students and families feel they belong in our school community,” the complaint says. “And, it has been proven that students will be more engaged if the content learned relates to their lives. If students do not see children who look like them and families that look like theirs in the lessons taught, they will likely be less engaged. I have also seen many comments from families that this removes the SDMF as a school district of choice.”

Menomonee Falls Superintendent David Muñoz and School Board President Nina Christensen both told the Wisconsin Independent that the school district cannot comment on parent complaints.