Free Republic

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A group of parents is suing the Eau Claire school district for guidance to staff members on supporting transgender students. Parents Protecting Our Children, a group of parents with children in the Eau Claire school system, argued in a complaint filed in federal court Wednesday that the school’s policies for supporting transgender students violate constitutional protections for parental rights and religious freedom. A district policy titled “Administrative Guidance for Gender Identity Support” encourages transgender students to reach out to staff members with concerns and instructs employees to be careful who they talk to about a student’s...

Parents are “not entitled” to know their kids’ gender identity, according to a recent woke training session in the Eau Claire Area School District. Empower Wisconsin has obtained a copy of a training slide from last Friday’s staff development session. The 2021-22 Equity session on Safe Spaces reminds teachers that “parents are not entitled to know their kids’ identities. That knowledge must be earned.” “Teachers are often straddling this complex situation. In ECASD, our priority is supporting the student,” the professional development facilitator guide states. Teachers were encouraged to “Talk amongst yourselves!” The lesson — that teachers know better than...

<p>Chaos descended on a Wisconsin Walmart store Wednesday night after a karate-performing mother, her naked son, and their belligerent dog shoplifted and ran amok in the store.</p> <p>The Eau Claire Police Department said on social media that the officers responded to a call that a woman, Lisa Smith, 46, and her dog “Bo” shoplifted items from the store. The woman’s son, 26-year-old Benny Vann, was causing chaos in the store as well.</p>

You can join the ongoing rally thread at the URL above.

The Amish may have a reputation for raising barns lightning-fast, but this project has taken 10 years. It has taken that long for members of the Old Order Amish who want to build homes in Eau Claire County to complete the permitting process. The county refused to accommodate to their religious beliefs. Members of the Old Order strictly adhere to Amish religious and cultural traditions, and they reject electric appliances, modern plumbing and other innovations. The county welcomed the Amish when they first began settling in Eau Claire in the 1970s. “Bridge Creek officials say that if the Amish hadn’t...

**SNIP** Obamacare stipulates that employees are eligible for healthcare benefits if they work 30 hours a week. As a result, the district would not be able to pro-rate the coverage cost, leaving part-time employees who want health insurance to enroll through the exchanges. The district reports that the cost of insuring part-time employees is uncertain right now, but by not offering insurance, the district could have to pay nearly $2 million in fines.

An Eau Claire man will be sentenced Oct. 14 for robbing a convenience store in April. Patrick W. Grollo told police at the time of the crime he "needed beer real bad" but made "a bad mistake." Grollo, 52, pleaded no contest Wednesday in Eau Claire County Court to an amended felony count of robbery with threat or use of force. A misdemeanor count of obstructing an officer was dismissed. Judge Paul Lenz ordered a pre-sentence investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. Lenz could sentence Grollo to up to 10 years in prison. According to the criminal complaint: Grollo...

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - This cat used up his nine lives. Fire officials are blaming a 20-pound cat for starting a town of Washington house fire that caused about $25,000 damage. The gray and white cat apparently jumped on an electric range in the basement of a two-story home at about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday and turned on the push-button control, said Darrell Christy, the fire department's chief of operations. Plastic containers on top of the range smoldered. "We eliminated everything except for the cat," Christy said. A smoke detector alerted at least three people in the home, who were not...

College student makes court appearance on voter fraud charge (Published Friday, September 10, 2004 09:42:30 AM CDT) Associated Press APPLETON, Wis. - A college student accused of voting twice in the spring election has been released on a $1,000 signature bond after making his initial court appearance in the case. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire student Michael R. Howard, 20, of Appleton, appeared Thursday in Outagamie County Circuit Court with his attorney, Daniel Clausz. Howard answered "yes" when Court Commissioner Brian Figy asked him if it was OK to schedule a preliminary hearing later than the 20 days generally required....