2020 WI State Education Convention

Waking Up From a Nightmare: The Baraboo Story of Communications Response and Healing (Room 102 A/B, WI Center)

24 Jan 20
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Tracks: Community Engagement

Speaker(s): Lori Mueller, District Administrator, School District of Baraboo; Holly Henderson, Communications and Marketing Specialist, School District of Baraboo; Kevin Vodak, Board President, Baraboo; Mark Schauf, Police Chief, City of Baraboo Police Department; Mike Kohlman, Board Member, Baraboo School District

On Nov. 12, 2018, the School District of Baraboo woke up to an image of Baraboo High School students appearing to give a Nazi salute going viral online. Within seconds, they began receiving a tsunami of negative media attention and global threats. This session will share their story, their crisis communications response, and how they rose up from the nightmare to unite their community against hate. Strategies and tools will be highlighted for replication in your own context. Their story continues today with the development of equity and social justice actions that may also serve as useful examples of healing.