Onalaska school board censures member Jake Speed

Speed fired back, “you’re trying to cover up and
censure me and stop me from speaking.”

The Onalaska School Board officially censured member Jake Speed on Monday night.

Board member Brian Haefs read a resolution listing off five types of negative conduct by Speed, including threatening staff and other board members and using his position for his own gain.

“Mr. Speed has been disrespectful and belligerent at board meetings,” Haefs read, “by regularly and persistently talking over other board members without allowing them to speak or finish their statements – raising his voice and becoming combative with other board members.”

Speed did get a chance to speak on his own behalf.

“You say you want to work together and I try and work with you, and you turn around and do stuff like this,” Speed said. “You guys are just proving my point that you’re trying to cover up and censure and stop me from speaking.”

Speed, who has been involved with several heated debates in meetings over the last few months, then made accusations.

“If you guys spent as much time working on solving the problems, as you do covering them up, there wouldn’t be any problems,” Speed said.

The board voted 6-0 with Speed recusing himself. 

Also, Speed noticeably reacted when board president Ann Garrity voted without recusing herself. Garrity and Speed have been involved with several publicly heated debates, going back to when both were campaigning for school board.