MADISON, WI - Green Bay school district Superintendent Claude Tiller Jr. is drawing controversy following a radio interview last week.
On February 5, 2024, Dr. Tiller appeared on WAOK-AM radio with Dr. Adrienne to talk about being the first black Superintendent of Green Bay Public Schools. The interview was livestreamed on Facebook, with Tiller’s knowledge. This included off-air conversations between Tiller and the radio show host.
Last Wednesday, the Green Bay school district released the recording after the recording itself was removed from social media.
During the interview, which took place in Atlanta on a teacher recruiting trip, Tiller commented on race relations, insulted one of the district’s principles, and criticized the community. During one of the breaks, he was heard speaking about a female principle, calling her a “wicked witch,” among other insults.
Tiller was not the only one making racial comments, as the radio host was also heard referring to the Green Bay community as “about as lily white as I have ever seen.” To this, Tiller responded, “the lily on top of the lily.”
When asked about his conversations with mostly white teachers, Tiller responded, “I’m a bald head man and I wear bow ties. So first of all, they think that I’m a Muslim. They think that I like to fix bean pies. And that’s furthest from the truth. So I have to go debunking some microaggressions before I even go into. They think majority of us we like fried chicken and watermelon. I prefer my chicken baked.”
He added that as “a bald head black man with a bow tie, they get my passion confused with anger.”
The "bean pies and bow ties" is referencing the Nation of Islam. Rooted in Detroit, the Nation of Islam is a black nationalist movement where males tend to wear distinctive red bowties. Additionally, followers of the movement are known to promote, consume, and sell food that is made from navy beans, including pies.
These are only some of the comments that sparked outrage and controversy in a city that, according to 2023 U.S. Census data, is around 72% white. With those that identify as black only making up around 4.2% of the population.
“Mindset in Green Bay, black and brown folks, it’s almost like stepping back in time. They don’t even realize it til I came along and I have people coming up to me crying saying ‘don’t leave’ because I’m giving a voice to the voiceless,” Tiller was heard saying during one break.
Following a closed-door meeting with school board members on Saturday, Dr. Tiller resigned.
Despite the resignation, not a termination from the district, We All Rise, Casa ALBA Melanie and COMSA are hosting a "community meeting and call to action" on Tiller's behalf. The groups have also started circulating a petition to have him reinstated, which has garnered 646 signatures at the time of this writing.
"There are no comments made in the interview that we understand to be grounds for termination of a Superintendent that has shown nothing but promise and progress for the GBAPS District," the petition said. "Dr. Tiller has made more productive changes and established stronger connections with students, staff and schools than any superintendent in over a decade.
"His dedication to education and commitment to our community is evident in his actions. He has been instrumental in fostering an environment that prioritizes learning, equity and inclusivity for all students." It's unclear whether "all students" includes white people.
According to the Associated Press, Tiller did not respond to a phone message left on Wednesday. However, he did issue a statement following his resignation. In his statement, he said that remarks during the interview were “specifically directed toward the broader systemic issues within public education that contribute to ongoing challenges.”
He added that his perspective came “with candor, anchoring my narrative in both my professional insights and personal experiences as an educational leader of color.”
Finally, he said, “simply put, I spoke my truth.”
Declining to comment, Board Vice President, James Lyerly said Dr. Tiller’s resignation was “a human resources matter.”
According to a blog post on the Green Bay school district website, Tiller served as the assistant superintendent over high school transformation in Detroit, Michigan. Prior to that, he worked for the State of Michigan Department of Education. During his time there, he “led low performing high schools in achieving an increase in their SAT scores.”
Dr. Tiller was offered the position with Green Bay school district in March of 2023 and began work in July of 2023.
On February 5, 2024, Dr. Tiller appeared on WAOK-AM radio with Dr. Adrienne to talk about being the first black Superintendent of Green Bay Public Schools. The interview was livestreamed on Facebook, with Tiller’s knowledge. This included off-air conversations between Tiller and the radio show host.
Last Wednesday, the Green Bay school district released the recording after the recording itself was removed from social media.
During the interview, which took place in Atlanta on a teacher recruiting trip, Tiller commented on race relations, insulted one of the district’s principles, and criticized the community. During one of the breaks, he was heard speaking about a female principle, calling her a “wicked witch,” among other insults.
Tiller was not the only one making racial comments, as the radio host was also heard referring to the Green Bay community as “about as lily white as I have ever seen.” To this, Tiller responded, “the lily on top of the lily.”
When asked about his conversations with mostly white teachers, Tiller responded, “I’m a bald head man and I wear bow ties. So first of all, they think that I’m a Muslim. They think that I like to fix bean pies. And that’s furthest from the truth. So I have to go debunking some microaggressions before I even go into. They think majority of us we like fried chicken and watermelon. I prefer my chicken baked.”
He added that as “a bald head black man with a bow tie, they get my passion confused with anger.”
The "bean pies and bow ties" is referencing the Nation of Islam. Rooted in Detroit, the Nation of Islam is a black nationalist movement where males tend to wear distinctive red bowties. Additionally, followers of the movement are known to promote, consume, and sell food that is made from navy beans, including pies.
These are only some of the comments that sparked outrage and controversy in a city that, according to 2023 U.S. Census data, is around 72% white. With those that identify as black only making up around 4.2% of the population.
“Mindset in Green Bay, black and brown folks, it’s almost like stepping back in time. They don’t even realize it til I came along and I have people coming up to me crying saying ‘don’t leave’ because I’m giving a voice to the voiceless,” Tiller was heard saying during one break.
Following a closed-door meeting with school board members on Saturday, Dr. Tiller resigned.
Despite the resignation, not a termination from the district, We All Rise, Casa ALBA Melanie and COMSA are hosting a "community meeting and call to action" on Tiller's behalf. The groups have also started circulating a petition to have him reinstated, which has garnered 646 signatures at the time of this writing.
"There are no comments made in the interview that we understand to be grounds for termination of a Superintendent that has shown nothing but promise and progress for the GBAPS District," the petition said. "Dr. Tiller has made more productive changes and established stronger connections with students, staff and schools than any superintendent in over a decade.
"His dedication to education and commitment to our community is evident in his actions. He has been instrumental in fostering an environment that prioritizes learning, equity and inclusivity for all students." It's unclear whether "all students" includes white people.
According to the Associated Press, Tiller did not respond to a phone message left on Wednesday. However, he did issue a statement following his resignation. In his statement, he said that remarks during the interview were “specifically directed toward the broader systemic issues within public education that contribute to ongoing challenges.”
He added that his perspective came “with candor, anchoring my narrative in both my professional insights and personal experiences as an educational leader of color.”
Finally, he said, “simply put, I spoke my truth.”
Declining to comment, Board Vice President, James Lyerly said Dr. Tiller’s resignation was “a human resources matter.”
According to a blog post on the Green Bay school district website, Tiller served as the assistant superintendent over high school transformation in Detroit, Michigan. Prior to that, he worked for the State of Michigan Department of Education. During his time there, he “led low performing high schools in achieving an increase in their SAT scores.”
Dr. Tiller was offered the position with Green Bay school district in March of 2023 and began work in July of 2023.
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