Independent contractor caught on surveillance video defacing Black history posters at Menomonee Falls school

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MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The School District of Menomonee Falls is working with the police department after an alleged racist incident at Riverside Elementary School.

A pest control technician was caught on camera allegedly vandalizing several posters of people of color.

The district confirmed security video caught the independent contractor defacing and destroying posters of prominent Black Americans and spraying them with pest control material.

The district is now working with Menomonee Falls police to determine the next steps, while the pet control company investigates the employee.

Riverside Elementary School Principal Scott Walter sent a message to staff Monday, writing, "Unfortunately, there was an incident today at Riverside that makes me extremely upset and disappointed."

The letter came after a pest control technician from the company Wil-Kil was in the school for routine work.

The letter was obtained by CBS 58 and details several incidents of vandalism in the Riverside halls.

On Tuesday, district superintendent Dr. James Heiden confirmed to CBS 58 internal video showed the contractor vandalized Black history posters, tearing them down and spraying them with pest control material.

Heiden told us the incident "has been referred to the Menomonee Falls PD," and that no other information could be released.

But the letter to staff elaborated, saying the pest control contractor:

  • "Took down some posters in our hallways of people of color"
  • "Sometimes sprayed them with pest control material"
  • "Took one print out of a frame and destroyed it and put the frame back on the wall"
  • "He also took a student piece of work down that was a biography (I am assuming it was of a minority) and destroyed that as well."

We called the manager of Wil-Kil's Menomonee Falls office. When asked about the incident, he told us over the phone "Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Terminix is the parent company of Wil-Kil. A Terminix representative called Tuesday to say they’re looking into the issue.

On Wednesday a Terminix spokesperson sent the following statement:

“Our company will not tolerate destructive behavior or any discriminatory or racist conduct and have taken the appropriate actions with this employee. We have a long-standing reputation for our commitment to the safety of our customers—and the wellbeing of the communities where we live and work.”

The spokesperson was unable to comment on personnel matters but assured us they were taking this very seriously and have a zero-tolerance policy in place.

Riverside Principal Scott Walter’s letter to staff said the district would be meeting with Wil-Kil Tuesday, but the superintendent would not elaborate on that meeting.

The letter also said the surveillance video will not be released because it is part of a police investigation.

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