Vague Wisconsin laws have allowed teachers who are sexual predators to groom children without fearing either appropriately severe criminal penalties or sufficient scrutiny of their teaching licenses, according to testimony Thursday from law enforcement and education administrators.

The testimony was given during a hearing of the Assembly Committee on Government Operations, Accountability and Transparency held in the wake of stories in a Madison news outlet, the Capital Times, critical of the Department of Public Instruction’s handling of hundreds of teacher misconduct allegations.

Rep. Amanda Nedweski (R-Pleasant Prairie) was harshly critical of DPI Superintendent Jill Underly, who did not show up for the hearing and instead sent underlings to answer questions from incredulous legislators.

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