Abraham resigns from La Crosse School Board, objecting to school consolidation plans

Rob Abraham has resigned from the La Crosse School Board, citing opposition to school consolidation proposals announced by the district administration ahead of a November referendum.

Abraham made his announcement at the start of the regular board meeting on Monday night, stepping away from his board seat to speak at the podium during the public comment period early in the meeting, He left the Hogan auditorium when he finished his statement.

Abraham compared the management of the district by superintendent Aaron Engel to a “dictatorship,” citing a recent e-mail to voters saying that if a $194 million renovation of a Trane Company building is turned down in the fall, Logan High students would have to be moved to Central as an alternative.

“Wherever you stand on consolidating our high schools, and in effect our middle schools, it’s inexcusable to present this poor alternative to place pressure on the referendum,” Abraham told the board.

Abraham also noted that he was the only board member to vote recently against a 2 per cent pay raise for teachers, saying that he supported a higher raise which the teachers’ union requested.

The former assistant police chief for La Crosse was elected to the school board in April of last year, and he leaves with 20 months remaining in his term. The vacant seat is likely to be on next April’s ballot, along with three board seats already scheduled for election.