“They didn’t really look. Why? Because they had a person of color who had a degree. It was in the post-George Floyd era. It was in the DEI era.” –Attorney Chris Van Wagner

There are accusations of DEI in the child pornography case that earned a former Sun Prairie school official almost two decades in prison.

A federal judge sentenced Robert Gilkey-Meisegeier to 18 years in prison for possessing child pornography. Gilkey-Meisegeier pleaded guilty earlier this year.

Prosecutors say he had sexual and explicit pictures of at least two students at Sun Prairie West High School. Gilkey-Meisegeier was the school’s dean of students.

He initially denied having a relationship with the students, but later admitted to what he did, including that he bought one student a car, and bought another student alcohol.

WMTV in Madison reported Gilkey-Meisegeier’s lawyer said to reporters outside the courtroom that his client was a victim of both of fetal-alcohol syndrome, and of Sun Prairie Schools’ lax hiring and supervision policies.

“What qualifications did he have for that? What training did he have for that? What supervision did he get for that? None,” the station reported attorney Chris Van Wagner said after the sentencing.

Van Wagner said Gilkey-Meisegeier was promoted to dean of students despite not having the qualifications for the job.

“They didn’t really look. Why? Because they had a person of color who had a degree. It was in the post-George Floyd era. It was in the DEI era. And the last thing they were going to do was remove a young black man who they viewed as a professional staffer who was apparently popular with and supported by the young people of color in the high school in a district where young people of color were becoming more numerous,” Van Wagner said.

Sun Prairie Schools denied those claims.

“[The district] never condones behavior that could endanger the welfare of a child by any employee and continues to reinforce with all staff the collective expectation that student safety remains paramount at all times,” Sun Prairie Schools said in a statement.

Gilkey-Meisegeier did not have a teaching license. He was working while that license was being processed. He also had a criminal recording, including drunk driving convictions.

Gilkey-Meisegeier is not the only one facing charges in the case. Sun Prairie West’s now-former principal is facing state charges for failing to report child abuse. She is challenging those charges in Dane County.