Parent slams Osseo school board after former teacher accused of touching students

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A parent called out the Osseo school board during its meeting Tuesday night, saying it did not do enough to protect students from a former teacher who now faces several criminal charges.

‘Terrible failure’

What they're saying:

Mark Brenner, who identified himself as a parent with children in the school district, slammed the school board, saying it did not protect students from a teacher accused of inappropriately touching them.

"Hopefully this terrible failure is a wakeup call," he told the board. "This is a shame and failure of our school district. My hope is that steps will be taken by the school board and the school district to ensure transparency to the families of our district concerning these charges and the district’s failure to prevent and protect students."

Former teacher inappropriately touched multiple students, prosecutors say

The backstory:

Former Basswood Elementary School teacher Wayne Wallace, 63, of Maple Grove, faces four counts of criminal sexual conduct after prosecutors said he inappropriately touched four fifth grade girls, all of whom were in his class.

According to court documents, the incidents happened between September 2022 and June 2023 and included Wallace touching students’ buttocks, squeezing their shoulders, having them sit on his lap and demanding a kiss in exchange for candy, among other things, according to prosecutors.

Police confirmed that Wallace had received two verbal warnings from the district over his behavior.

Osseo Area Schools confirmed that Wallace was the subject of a single complaint during his 14-year tenure, which ended in December 2023, around the time the investigation started.

The school district did not specify why his employment ended.

Wallace did not respond to a request for comment.