Jeffrey Peterson spent 29 years working in Wisconsin schools, earning professional recognition that included being named Wisconsin Principal of the Year. Then, after a politically turbulent period at the Raymond School District, his career took a dramatic turn.
Now Peterson is taking his former employer to federal court, alleging that discrimination connected to his sexual orientation played a role in what happened to him.
Peterson filed the lawsuit on August 5 against the Raymond School District, the Raymond School Board and several current and former board members and other individuals. His complaint alleges discrimination and retaliation.
The lawsuit tells a story that unfolds over several years, beginning with Peterson’s return to Raymond School.
2021: Coming Home to Raymond School
Peterson became principal of Raymond School in Raymond, Wisconsin, on July 1, 2021.
The appointment as principal was particularly meaningful because Raymond was not simply another school. Peterson had attended the school himself and later began his teaching career there as a fourth-grade teacher. By that point, he had already spent nearly three decades in Wisconsin education and had accumulated several professional honors.
Peterson also says he had been in a same-sex relationship with his partner for 33 years. Although he generally kept his sexual orientation private, he disclosed it to employers when necessary to obtain employment benefits for his partner.
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2022: The School Board Changes
The situation allegedly began shifting after a contentious 2022 school board election.
Two seats attracted four candidates, an unusually competitive race for the district. According to Peterson’s lawsuit, political organizations including Moms for Liberty supported candidates who ultimately won seats on the board.
The complaint describes an increasingly heated debate around LGBTQ+ issues, curriculum and school policies. It also alleges that Arthur Binhack, a political activist who did not have children attending Raymond School, was given unusual access to the district’s operations and became involved in examining school policies, curriculum and personnel.
Peterson alleges that Binhack’s publicly expressed anti-LGBTQ+ views were known to board members.
These claims are allegations made in Peterson’s lawsuit and have not been established by a court.
2023: The Conflict Escalates
Michael Garvey became interim superintendent in late 2022. Peterson alleges that Garvey made comments concerning LGBTQ+ teachers that he understood as signaling that his sexuality was a problem.
Then, in April 2023, then-principal Peterson received a poor performance evaluation.
According to his complaint, it was the first negative evaluation he had received throughout his 29-year career in Wisconsin schools. He also alleges that the evaluation did not follow the district’s usual procedures.
By August, the dispute had become a public community issue.
Approximately 30 people attended a school board meeting to speak in support of Principal Peterson and praise his leadership. Peterson subsequently notified the board that he believed he was being discriminated against.
The lawsuit alleges that the situation became even more hostile afterward.
Material circulated within the community accused Peterson of “sexualizing” and “grooming” children. Peterson maintains those allegations were false. He also alleges that portions of his personnel records were selectively edited and distributed alongside the accusations.
September 2023: Peterson Is Removed as Principal
The following month, the board announced that it intended not to renew Peterson’s contract as principal .
According to the complaint, Peterson arrived at school the next morning as usual, only to be told by Garvey that he was being placed on administrative leave while an investigation took place. He was escorted out of the building in front of parents arriving with their children, with sheriff’s deputies also present.
For Peterson, the episode marked a stunning reversal after decades in education.
2026: The Fight Moves to Federal Court
Nearly three years after his removal as principal, Peterson has now brought the dispute before a federal court.
He is seeking back pay, punitive damages and changes to public records containing accusations made against him.
The case will ultimately have to determine whether the treatment Peterson describes was the result of legitimate employment concerns, unlawful retaliation and discrimination, or some combination of the broader political conflict surrounding Raymond School.
For now, the allegations remain allegations.
But Peterson’s story raises a particularly uncomfortable question about LGBTQ+ educators: after nearly three decades of service and professional recognition, can a person’s private identity suddenly become the thing that changes how their career is judged?