Evers Signs New School Safety Laws After Kenosha Grooming Case

MADISON, Wis. (WRJN) – Wisconsin is tightening school safety rules after a high-profile Kenosha case raised concerns about teacher misconduct and student protection.

Gov. Tony Evers has signed two bipartisan bills aimed at preventing grooming and setting clearer boundaries for how school staff can communicate with students. The move follows the case of Christian Enwright, a former Kenosha Unified teacher convicted in Kenosha County of sending hundreds of inappropriate Snapchat messages to a middle school student between 2023 and 2024.

Enwright, now 31, pleaded guilty last year to 15 misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 450 days in jail and three years’ probation. His case drew outrage from parents and lawmakers, including Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R–Pleasant Prairie, who led efforts to tighten Wisconsin law.

“Keeping our kids safe, especially while they’re in our schools, must be a top priority for us,” Evers said in a statement. “Defining grooming is a critical step to give law enforcement and local school districts the tools they need to hold bad actors accountable for hurting our kids.”

One measure creates a new felony crime for grooming a child for sexual activity, extends the time victims can report crimes, and clarifies that consent is not a defense. The second measure requires every public and private school to set policies and training for safe communication between adults and students by Sept. 1, 2026.