MADISON — The campaign to oust four members of the Mequon-Thiensville School Board went down in defeat at the polls Tuesday, but organizers of the nationally watched grassroots effort say they will fight on for their children.

All four recalled incumbents survived, each receiving at least 58.3 percent of the vote. The election brought out more than 11,000 voters, a massive turnout for a school board election, even a special vote.

There certainly was disappointment in the recall camp, but supporters say they felt good about the battle — pledging the war is far from over.

“While we encountered a small loss tonight at the polls, we’ve still amassed a tremendous victory for what we’ve accomplished in a very short amount of time,” said Amber Schroeder, one of the organizers of the recall movement. “We’ve brought important issues to the forefront of this community, and shed a light on some issues affecting our children and taxpayers.”

Thousands of district voters signed petitions to launch the recall driven by frustrated citizens. Many are sick of the district’s stringent COVID-19 mitigation policies. Others have had it with radical curriculum and race-obsessed indoctrination in the classrooms. Many more are unhappy over what they see as declining academic performance in the suburban Milwaukee school district.

Opponents of the recall defended the incumbents and district administration, arguing that recalling school board members was “inappropriate.”

The fight will indeed go on.

Schroeder has filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission against the “Coalition to Support MTSD”, the group formed to campaign for the four incumbent Board Members. The complaint cites reporting errors, and violations of multiple state statutes, including exceeding candidate contribution limits, collusion with candidates, and failure to report advocacy, among others.

Meanwhile, a Woke group has filed a defamation lawsuit against recall organizer and school board candidate Scarlett Johnson. Bridge the Divide, which claims it advocates for “honest discussions about racial issues,” alleges Johnson made false and damaging statements about the group on social media sites and in podcasts.

A Madison civil rights lawyer is representing Bridge the Divide.

Recall organizers say the late lawsuit is one of many tactics by allies of Mequon-Thiensville’s eductrats, who are trying to hold on to power and push a leftist agenda in a traditionally conservative school district.

“We are looking forward to continuing to fight for educational excellence, and working together to ensure our children remain at the forefront of all decisions,” Schroeder said