As a May 2025 MATC graduate working as a tutor downtown last fall, I was surprised to see Jehovah’s Witness recruiters in the S Building. I immediately became concerned because I understand the church to be a coercive high-control group, and I question why a religious institution would be allowed to recruit at a public school.
The group’s leaders have been dissuading members from pursuing higher education since its inception decades ago. Is this a group that would be beneficial for students by helping them to increase their career opportunities and earning capacity? Or will joining it shackle them to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, providing unpaid labor for this international 20-billion-dollar tax-exempt organization?
It appears that JW recruiters are present on most days over lunchtime. While watching them operate over the past few months, I saw up to eight Jehovah’s Witness recruiters present at one time. In general, two or three stand near their Bible tracts in the “Free Speech Zone,” by the stairs. Others sit at the table near the student store or walk around. Last month, I saw a recruiter approach a student and start a friendly conversation, a move widely known as the first step in recruiting.
Reportedly, this has been going on for about a year. It is an organized, well-trained, multi-level marketing scheme recruitment operation aimed at our students and sanctioned by the college. The religious nature of the group alone should prohibit JW recruiters from working on campus.
Twice, I emailed the leader of the MATC Marketing Department requesting that permission for the Jehovah’s Witness recruiting station on campus be discontinued. I have received no response. Twice, I visited Student Life asking how to be approved for a spot in the Free Speech Zone. Twice, I was told by staff that there is no application, and that my sign just needed to be approved by administration. Staff said no business promotion is allowed. (Hmmm, isn’t that what the JWs are doing?) My request was referred to Amanda Brooks, Coordinator, Student Life Milwaukee Downtown Campus, who I emailed. I got no response from, and then met with her on my second visit. She said I should fill out an application, which I completed and submitted to Marketing, even though it didn’t seem to match up with my request. In response, I received an email asking for further information, which I provided, and I haven’t heard back.
I want to know how I can get approval to stand in the Free Speech Zone to disseminate information with my own materials. I am asking for help from the Times because I, a member of the MATC community and a taxpaying Milwaukee County resident, am having my voice stifled by the college while recruiters from a nonlocal religious business have free reign in the school cafeteria.
The jw.org website says the pamphlets members hand out on campus, “highlight the good news of God’s Kingdom and promote faith in Jesus Christ.” Can the Times find out from administration how a religious business conducting recruiting is allowed on campus? (MATC Times Managing Editor Connor Servais looked into this situation. You can read his story here.)
Helena Dowd
MATC Tutor
