Teacher of 40 years barred from campus after slapping student, Indiana school says

A high school teacher shown in surveillance footage slapping a student is barred from his Indiana school, but he will collect his pension in full after a board granted his early retirement.

The incident occurred Friday, Feb. 25, at Jimtown High School in Elkhart, a northern Indiana city about 110 miles east of Chicago. Mike Hosinski, a teacher of 40 years, confronted a student about their attire, and their verbal exchange continued into the school hallway, according to Baugo Community Schools.

Hosinski is shown in surveillance footage grabbing a student by their backpack and slapping their face with an open hand. The teacher then grabs the student and tries pulling them away before the student falls to the ground.

“The slap caused the student’s head to strike the wall; the student suffered visible injuries,” the school district said in a news release. “Medical staff immediately treated the student.”

The Indiana Department of Child Services and the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office were called to investigate the incident. Hosinski is not allowed to be on school grounds as authorities investigate, according to the district.

“The safety of students attending Baugo Community Schools is our highest priority and greatest responsibility,” the district said. “When anyone, including a teacher, undermines that priority and responsibility, swift action must and will be taken to safeguard Jimtown students. Anything less cannot be tolerated.”

The school district said in a second statement that Hoskinski had already announced his retirement, effective June 30, which was approved during the Jan. 10 school board meeting. After Friday’s incident, he requested his retirement go into effect immediately.

In a school board meeting held on Monday, Feb. 28, Hosinski was granted early retirement and will receive his full pension, WSBT reported. The teacher’s request was unanimously approved.

Before the vote by the school board, students arranged a walkout from the school to support Hosinski, according to WSBT. A Change.org petition was also created to save Hosinski’s tenure, and it accrued more than 1,300 signatures.

“Whether he didn’t or did what he is being accused of should not (cost) him his tenure and retirement over one bad incident, especially after all he has invested in the 40 years of teaching,” a parent said in the petition.

In 2020, Hosinski was named the Jimtown High School teacher of the year, according to a social media post from the school.

But not all were in favor of Hosinski being able to retire without repercussions. A man who identified himself as the father of the student slapped shouted expletives at administrators during the meeting on Monday, according to the South Bend Tribune, and had to be escorted away.

This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 7:05 AM with the headline "Teacher of 40 years barred from campus after slapping student, Indiana school says."