Jimtown, Indiana, high school teacher Michael Hosinski, 61, arrested for ‘hitting student over hoodie’ in shock video
A HIGH school teacher has been arrested after school cameras caught him striking and visibly injuring a student.
Indiana teacher Michael Hosinski, 61, was taken into custody Thursday on the preliminary charge of battery, according to the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office.
On February 25, Hosinski chased down a student wearing a hoodie in the hallway at Jimtown High School.
Once he catches up to the student, the civics teacher can be seen pushing the minor against the hallway wall and waving a finger in the student’s face, seemingly admonishing him.
The verbal confrontation was sparked by a hoodie sweatshirt the student wore to class on that Friday morning, according to a press release from Baugo Community Schools.
The footage then shows the teacher slapping the student’s face with his open right hand, causing the student’s head to hit the wall behind him.
After the slap, Hosinski begins to escort the student down the hallway when the student stumbles and falls to the ground.
Hosinski was consequently fired and is no longer allowed on school grounds.
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Earlier this week, the Baugo Community School Board approved early retirement and a full pension for Hosinski, who had been at the job for nearly 40 years and planned on retiring in June.
Students and parents in the community alike have supported Hosinski throughout the detailed investigation, despite the surveillance footage serving as strong evidence.
On Monday morning, dozens of Jimtown students even staged a walkout to support Hosinski.
A community Facebook page with over 500 members was created to support Hosinski, though it appears to have recently been deleted.
The preliminary battery charge is a level 6 felony and a request for formal charges has been submitted, according to the sheriff’s office.
“I’m not completely surprised based on the limited video that’s been made available,” South Bend Attorney Peter Agostino said about the charges, according to WNDU.
“That’s certainly the type of charge that you could expect out of that situation. Of course, we do not know all the facts and there’s a presumption of innocence…You have to give the benefit of doubt to the teacher.”
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