IN Teacher Shown In Video Slapping Student Arrested, Gets Pension

ELKHART, IN — A former teacher of the year shown on video grabbing a student by his backpack and slapping him in the face was arrested Thursday on a preliminary charge of battery, authorities said.

The Feb. 25 surveillance video at Jimtown High School appears to show Michael Hosinski, 61, slapping the student, who hit his head against the wall and then fell to the hallway floor. School officials said the teacher “inexplicably” slapped the student after confronting him over the hoodie he was wearing.

The battery charge Hosinski faces is a level 6 felony, the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. If convicted, Hosinski could spend up to 2½ years in prison and pay a fine of up to $10,000.

Hosinski, the 2020 teacher of the year at Jimtown High School, was approved for early retirement and full pension benefits, NBC affiliate WNDU of South Bend reported.

The student had “visible injuries” after the now-former teacher’s open-handed slap and the student's head hit a wall, the school district said in a news release, WNDU reported.

The Indiana Department of Child Services is assisting the sheriff’s department in the investigation, and the incident was reported to teacher licensure officials at the Indiana Department of Education.

“The safety of students attending Baugo Community Schools is our highest priority and greatest responsibility,” the school district said in the news release. “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 it is withholding comment on the incident.

Commenters were divided on the sheriff’s office Facebook page. Some people were upset that Hosinski was allowed to retire and collect his pension.

Others said that parents need to do a better job disciplining their children.

“These kids need to be taken ahold of,” one person wrote. “They are out and out brats they have no respect for anyone, especially themselves. That’s why there is so much trouble in schools, because the parents aren’t making their children behave period. No consequences.”

Another person said that “no matter how far a teacher is pushed, they should never lay hands on a child.”

Another person advised withholding judgment until more is known.

“We don't know the entire story,” the person wrote. “This could just solely be about the hoodie. Or the teacher could've been lashing out for no reason. Respect only goes so far, people still do bad things to respectful people.”

Another person was disturbed by a trend in the comments.

“I’m finding it interesting that so many adults, even adults that I personally care about, are concerned for a grown man who was pushed to his breaking point but not many people defending him are asking what has happened to this child that he is acting out so severely,” the person wrote. “In other words, the actions of the adult were the child’s fault, but the actions of the child are because he’s a bad kid. Hitting a child under one’s authority is never okay. This man assaulted a child half his size who was walking away from him.”

“EXACTLY THIS,” someone else chimed in, using all capital letters for emphasis. “So many are quick to excuse this guy chasing down a kid, pushing him against a wall, slapping his face hard enough that his head flew back and hit the concrete wall, and then proceeded to drag the kid away by the arm.

“No teacher should EVER lay a hand on a student unless that student is physically harming somebody. The end.”