Mexico Public Safety Completes Investigation Into Eugene Field Elementary School PE Teacher

An investigation into an April incident at Eugene Field Elementary School in Mexico has been completed by Mexico Public Safety and sent to Audrain County Prosecutor Jacob Shellabarger for review and possible charges.

An email sent out this morning (Thursday) from Mexico Public Safety says during the last week of April, a student at the school reported being hit with a bag of dodgeballs by a PE teacher.

Meanwhile, Mexico Public Schools issued a statement this week saying they had placed the teacher on administrative leave and reported the incident to Children’s Division Out of Home Investigation.

According to Superintendent Melissa Chastain, “It is still an open investigation for the school district. The district says as a matter of protocol, the teacher was immediately placed on paid administrative leave.”

Chastain added, “Placement on a leave of absence is not disciplinary action or indication of guilt or innocence. It is standard procedure in such cases and allows time for a thorough review of the facts. This is a sensitive situation and any allegations against the school district and its employees are taken very seriously. We cannot comment on individual personnel and/or student issues.”

According to the student’s father Tim Grueninger, his nine year old son is a special needs child and is in second grade at Eugene Field, but functions as if he is a five year old.

Grueninger says his son suffered no significant injury other than soreness but was traumatized from the incident.

The parents are looking to pursue criminal charges against the teacher.

Neither MPS, or the school district have released the name of the teacher, whose name has been widely circulated on social media.