Stewartville, MN (KROC AM News) - A criminal complaint has been filed against a Stewartville high school teacher, accusing him of hitting one of his students with a meter stick.

The incident happened last September but the complaint was just filed in Olmsted County Court last Friday against 43-year-old David Sklenicka of Rochester.

The student says he was watching videos on a tablet in class when Sklenicka hit him twice on the leg with the stick. The student says it hurt and left two red marks on his skin.

According to the criminal complaint, the student told his mother but did not report the incident because he didn't want Sklenicka to “face any discipline.” The student says a week later, Sklenicka sprayed his neck with water and again he told his mother. They decided to report the incident and the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office was notified.

An investigator interviewed the student, a classmate and Sklenicka. The classmate who witnessed the incident told the investigator the strike to the student’s leg was “decently hard.” Sklenicka told the investigator he used a ruler, not a meter stick and only “lightly tapped” the student. He also said he was “mildly irritated” at the time.

Sklenicka has been charged with malicious punishment of a child (gross misdemeanor) and 5th-degree assault (misdemeanor) and ordered to make his first court appearance June 20th.

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