Smithton man pleads guilty to battery of principal, gets probation
A Smithton man has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct charges stemming from a November incident at the Smithton Consolidated School in which he put his hands on a kindergarten teacher and a principal.
Ian M. Michalke, 36, will be on probation for 12 months, serve 30 hours of community service and pay court fines of $677.
On Nov. 18, 2014, Michalke grabbed a kindergarten teacher’s wrists with his hands and pushed her, court documents state. He also placed his hands on Vicki Norton, the principal at Smithton School. The class A misdemeanor charges were disorderly conduct for his actions against the teacher and battery on the principal.
The first assistant in the district attorney’s office who is familiar with the case said the charges are serious but the outcome provided a “just and significant consequence.”
“He has absolutely no criminal history, this was an isolated incident that is unlikely to reoccur, and both victims were consulted and amenable to the plea,” said James Piper, Jr. “Now he has a criminal history.”
The Smithton Community School’s superintendent said Michalke, to their knowledge, has since obeyed an order of protection, which expires Sept. 3, for the school.
“The important thing for us is the restrictions placed by the courts were respected by him, so we didn’t feel threatened in any way,” said Superintendent Sue Homes.
“He is very supportive of his children and family,” Homes said. “From our vantage point, we know that he has been supportive of his children and their educational service.”
Homes said the district anticipates that the order of protection will be lifted “without incident and look forward to having Mr. Michalke continue to support his children’s educational experience.”
Dominic Kujawa, Michalke’s attorney, was not available for comment.
Contact reporter Mary Cooley at mcooley@bnd.com or 618-239-2535. Follow her on Twitter: @MaryCooleyBND.
This story was originally published August 3, 2015 at 12:06 PM with the headline "Smithton man pleads guilty to battery of principal, gets probation."