PULASKI, WI (WTAQ) – The Pulaski Community School District has released new documents which show a high school teacher and principal were both suspended following a fight at Pulaski High School.
The March 18 fight was caught on video, and was shared on social media by the parents of one of the students involved that sparked controversy.
According to a district reprimand, physical education teacher Dave Shaw told student Ethan Peters the day before the fight, “If I were you, I’d crack him upside the head.” Peters punched Tim Pine’s son repeatedly in the video. Tim Pine is the parent who posted the video to Facebook.
Peters was apparently upset because students were making annoying noises in the lunchroom before school on March 18, according to a criminal complaint.
Shaw was not in the lunchroom at the time of the fight and the statement made the day before was Shaw’s attempt at humor to diffuse the original situation, according to the district.
One of the documents put out by the school district is an apology letter from Shaw to the district and parents. He was suspended without pay for 3 days.
Also, Pulaski High School Principal John Matczak had to pen an apology letter to the parents. The district says Matczak engaged in verbally argumentative behavior during a meeting involving the students and parents. Matczak was suspended without pay for 5 days.
“This has been a difficult situation for everyone involved. It’s unfortunate that this has cast our school and our district in a negative light that is not reflective of our students, teachers, district or community. With today’s release of information, we hope that everyone can move forward in a positive constructive way,” Pulaski Community School District interim superintendent Bec Kurzynske said in a video.
Click at the PDF attachments above to read the documents related to Dave Shaw and John Matczak.
