Milwaukee Public Schools staff member under investigation for allegedly spanking 3-year-old student
By Maddie Augustine
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MILWAUKEE (WISN) — A Milwaukee Public Schools staff member is under investigation after being accused of spanking a 3-year-old.
The boy’s grandma, Katie Ryckman, told 12 News the alleged incident happened on Sept. 14 at Milwaukee’s Manitoba School. Ryckman said her grandson came home from school with two bruises on the back of his leg.
“When I asked him what happened, all he could do was cry,” Ryckman said.
Ryckman said her grandson told her a staff member at the school hit him with a “stick-like object.”
“This is a significant injury that can only be from an object,” Ryckman said. “This was not hands.”
Visible bruises were left on the boy’s leg, and Ryckman said he is traumatized.
“Even just pulling up to the school and getting out and seeing the school, he starts to sob and cry and beg not to have to go,” Ryckman said.
Ryckman said they immediately met with the school’s principal and have met with police, DCFS, and the district multiple times in the past week.
Milwaukee Police confirmed the child abuse investigation to 12 News.
In a letter sent to families on Sept. 16, Manitoba School principal Christopher Garza told families about the ongoing investigation.
“We value you as members of the Manitoba community, and we want to keep you informed. Yesterday we received a report of a staff member spanking a student. We called the Milwaukee Police Department and Child Protective Services to investigate. We also are conducting a full investigation, as we would in any such case. The individual is not currently working in the building,” the letter from Garza wrote in part.
However, Ryckman said just days later, on Sept. 22, she saw the staff member back at the school.
“Never should have been allowed back into the building with an ongoing criminal pending matter,” Ryckman said.
12 News reached back out to the district on Sept. 22 asking if the staff member was still out of the building; a spokesperson responded with “we cannot comment further on a personnel matter beyond what was shared in the message to families and staff.”
Ryckman said she will continue to fight for accountability and is looking into switching her grandson to a new school.
“I’m not going to leave him there feeling in a place that he’s not safe because school is supposed to be a safe place,” Ryckman said.
As of Tuesday, Sept. 22, no criminal charges have been filed. Ryckman said she is scheduled to meet with the district attorney on Wednesday.
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