Former Princeton Public Schools teacher charged with assault
Court records show a woman who was employed at a Princeton school has been charged with assault following an investigation during which she was put on leave.
According to court documents, 62-year-old Kimberly Neubauer has been charged with third-degree assault resulting in substantial bodily harm.
Charges were filed Tuesday but Neubauer’s first appearance is currently scheduled for Sept. 20.
According to a criminal complaint, police were notified of an investigation being done by the Minnesota Department of Education on March 29 regarding an incident that included a child under the age of 13.
The complaint states the child was injured when a teacher — identified as Neubauer — threw a hockey stick toward the child at Princeton Primary School.
Nearly a month later, police were able to watch surveillance video for the first time and saw the child toss a hockey stick into a pile. After it landed, the complaint says Neubauer picked the stick up and forcefully tossed it back toward the child, where it hit the child in the mouth.
Documents state the child lost a baby tooth and was brought to the school nurse.
According to the complaint, the child was brought to a dentist on March 29. Dental records show the tooth was “completely knocked out with no root tips left behind” and there was some bruising in the injury area, as well as pain when the lower teeth were pushed on.
The Princeton School District issued a statement on its website, saying in part that it had placed Neubauer on administrative leave while it investigated allegations made against her. The statement went on to say the district placed Neubauer on an unpaid leave of absence on April 8 for the remainder of the school year, and her employment with the district ended on June 3, 2022. You can read the full statement below.
If convicted, Neubauer faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both.
Student safety is the top priority of the Princeton Public School District. When the District receives a complaint related to student safety, we investigate immediately and take appropriate action to address any substantiated concerns. In those rare situations in which a staff member’s conduct creates or contributes to a dangerous situation, the District may take action to end the employment relationship. In addition, the district would file a report with the Minnesota Department of Education and report to law enforcement.
The District has received questions about its response to a particular incident. Although data privacy laws prohibit the District from sharing details about the incident, we can state that allegations were made against teacher Kim Neubauer. The District placed Ms. Neubauer on administrative leave while it investigated the allegations. After completing its investigation, the District acted quickly and decisively. As of April 8, 2022, Ms. Neubauer was placed on an unpaid leave of absence for the remainder of the school year. Additionally, Ms. Neubauer’s employment with the District ended on June 3, 2022. As a result, Ms. Neubauer is no longer an employee of the District.
We love our students and we work tirelessly to protect and support them. We welcome and value parent feedback and recognize that together we are stronger and better equipped to respond to any safety concerns that may arise.
Princeton Public Schools