Suring superintendent appears in court

Oconto County Judge Michael T. Judge authorized a $5,000 signature bond for suspended Suring Superintendent Kelly Casper during a brief initial appearance in his courtroom March 23.

Casper is charged with six counts of false imprisonment in connection with a Jan. 18 incident in which six high school girls were told to take off their clothes to their underwear in a search after they were caught vaping on school grounds.

Defense attorney Nicholson Ganser argued that Casper should be released on a signature bond based on her years of service to several communities in the area — including her work as a science teacher and track coach at Pulaski High School, a principal in the Coleman School District and the last eight years as superintendent in Suring.

“Kelly Casper has been a dedicated public servant for her entire career,” Ganser said.

The defense has filed a motion to dismiss the charges on grounds the incident does not meet the statutory requirements to be described as false imprisonment, arguing that when the girls were taken to a small bathroom for the searches, it was for privacy reasons — not to confine or restrain them.

District Attorney Edward Burke said he would like to submit a written response to that motion. Judge gave him two weeks to do so and scheduled a motion hearing for 1 p.m. April 28.

Before bond was set, Victim Witness Coordinator Rachel Race read a statement from one of the girls who was searched saying that since the incident her post-traumatic stress disorder has gotten worse.

“It has been harder to be around people, and I don’t even want to be touched anymore. I’m scared to go to the bathroom without them thinking I’m going to do something wrong,” the statement said. “It’s hard to concentrate in school because I’m worried that I’m going to be strip-searched or targeted. I’ve also experienced nightmares because of Ms. Casper, and I feel like I can’t even be safe in that school anymore.”

A mother of one of the girls also addressed the court about the bond conditions.

“The psychological and emotional damage that this woman has done to these kids is unspeakable,” the mother said. “I would just hope that you would find it in your heart to do what is right and keep her away from these kids until things are completed and finished.”

Judge included among bond conditions that Casper may have no direct or indirect contact with the girls or family members, including 14 specific individuals.