Suring superintendent charged with six counts of false imprisonment

Girls say they were brought into a small restroom, told to remove their clothing
By: 
Warren Bluhm
Editor-in-chief

The Oconto County District Attorney on Feb. 28 filed a complaint charging Suring superintendent Kelly Casper with six felony counts of false imprisonment.

The charges follow in connection with an incident Jan. 18 in which six girls say they were confined to a small restroom and told to strip to their underwear to be searched for vaping materials.

Casper has been ordered to make her initial appearance in Oconto County Circuit Court at 10 a.m. March 23.

District Attorney Ed Burke originally concluded that criminal charges would not be filed because the searches were not “strip searches” under the Wisconsin legal definition of that term, but then his office conducted a review of state statutes and administrative codes relating to the ability of a school official to confine a student.

In a press release, Burke spelled out the rationale for the false imprisonment charges, one for each student.

“There is no dispute from any party that the children involved were directed to enter the small room at the direction of Casper. Casper also directed the school nurse to accompany them to the room,” Burke said. “Casper then directed the children to remove their clothing once in the room. Casper stood in the doorway while the children were in the room. Once the children removed their clothing, any opportunity they had to escape would have subjected them to further shame and embarrassment.”

The students were not given an opportunity to leave, and their only choice was whether to have the search conducted by a police officer or Casper, Burke said. They also had no opportunity to contact their parents prior to being confined in the bathroom.

“Whether Casper knew that the students did not consent and knew she did not have the lawful authority to detain the six children are questions of fact that are best left for a jury to determine based upon the evidence presented at trial,” Burke said, adding that he will have no further comment given that this is now a criminal matter.

The 12-page criminal complaint details interviews conducted by investigators and a sexual assault advocate with the six girls, who ranged in age from 14 to 17, and the school nurse who accompanied Casper. The searches were part of an investigation of vaping in the school and were purported to be an attempt to find vape cartridges hidden under their clothing.

The nurse said Casper did not behave toward the girls in a demeaning or bullying manner but rather “talked to each one of the girls telling them they were ‘better than this,’ they were ‘making bad choices’ telling each one of the girls she ‘really cared about them’ and their future,” the complaint said.

Casper acknowledged the searches during an interview with an investigator and said she had received training through the years about “locations where students hide items, how to properly question, having a second person to assist in the search and searching students and the laws pertaining to school searches.”

False imprisonment is a Class H felony under Wisconsin law, carrying penalties of up to six years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both.

A large number of parents came to the Suring School Board meeting Feb. 9 to voice their objections to the searches, and the board has met at least three times in closed session since Jan. 18 to discuss “confidential student and personnel matters.”

The board is planning a public meeting for 5 p.m. March 2 at the school, 411 Algoma St., Suring. Board President Wayne Sleeter said Feb. 23 that a statement would be read and public comment heard.