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UPDATE: WIU Saying Little About Physical Altercation between Teacher & Student

Rich Egger
Darcie Shinberger met with reporters Tuesday afternoon.

Western Illinois University acknowledged "an incident" between a teacher and a student but is remaining tight-lipped about the details.(Update at the bottom of the story)

“We had two individuals report to the Office of Public Safety that they were each the victim of battery. Those reports have since been forwarded to the State’s Attorney’s office and they are under review,” was the full extent of the prepared statement read by Darcie Shinberger, Assistant Vice President of Advancement & Public Services.

She confirmed one of the victims is a teacher and the other is one of his students.  She declined to release their names and declined to divulge on the teacher’s department. The altercation happened Friday morning in Knoblauch Hall.  She did not know what started the fight.

Shinberger said the university decided it was not necessary to issue a safety alert to students and staff even though a physical altercation occurred.

“This most likely stemmed from an incident between these two individuals. We are required to put out a campus safety notice when there is a matter of sexual assault on campus, be it a stranger assault or an acquaintance rape, per the Cleary Act” said Shinberger.

“Campus safety notices are done on a case-by-case basis. This was not a continuing threat to the institution. This was contained between two individuals.”

When asked if the university feared for the safety of other teachers or students, Shinberger replied, “It was contained to these two individuals.”

Shinberger said the teacher was struck in the face, the student was struck in the upper body area.  She did not know the extent of their injuries.

She said the teacher could be required to go through the administrative personnel process if criminal charges are filed against him.  The student could go through the student judicial process if charged (in both cases, that’s in addition to criminal court proceedings).

UPDATE on Wednesday, September 30, 11:45 a.m.  McDonough County State's Attorney James Hoyle said he will not press charges in the case. Hoyle said he received conflicting accounts of the altercation and there were no eyewitnesses.

Rich is TSPR's News Director.