More alleged misconduct after suspension

The day after a resident of the Kasson-Mantorville School District attended a board meeting to discuss an alleged incident involving a student, the teacher at the heart of the matter was suspended.
The person, in an exclusive interview with the DCI, said the teacher was Joel Olson, a former K-M Middle School teacher who abruptly resigned in October. (The DCI is withholding the names of any alleged victims.They will be referred to instead as Students 1-6.)
Though a portion of the resident’s remarks at the Feb. 5 meeting was not recorded, the individual took further action by sending a prepared letter to a number of people across the district. The DCI obtained the letter as part of its ongoing investigation into the Kasson-Mantorville School District.
On Feb. 6, Olson, KM Middle School Principal Josh Larsen, and Interim Superintendent David Thompson all signed Olson’s letter of suspension. Three others witnessed the signatures. The DCI obtained the letter through a standard public data request.
“This letter constitutes a formal Notice of Suspension and Letter of Deficiency pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 123A.40, in regard to your conduct while employed as a teacher with the Independent School District No. 204, Kasson, Minnesota,” the letter states. “For the purpose of Kasson-Mantorville Schools discipline procedures, this is a Corrective Action Plan following an investigation into employee misconduct.”
The letter came eight months before Olson would resign from his longtime teaching position, after facing a total of four police investigations in less than 12 months.
Jan. 23, 2024
According to a Kasson police report, on Jan. 23, School Resource Officer Jesse Kasel was contacted by Dodge County Sheriff Scott Rose “about a concern.”
“Sheriff Rose was contacted by a parent from the Kasson-Mantorville Middle School (alleging) a staff member inappropriately touching their child,” the incident report obtained by the DCI through a standard public data request stated. “The parent was advised to make a formal report to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office since they live outside of Kasson. Deputy Classon initially responded (See his report). The case was forwarded to me for follow-up since the incident took place at the K-M Middle School.”
According to the report, Larsen received a complaint from the father of the student being referred to as Student 1. Larsen then filed a report with the Minnesota Department of Education, per policy.
“Mr. (Larsen) found the incident on school cameras and turned over a copy,” Kasel wrote in his report.
According to the video synopsis, the student, being referred to as Student 1, “was walking in the hallway near the 5th-grade locker bay.”
According to Kasel, Joel Olson “was walking the opposite direction in the same hallway.”
“There were multiple students in the area as it was a passing time between classes,” Kasel wrote. “When the two approached each other, I saw Joel Olson reach down toward (Student 1) and grab her on the left side of her abdomen.”
According to Kasel’s report, the “grabbing motion appeared to be some type of pinch or squeeze.”
“(Student 1) seemed to jump slightly when Joel grabbed her,” Kasel wrote. “Both continued walking and never stopped. No audio of school cameras.”
Student 1’s father then informed Kasel that two other students had allegedly been “grabbed by Mr. Olson in the past.”
At that point in the investigation, Kasel had received word there wasn’t enough to criminally charge Olson.
“I also consulted the Dodge County Attorney’s Office. I was informed this case will not meet criminal sexual conduct,” Kasel wrote. “I was requested to follow up to determine if harassment charges would apply.”
Following the publishing of the DCI’s Nov. 28 story, Kasel responded to the DCI about who asked for the follow-up.
“It was recommended by the Dodge County Attorney’s Office to look into harassment charges, as it would have been [the] only possible criminal statute that might apply if there was a pattern on ongoing issues,” Kasel said.
He said he followed up and “based on that information I received, we did not have probable cause for any (harassment) charges.”
Since there was no probable cause to file any charges, Kasel said a complaint with the Dodge County Attorney Office couldn’t be filed.
“Without probable cause, we cannot file a criminal complaint through the county attorney’s office,” Kasel wrote.
MDE also contacted Kasel, saying “the reported (Jan. 23) incident does not meet MDE requirements for maltreatment.”
Olson, according to Kasel, was advised by his attorney not to give a statement.
‘Playful action’
Kasel, according to his report, spoke to the father of another child, being referred to as Student 2.
The female student was in Olson’s science class, and Kasel said he was informed that Olson allegedly “had also grabbed (Student 2) in the side.”
Kasel spoke to the girl’s father about the report. The dad told Kasel “he was aware and it was a playful action.”
The father said he “knows Mr. Olson very well and is not concerned about his actions.”
“They declined to file a complaint with Kasson Police Department,” Kasel wrote in the report.
Student 3 gave a similar interview.
According to the police report, student 3 was a former student of Olson’s and had advanced to the next grade. Kassel said he was made aware of allegations that Student 3 “was also grabbed in the side by Mr. Olson.”
Kasel said he spoke to that student’s father, “and he was aware of the incident.”
The father, according to Kasel, “was not concerned about Mr. Olson and did not wish to file a complaint with the Kasson Police Department.”
Kasel said he would later meet with Student 1 with her parent present.
Student 1 told Kasel “that this has happened to her twice. The first time was in the classroom and the second time was in the hallway.”
Student 1 “described how Mr. Olson grabbed her,” the report says.
“She demonstrated by making her hand into a ‘C’ shape and grabbing her just above the hips in the abdomen,” Kasel wrote in his report. The Student 1 “said the grab did not hurt and no marks were left.”
According to Kasel (Student 1’s) “description was consistent with the school surveillance video.”
The Student 1 told Kasel “that she did try to say ‘don’t’ the first time Mr. Olson grabbed her in the side, but she was soft spoken.” She told Kasel that she “did not think Mr. Olson heard her say it.”
According to the police report, Student 1 “did not tell Mr. Olson to stop any other time prior to the incident in the hallway.”
Kasel in his report said Student 1 “seemed to be very distressed and genuinely concerned about seeing Mr. Olson again.”
At that point, the police closed the case and determined no more action would be needed.
Corrective Action Plan, 10 Day Unpaid Suspension
On Feb.6, Olson formally received a 10-day unpaid suspension.
“On the afternoon of Tuesday, January 23, 2024, you engaged in insubordination by failing to comply with the directives provided to you and touching a student below her shoulder,” the letter from the district stated. “You also executed poor professional judgement by poking a female student in her side as she walked by you in the hallway. Your conduct made this female student feel uncomfortable.”
The letter would go on to state “as a result of this incident, two other students shared concerns about past inappropriate touch that made them feel uncomfortable.”
“In the interview on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 with (redacted) and yourself, you acknowledged touching students on their sides,” the letter from the district stated. “In the interview on Thursday, January 25, 2024, with (redacted) and yourself, you shared that you would normally touch students on their sides. You estimated that you engaged in this conduct with multiple students this school year. However, you did not know the exact number.”
Despite the 10-day suspension, Olson’s troubles didn’t end there.
April 3, 2024
According to an April 3 police report, Kasel was asked to go to the KM Middle School to talk to parents about a concern another student had.
According to Kasel, Student 4 allegedly told Student 1 that “Mr. Olson was staring at her chest area last year, making her feel uncomfortable.”
After the hallway incident in January, Student 1 was moved to a different class. According to Kasel, she encouraged Student 4 to come forward.
According to the police report, Student 4 had Mr. Olson for science class the previous year.
“During class Mr. Olson was looking at (redacted) chest area,” Kasel wrote in his report.
According to Kasel, Student 4 recalls “she was wearing a sweater that did not have any writing on it, so she is not sure why he would be looking at her there.”
Student 4 said Olson “was not looking very long, only about 5 seconds or so.”
“Mr. Olson did not say anything while he was looking at her (chest) area,” Kasel wrote in his report. “This was the only time (redacted) can think of that Mr. Olson did anything that made her feel uncomfortable.”
According to the report, Student 4 “did not have any other concerns, and is not fearful of Mr. Olson.”
No information on witnesses was provided.
According to Kasel’s report, Student 4 “has not had to tell Mr. Olson to stop harassing her or leave her alone,” and that Olson “has not touched or grabbed (redacted) anywhere.”
The police then cleared the case, without any charges being filed.
April 24, 2024
On April 24, Kasel was in the lunchroom while on duty when he was approached by Student 1.
“I was assisting with lunch supervision when I was approached by (redacted),” the investigator wrote.
The student asked for Kasel to meet with a student being referred to as Student 5 “about possible inappropriate contact by…Olson.”
Kasel told Student 1 that Student 5 would need to make a report. He then notified Larsen, so a joint investigation could be conducted.
According to the police report, Student 5 talked about “Mr. Olson’s hand brushing against her back sometime in March 2024.”
Student 5 said she spoke to Student 1 about four days after the incident.
“Mr. Olson was walking behind her and she felt his hand brush across her back,” Kasel wrote in his report. (Redacted) “thinks it was accidental and does not think Mr. Olson was trying to touch her back. This is the only time that Mr. Olson has ever touched (redacted),” the report stated.
According to the police report, “(redacted) was surprised and felt disgusted and weird since Mr. Olson is 51 (years old).”
There was one potential witness: Student 2, whose father had described Olson’s actions as “playful” and declined to pursue charges.
According to Kasel, Student 2 knew about the alleged incident with Student 5. She was in the classroom at the time, according to the report, “and saw it out of the corner of her eye.”
“(Redacted) does not think that Mr. Olson did it on purpose and it seemed like an accident,” Kasel wrote in his report.
‘False Accusations’
This time, Olson agreed to speak to the police.
Olson explained he does most of his teaching from the front of the classroom, “with a table between him and the classroom.”
“The students are seated at tables arranged around the classroom,” Kasel wrote in his report. “Joel does have some interactive lessons that do require him to walk around the classroom.”
According to the report, “Joel said that he tries to avoid bumping into students, but on occasions he does accidentally bump into a student, which he usually apologizes to them when it happens.”
Kasel wrote that “Joel does not recall if he had ever bumped or brushed up against” Student 5.
“Due to the previous incident…. Joel has avoided physical contact with students, to include not giving fist bumps,” Kasel wrote in his report. “Joel mentioned that they are currently doing the MCA state testing and he does have to walk around his classroom.”
Kasel sent his report to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office for independent review, as well as the Dodge County Attorney’s Office.
No charges were ever filed against Olson. Multiple emails sent by the DCI to Assistant County Attorney Kalie Thompson have gone unanswered.
With his union representative present as he spoke to police, Olson expressed his concerns about potentially having to look for work elsewhere.
“Joel expressed concerns that even though actively trying to avoid contact with students after the prior reports, they are still making accusations,” Kasel wrote in his report. “Joel is worried (he) may have to leave his job to avoid any more of the false accusations.”
The school year ended without further incident.
September, 2024
In September, however, days after the new school year began, Olson would have yet another allegation leveled against him.
“On September 23, 2024 at 11:49 I (Kasson Police Sgt. Jesse Kasel) responded to the Kasson-Mantorville Middle School,” a police report obtained by the DCI stated. “I was informed by the middle school principal, Josh (Larsen), that a student reported a concern about physical contact she received from a teacher.”
According to Kasel, Student 1 had told Larsen that a student being identified as Student 6, was touched on the back by Olson. Student 6 told police that, on Sept. 20, Olson allegedly touched her back while they were working on science posters in class.
Student 6 said that “Mr. Olson had bent down and was talking to another student.”
“While bending over, Mr. Olson had his hand on (redacted) lower back,” Kasel wrote in his report.
Student 6 “told Mr. Olson not to touch her after he stood up.”
According to the police report, Student 6 was at the locker of Student 1 on the morning of Sept. 23, and the two talked about Olson.
Student 6 said she was not told anything about the prior alleged incidents.
Police spoke to two K-M staff members, who were in the classroom during the time Student 6 referenced.
According to Kasel, he spoke to one potential witness who said “she did not recall anything inappropriate when she walked in the classroom.”
“No criminal conduct was suspected or reported by any witness or complainant,” Kasel wrote in his report.
The case was closed, without any charges, but Olson would still face a district inquiry.
Joel Olson Resigns, Looks For New Job
Following the school district’s investigation into the alleged incident on Sept. 20, Olson was given options, according to an email obtained by the DCI as part of a standard data request.
“District administrators have been made aware of a report filed by a female student,” Superintendent Ted Ihns wrote to school board members. “A required maltreatment report will be submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), and a (redacted) investigation will be conducted.”
The email goes on to state, “We will be working alongside local law enforcement on this investigation as well. The teacher in question has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Our legal counsel, Margaret Skelton, is actively involved and will continue to assist with the investigation and any potential disciplinary actions.”
On Oct. 4, Ihns sent out yet another communication to the school board.
“I wanted to provide you with an update regarding the investigation involving the staff member that was previously shared,” Ihns wrote. “The investigation has been completed, and there has been dialogue between the individual and their representative regarding the potential outcome.”
He added: “The individual has until the end of the day on (Oct. 7) to inform the district of their decision. This option has been outlined based on the recommendation from the district’s legal counsel.”
School Board Chair Kent Harfmann and Ihns did not respond to an email asking if it is the normal practice of the district and administration to notify the school board of personnel decisions before votes are taken or resignations are accepted.
Olson, along with representatives from the school district and witnesses, would sign a separation agreement, which was obtained by the DCI, through a standard public data request.
“Olson hereby resigns from his employment as a teacher effective October 7, 2024. Olson’s resignation is voluntary and is irrevocable upon signing this Agreement,” the agreement reads in part. “Olson’s personnel file shall reflect that he resigned from employment.”
As part of the agreement, Olson was paid a lump sum of $11,566, on Oct. 25.
Asked what the payment was for, the district’s legal counsel, via Ihns, wrote, “It is for his Sept. regularly scheduled pay along with payment until the effective date of his separation agreement at the end of October.”
Middle School Principal Josh Larsen informed staff in an email dated Oct. 9 that Olson “has resigned from his teaching position at KMMS to pursue employment opportunities elsewhere.”
A Google search made during the course of the DCI’s investigation into this story revealed Olson was on the November agenda of the Rochester School Board meeting, to be hired as a teacher in January.
DCI contacted Rochester Public Schools to ask about the hiring. A few days later, a spokesperson said Olson was no longer being considered for the position. An updated school board agenda showed Olson’s name was removed from the agenda.
A spokesperson told a DCI reporter, “We cannot comment on this as it is a personnel matter.”
When asked about the process that leads to a potential hire being put on the agenda, the spokesperson wrote, “We do a background check before we recommend hiring to the School Board.
“If other questions emerge that require investigation, we may defer a recommendation to the school board while we investigate. All offers of employment are conditional pending Board approval,” the spokesperson said.
It is unclear whether Olson has been hired by any school district or is being considered for any positions at this time.
SEPARATION AGREEMENT: Olson hereby resigns from his employment as a teacher effective October 7, 2024. Olson’s resignation is voluntary and is irrevocable upon signing this agreement. Olson’s personnel file shall reflect that he resigned from employment. The district shall pay Olson $11,566.06 on October 25, 2024.