COLUMBUS, Ind.— Melissa Streeval now teaches online school.
The 10-year teacher left her classroom after the 2024-2025 school year due to safety concerns.
“I never signed up for being scared to go to work,” said Streeval.
Streeval says she was injured on the job by students— twice to the point of seeking medical treatment.
She says both times, she was trying to stop a student from hurting other kids on the playground.
“He was stomping on my feet, kicking my legs,” said Streeval. “The bottom half of my legs were completely red and swollen. I just couldn’t calm him."
At the time, Streeval worked at Clifty Creek Elementary School in the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation.
“We are not allowed to put our hands on any child for any reason,” said Streeval. “That’s why I had requested many times a camera in my classroom. Just for my own protection so they could never say I provoked or say I put my hands on a child.”
She showed us documentation for other incidents she says left a bruise or a bite mark.
WRTV Investigates has been looking into the problem of teacher injuries since 2019.
We found all kinds of injuries — teachers hit, punched, kicked, hair pulled, headbutted and some suffering from concussions.
“I reached out because I had seen your stories before,” said Streeval.
Per a 2023 state law, public schools and charter schools are required to report to the Indiana Department of Education when a school employee is hurt on the job by a student, including when the injury was:
- Reported to workers’ compensation
- Caused the employee to miss all or part of one or more workdays
- Required to be reported to the school pursuant to the school’s reporting policy
In the state’s new School Employee Injury Report, the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation listed 20 total incidents for the 2024-25 school year.
Streeval doubts the numbers are accurate.
“No, because I have 10 incidents myself,” said Streeval. “A lot of coworkers of mine had reports the same days as I did.”
The district also lists 0 incidents where an injured employee missed part of a workday or more.
“I was sent home after recess, and I was told to stay home and rest and elevate the next day,” said Streeval. “So, to me that would have qualified."
For the 2023-24 school year, the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation reported 142 total incidents of school employee injuries, which is 86% higher than the 2024-25 school year total of 20 incidents.
WRTV Investigates contacted the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation.
“The corporation accurately reported the number of staff injuries documented in the Indiana Department of Education’s School Employee Injury Report as required by the IDOE,” the district said in an emailed statement to WRTV. “It is the corporation’s policy to protect the privacy of all students and staff by not disclosing specific details of medical records.
WRTV Investigates also asked specifically about the huge decrease in reported incidents from 142 to 20.
"Following its 2024 report, BCSC reviewed the IDOE guidance, sought additional guidance, and discovered that it over-reported data in its 2024 report," read the district's written statement. "BCSC’s 2025 report reflects accurate data consistent with the IDOE’s guidance. Additionally, BCSC cannot and does not discuss specific individual employee incidents due to various privacy laws."
WRTV Investigates started reporting on teacher injuries in 2019 and found it’s a big reason why educators are leaving the profession.
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During the 2024-25 school year, Indiana schools reported 4,133 injury incidents, a 36% increase in reports from the previous school year.
"The positive is it’s a good start, but we need more,” said Clere. “We need more data, we need more complete data, we need more consistent data."
Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, authored House Enrolled Act 1591, which took effect July 1, 2023.
“This has been about informing policymakers and policy decisions,” said Clere. “That’s what this should be about is working toward solutions.”
Clere’s wife is a high school teacher who was injured breaking up a fight.
The new law requires schools to track teacher injuries and report the data to the Indiana Department of Education.
WRTV Investigates found 235 school corporations and charters that report school employee injuries and 190 school districts that did not report, like Martinsville, Decatur Township and Wayne Township.
“We searched for the form in May and didn't find it,” said Jeannine Templeman, Chief Communications Officer at MSD Wayne Township in an email to WRTV. “Unfortunately, we missed the deadline to submit the report. We are in process of compiling the data and are requesting that the DOE allow us to submit it after the deadline.”
Martinsville and Decatur Township school districts told WRTV they are looking into what happened.
Right now, there’s no penalty for school districts that do not report.
Last legislative session, the Indiana State Teachers Association pushed for financial penalties for schools that fail to report.
However, no lawmaker filed a bill to make that happen.
Clere plans to meet with the chairman of the House Education Committee and the Indiana Department of Education to talk about the latest school employee injury report.
“Burying our heads in the sand helps no one,” said Clere. “We need to know what’s going on and be able to respond to that."
Clere is also concerned about the inconsistency in the numbers that were reported.
“It’s not about pointing fingers,” said Clere. “It’s not about anything other than trying to compile accurate information so we can understand what is happening in schools.”
ISTA President Jennifer Smith-Margraf says the law needs to change.
“While we’re pleased that Indiana continues collecting this data, the inconsistencies and gaps in the 2025 report are deeply concerning,” said Smith-Margraf. “It’s clear many schools are interpreting the reporting requirements differently, or possibly ignoring them altogether. Until the law is strengthened with clarity and accountability, we risk missing the full picture of the safety challenges our educators face.”
Melissa Streeval resigned from Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation and now teaches online school in another district.
“I had to do it for my health and my own safety,” said Streeval.
She misses the classroom.
“Kids are my fuel,” said Streeval.
She’s calling on schools and the state to do more to protect its teachers.
“Somebody has to make a change,” said Streeval.
WRTV Investigates asked IDOE what the agency is doing to ensure schools are reporting accurately.
“IDOE shares guidance and reminders to schools each year to complete this data submission as we do with all required data submissions,” said Courtney Crown, an IDOE spokesperson, in an email to WRTV. “State law does not provide for any punitive actions against the school if a school does not report this data.”
Crown said the 2025 report is a complete list of schools that completed the data submission.
“Specific questions regarding employee injury incidents should be directed to the corporation or school,” said Crown in an email to WRTV.
So, if a district is not listed, that likely means they did not report anything to IDOE.
However, child advocates say IDOE, the state agency that can suspend or revoke a teaching license, should know if a teacher is accused of misconduct with a student.
FULL STATEMENT FROM BARTHOLOMEW CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL CORPORATION
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation’s top priority is the safety of all students and staff. The corporation accurately reported the number of staff injuries documented in the Indiana Department of Education’s School Employee Injury Report as required by the IDOE. It is the corporation’s policy to protect the privacy of all students and staff by not disclosing specific details of medical records.
BCSC has a strong collaborative relationship with the Columbus Educators Association, School Resource Officers, and local law enforcement to provide a safe learning environment in our schools each day.
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