An 8-year-old Milwaukee third grader walked into gym class and left with bruises and a criminal case hanging over his teacher, according to prosecutors. The criminal complaint alleges that during a Feb. 26 gym class at Fairview Elementary, near 65th Street and Kinnickinnic River Parkway, 48-year-old gym teacher Andrew Fenske grabbed the boy by the hood of his sweatshirt and took him to the ground, leaving the child bruised and shaken. Fenske is charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court with one count of physical abuse of a child — reckless causation of bodily harm.
What the complaint alleges
According to the complaint, surveillance video reviewed by police shows Fenske walking over to the student, grabbing the hood of his sweatshirt, lifting him and bringing him to the floor facedown while escorting him out of the gym. A Milwaukee officer responded after the principal called 911. Investigators say the student told them he had been pulled by his hood and that his neck and back hurt as he tried to get away.
As reported by FOX6 News Milwaukee, the boy was taken to St. Luke's for X-rays, where hospital staff documented bruising on his neck and back.
Family and school response
The boy's mother, Angelica Alba Guerrero, told CBS58, "When he got home, he was all bruised around the neck and had bruises on his back." She said her son has been in therapy since the incident and that she filed a police complaint.
Milwaukee Public Schools, which oversees Fairview Elementary, said in a statement that the school immediately opened an investigation and that the employee is not currently working in the building.
Court steps and legal exposure
Court records show Fenske made his initial appearance on May 22, 2026. He was released on a $1,500 signature bond, and a no-contact order was put in place. Fenske entered a not-guilty plea, and a scheduling conference is set for July 7, 2026.
According to FOX6 News Milwaukee, prosecutors charged Fenske with one count of physical abuse of a child — reckless causation of bodily harm. If convicted, he faces up to three years and six months in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Where this fits in recent MPS cases
The complaint against Fenske is the latest in a string of high-profile allegations involving Milwaukee Public Schools staff. In another recent case, CBS58 reported that a paraprofessional was charged last year after surveillance video allegedly showed him slapping a student on a school bus. Together, the cases have fueled ongoing worries among parents and advocates about staff conduct and how the district oversees student safety.
