Former Iowa County gym teacher enters a plea deal

A former Iowa County gym teacher entered a plea agreement in circuit court.  According to online court records, Kirby Grutz pleaded no contest to child abuse (recklessly causing harm). The court withheld judgment on this charge and instead ordered Grutz to complete a 36-month diversion agreement where he is to undergo anger management and counseling. Grutz is not to have contact with the victims or their families and cannot work in childcare or K-12 education. The court dismissed a count of neglecting a child where specified harm did not occur.  Grutz had been a gym teacher at the Iowa-Grant Elementary/Middle School for one year when charges were filed in 2023. A criminal complaint stated the charges stemmed from an incident during a second-grade gym class.