Lincoln Co. Teacher Accused Of Assaulting Student

A Lincoln County teacher was arrested at the school where he taught Friday on an assault on a female charge.

Kirk Stroupe walked into Lincoln Charter School at 1 p.m. for a meeting. Sheriff’s deputies were waiting outside the office when he walked out.

Stroupe was arrested moments after he resigned from his position at the school.

Students Brandon Dishman and Cody Joy were at the school preparing for a baseball game Friday afternoon. They said they saw the incident a week ago that led to the charge.

Police said Stroupe was leading a class in a game of dodgeball. The boys said Stroupe was hit by an errant ball and “lost it.”

“He just got down like this, and when he got up, just grabbed the ball and just stared throwing,” Joy said.

Stroupe’s target, the students and police said, was a female freshman.

“He grabbed the ball and threw it back at her, and I think he missed three or four times, and finally hit her,” Dishman said.

They said the multiple throws left the girl running for cover.

“She finally came up and got behind me saying, ‘Stop Stroupe,' and I was like, 'Stroupe, please stop,'” Joy said.

Administrators said Stroupe was put on suspension and not allowed back to work immediately after the incident.

The two students described the 14-year-old alleged victim as the smallest girl in the class. The girl’s father told Eyewitness News his daughter suffered bruises and is still shaken by the incident. He also said she still has nightmares.

Stroupe is being held on $5,000 bond. He has a court date set for later this month.

He taught both middle and high school classes at Lincoln Charter School for six years. He was also the head soccer coach and assistant basketball coach.