63-year-old Teacher Charged with Abusing Girls

STEWARTVILLE, Minn. - A 63-year-old teacher has been charged with inappropriately touching two young girls in Sterwartville, Minn.

Third-grade teacher Francis A. Skinness faces second-degree criminal sexual conduct charges stemming from an investigation that began in April at Bonner Elementary School after a student told a hospital worker her teacher had abused her.

A total of four girls in Skinness' class claim the teacher would hug them too tight and too long, said David Nystuen, Bonner's principal. They gave him a note asking him to stop but he did he continued the uncomfortable hugging.

Skinness claims in the complaint that he doesn't recall committing the acts and if he did, it was unintentional.