Minnesota teacher being investigated for allegedly berating students

Monday, May 6, 2019
A teacher in Minnesota has been told to stay home and the district is investigating after secret recordings surfaced of the seventh grade science teacher insulting students.

For months, a student at Hibbing High School recorded Dan Gotz ranting about everything from students' intelligence to their looks.
[Ads /]
"You build this up in your little muscle cells that you have. In this case, not a whole lot of it. Scrawny toothpicks hanging out of his shirt," Gotz could be heard saying on one recording.

Students' parents have hired an attorney who sent a letter to the district detailing the insults.
[Ads /]
Gotz was immediately placed on paid administrative leave.

The district said due to privacy laws, they would have nothing more to add.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.