Is Southeast Delco janitor Robert Strange the sort of maniac who charges into a 5th grade classroom and beats up a 12 year old boy in front of his teacher and fellow students, thanks everybody and then leaves?

My print column is up.

UPDATE: Superintendent Butz also said that the school's investigation into the matter revealed the possibility that the boy in question may have sustained an injury during or after school that day that had nothing to do with the wrestling match with Strange. A couple of fellow classmates told school staff that the boy had fallen outside, possibly from a slip on ice.

Butz is playing it all very close to the vest because any injury to the boy on school property could result in litigation from the family. It remains quite possible that if the boy was injured during even a friendly tussle with Strange, the school would be legally culpable as well.

The most important thing right now is that everybody understand that the criminal charges against Strange that assert he intentionally sought to inflict serious injury on the boy are highly questionable. There is nothing in his past that suggests a violent character. And everything I've been told suggests he is held in high esteem by the staff and students at the school and his boss. He needs to get back to work to support his family.

Butz said he would have liked to have been able to talk to the boy and his parents about the incident but so far they have shown no interest in helping the district with its own investigation into the matter.

I would be happy to talk to them too.