Former Iowa Christian School Band Teacher Avoids Prison in Abuse Case

A former teacher at Ankeny Christian Academy in Iowa has avoided prison time in a case involving allegations of inappropriate conduct with a student. Michael Burrows, 50, entered an Alford plea to a charge of assault causing mental illness, resulting in one year of probation. The plea allows a defendant to maintain innocence while acknowledging prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction.

Burrows initially faced three counts of lascivious acts with a child. Prosecutors accused him of inappropriate conduct involving a sixth-grade girl during the 2021-22 school year. According to police accounts, Burrows allegedly approached the girl at her locker, pressed his body against hers, and touched her waist and inner-thigh. He also allegedly pressed his erect penis against her while she played a xylophone-type instrument.

Burrows had worked as a full-time teacher and band instructor at Ankeny Christian Academy since August 2021. A parent complaint filed with the school in August 2025 led to a criminal investigation. School officials learned that a protective order barred Burrows from contacting minors. Parents threatened to withdraw students if he returned, and teachers also threatened to quit if he resumed teaching. Ankeny Christian Academy fired Burrows on Sept. 30.

Despite his termination and pending felony charges, Burrows later won unemployment compensation benefits. Administrative Law Judge Elizabeth Johnson ruled the school had not shown misconduct sufficient to deny Burrows benefits under Iowa law. She noted that being arrested and charged with a crime is not the same as a conviction.

Johnson emphasized that the standards for determining misconduct justifying termination of an employee and those for denying unemployment insurance benefits are separate decisions. The ruling highlights the distinction between criminal charges and the consequences they may bring in employment and financial contexts.

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