A school district in Minnesota has barred a police officer from serving as a substitute teacher following a series of incidents deemed “racially harmful.” This includes an incident where he allegedly reenacted the murder of George Floyd, who was killed by a Minneapolis officer in 2020, by putting a student on the ground.
The staffing agency that had assigned him to Woodbury High School confirmed on Wednesday that he is no longer employed with them.
While substituting for English classes on Monday, the officer reportedly told students he had interesting experiences as a police officer.
Complaints from students indicated that he not only reenacted Floyd’s death but also made racially insensitive remarks, told sexist jokes, detailed his experiences with deceased individuals, claimed police officers are the best criminals because they know how to evade the law, and stated that police brutality does not exist.
In a letter sent to students, families, and staff, Woodbury High School’s principal, along with the district’s superintendent and assistant superintendent, expressed their disapproval. They announced that the individual is now banned from district property and that the incident has been reported to the Minnesota Department of Education, the state teacher licensing board, and the Woodbury Police Department.
Floyd’s death, which occurred when former officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for over nine minutes despite Floyd’s pleas of “I can’t breathe,” prompted widespread protests and discussions on racial discrimination and police misconduct.
Principal Sarah Sorenson-Wanger condemned the substitute teacher’s reenactment as “reprehensible” and expressed her embarrassment over the incident, emphasizing that such behavior will not be tolerated in their schools.
Although the substitute was not identified, the letter noted that he is not a police officer in Minnesota.
The officer was hired through Teachers on Call, a staffing agency within the Kelly Education network, which stated that he had passed thorough background checks.
Company spokesperson Danielle Nixon reaffirmed their zero-tolerance policy for violent or harmful behavior.
Woodbury Police Chief Jason Posel expressed concern over the preliminary reports and committed to a thorough investigation, prioritizing the well-being of the affected students. However, it remains unclear which law enforcement agency employs the substitute teacher. The school district serves approximately 18,700 students across 25 schools in seven communities, with 37% identifying as non-white.
