A Minnesota police officer who also works as a substitute teacher has been banned from teaching in the South Washington School District after reportedly using a student to reenact the events leading up to the death of George Floyd.
Prescott Patrol Officer Steve Williams is also a two-year veteran of the Woodbury Police Department and was not serving in an official capacity as a police officer for the City of Prescott when the alleged actions occurred.
A statement released by the City of Prescott, however, confirmed the officer in question is currently on administrative leave as they further investigate.
“The City of Prescott and the Prescott Police Department find the current allegations, if true, made against Mr. Williams to be very disturbing, reprehensible, and we in no way condone his actions. Our deepest sympathies go out to the South Washington School District, staff and students,” the statement said.
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Williams, who was substitute teaching four separate English classes at the school on Monday, allegedly made racist and sexist comments to students as well as other actions that added to the need for school officials to remove him.
Parents of the students attending the school received letters signed by Woodbury High School principal Sarah Sorenson-Wagner, South Washington County Schools Superintendent Julie Nielsen and Assistant Superintendent Kristine Schaefer notifying them about the incident in which the school officials explained that Williams said he thought the students “would want to hear about his life as a police officer.”
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Officials also said in the process of speaking to individual students they learned that during the incident he “Twisted a student’s arm behind the student’s back and showed pressure points on the chin and face,” “spoke about a bar fight and fake punched a student with his fist ‘really close’ to the student’s face,” and he “‘Invaded students’ space and mimicked holding up a gun and pointing it at students.”
Parents have been reassured that the school “responded immediately, removed the teacher from the classroom and walked the teacher out of our school.”
School officials say a report on the incident has been submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education and the state’s educator licensing board.
The City of Prescott is conducting its own internal investigation as the Woodbury Police Department is conducting its investigation.
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