An off-duty Wisconsin police officer working as a substitute teacher in Woodbury, Minnesota, is under investigation after allegedly re-enacting the murder of George Floyd and making racially harmful comments while teaching classes at Woodbury High School. The officer, Steve Williams, was removed from the classroom and placed on administrative leave by the Prescott Police Department. School officials stated that Williams put a student on the ground to reenact George Floyd’s murder and engaged in other inappropriate behaviors, such as twisting a student’s arm and making sexist and racist jokes.
The incident has been described as reprehensible, and school officials are working to address the issue through open discussions with students. The allegations against Williams have been reported to the Minnesota Department of Education and the state Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board. The staffing agency that placed Williams at the school has terminated his employment, and Woodbury Public Safety is conducting its own investigation.
The actions of Williams were considered unacceptable and do not align with a safe learning environment. Teachers on Call, the staffing agency, emphasized their zero-tolerance policy for violent or harmful behavior. The Woodbury community has expressed shock and concern over the incident, with school officials stating their commitment to addressing the issue and preventing such behavior in the future.
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