MINNEAPOLIS — A school district in Minnesota has taken action to prevent a police officer from working as a substitute teacher after incidents deemed “racially harmful” occurred during his time at Woodbury High School. Reports indicate that these actions included recreating the tragic events of George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis officer in 2020.
The staffing agency responsible for his placement announced on Wednesday that he is no longer employed through them. The individual was substituting as an English teacher when he allegedly told students across four different classes that they might find his experiences as a police officer interesting, according to communications shared with students and their families.
In addition to the re-enactment of Floyd’s death, students reported that the substitute made a series of inappropriate remarks. These included “racially harmful comments,” sexist jokes, and graphic descriptions of deceased individuals. He purportedly stated that “cops would be the best criminals” and made claims that “police brutality isn’t real,” among other troubling assertions.
The letter, signed by the principal of Woodbury High School, along with district superintendent and assistant superintendent, affirmed that the substitute is now banned from entering any district locations. The officials reported the matter to the Minnesota Department of Education, the state teacher licensing board, and the local police department.
The tragic case of George Floyd, who died while an officer pinned his neck to the ground for over nine minutes despite his pleas for help, sparked widespread protests and discussions on racial bias and police practices. These protests posed significant challenges for state leadership and raised critical national conversations about systemic racism in policing.
Principal Sarah Sorenson-Wanger expressed deep concern over the incident, explicitly acknowledging the racial harm inflicted on students by the substitute teacher’s actions. She stated, “This reported behavior is appalling. I am embarrassed that this happened to our students. We will devote as much time as necessary to support our students and promote open dialogues that facilitate healing and education. Such behavior is absolutely intolerable in our school community.”
Although the letter did not disclose the name of the substitute, it clarified that he is not a police officer within Minnesota. This incident occurred in Woodbury, a suburb situated southeast of St. Paul.
The individual was provided to the school through Teachers on Call, a staffing organization affiliated with Kelly Education, a national employment network. The agency mentioned that comprehensive background checks were conducted before the substitute was assigned to the school.
The spokesperson for the agency emphasized the gravity of the situation, condemning the substitute’s actions as intolerable, and confirmed that he is no longer affiliated with Teachers on Call. The agency highlighted their commitment to maintaining trust in ensuring a safe educational environment and underscored their zero-tolerance policy for any harmful behavior.
In light of the ongoing investigation, the staffing agency refrained from disclosing any additional details regarding the former employee.
Police Chief Jason Posel voiced his department’s distress regarding the preliminary information about the incident, affirming their commitment to a thorough investigation while expressing empathy for the students affected.
Additionally, police officials have not yet determined which law enforcement agency employs the substitute. Efforts to reach the principal for further comments were unsuccessful, as were attempts to contact the superintendent’s office and the Department of Education.
The South Washington County Schools district educates around 18,700 students across 25 schools, with approximately 37% of its student body identifying as non-white.