A Minnesota school district has barred a police officer from serving as a substitute teacher following a series of actions deemed “racially harmful,” including reenacting the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer. The officer had been placed at Woodbury High School as a substitute English teacher, but has since been banned from district property.
The man, who is not a police officer in Minnesota, reportedly engaged in several troubling behaviors while in the classroom. Students accused him of putting a student on the ground to reenact the actions that led to George Floyd’s death, making racially insensitive comments, telling sexist jokes, discussing graphic details of dead bodies, and claiming that police brutality is not real. These actions prompted school officials to take immediate action and report the incident to the appropriate authorities.
The principal of Woodbury High School, Sarah Sorenson-Wanger, issued a statement expressing embarrassment and regret over the incident. She acknowledged the racial harm caused by the reenactment of George Floyd’s death and emphasized that such behavior will not be tolerated in the school or district.
The substitute teacher was hired through Teachers on Call, a staffing agency that conducts thorough background checks on its employees. Following the incident, the agency terminated the man’s employment, citing a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harmful behavior.
Woodbury Police Chief Jason Posel expressed concern over the preliminary information about the incident and assured that a full investigation would be conducted while supporting the impacted students.
The South Washington County Schools district, which serves approximately 18,700 students across 25 schools in seven communities, emphasized its commitment to creating a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. The district has a diverse student body, with 37% of students identifying as a race other than white.