An off-duty Wisconsin police officer working as a substitute teacher in Woodbury High School in Minnesota is under investigation for allegedly re-enacting George Floyd’s murder, making racially harmful comments, and causing physical harm to a student. Steve Williams, a Wisconsin patrol officer, was removed from the classroom and placed on administrative leave by the Prescott Police Department. School officials described the re-enactment of Floyd’s murder as “reprehensible” and stated that such actions would not be tolerated in their school district.
Williams is accused of making racist and sexist comments, describing graphic scenes of dead bodies, and sharing details about sexual assault cases he worked on. Additionally, he allegedly twisted a student’s arm, demonstrated pressure points on the face, pretended to punch a student, and pointed a fake gun at students. The teacher also made inappropriate statements such as claiming that police brutality isn’t real and suggesting that cops would be good criminals.
The allegations against Williams are being investigated by the school district, local police, and state education authorities. The staffing agency that placed Williams at the school confirmed that he is no longer employed by them and emphasized their zero-tolerance policy for violent or harmful behavior. South Washington County Schools, where the incident occurred, serves a diverse student population with 37% of students identifying as a race other than white.
Officials have expressed embarrassment and apologized to students for the incident, pledging to create open spaces for conversations and take action to ensure such behavior is not repeated in the future.
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