Twin Cities high school sub accused of reenacting George Floyd's murder in class
WOODBURY, Minn. — A substitute teacher at Woodbury High School is accused of reenacting the murder of George Floyd in class with students earlier this week.
In a letter to families, principal Sarah Sorenson-Wagner said the incident happened on Monday. She said it was unprovoked and happened in English classes for sophomores and seniors, adding the teacher was immediately removed from class and police are now investigating.
Students reported that their substitute teacher Steven Williams said he thought students would want to hear about his life as a police officer. Williams works as a police officer in Prescott, Wisconsin, and has since been placed on administrative leave.
"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 in no way do we condone these actions," Eric Michaels, the Prescott Chief of Police said in a press conference on Wednesday.
Some of the events students reported happening in class include the act of putting a student on the ground in front of the class as part of a reenactment of the police actions that resulted in Floyd's murder.
Other allegations also include the twisting of a student's arm behind their back and a demonstration of the pressure points on the chin and face.
The students also said Williams repeated racially harmful comments and sexist jokes, and made comments that "police brutality isn't real," and "cops would be the best criminals" because "they know how to get away with stuff," stating that he once got an "A" on a paper about how to get away with murder.
Police said conversations with the school district about how to approach this investigation have just begun, but the goal is to not cause further disturbance to students, staff and the community.
Sorenson-Wagner said, "allegations of staff misconduct are taken seriously," and she also thanked the students for reporting the incident to them.
She said she met with students on Tuesday in an effort to provide a space to listen and process what happened in their classroom, and additional meetings are set for next week.
Sorenson-Wagner noted the full report has been submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education and the Educator Licensing Department. The MDE said in a statement that it is "aware of the situation and has been in contact with South Washington County Schools to offer resources to students, families and staff."
District leaders also say this person is no longer allowed on any district property and they are collaborating with police to investigate this incident.
Williams had an active license to work as a substitute, and was contracted from the staffing agency Teachers on Call. The agency said Wednesday that he is no longer employed.
In a statement released on Wednesday morning, a Woodbury police spokesperson said the department is "disturbed" by the incident and is continuing to investigate "while showing compassion to the students impacted."
Parents said they were stunned to hear about Williams' actions.
"I'd want to have strict assurances that this person is never going to be teaching my kids again," said Jackie Schneider of Woodbury, whose son is a senior.
WCCO reached out to Williams but did not hear back from him.
Who's allowed to be a substitute teacher in Minnesota?
There's no easy answer to this. According to the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standard Board, it depends on what type of substitute teacher you are applying to be.
There's something called a "short-term substitute," which can replace a regular teacher for up to 20 days in a row. For that, you need a bachelor's degree and one of several state licenses.
The restrictions are a little tighter to be a long-term substitute. Retired teachers can also apply for a "Lifetime Substitute Teaching License."
But there's also a state pilot program that allows someone to be a substitute if they have district training and a minimum of an associate's degree.
Alternatively, they can have a high school diploma, GED or high school equivalency, along with at least one year of work experience as an education support professional or a paraprofessional in the hiring district.
