In a Minnesota educational institution, the employment of an officer as a teacher is prohibited following his portrayal of George Floyd's deadly encounter.
The agency that assigned him as a temporary English teacher at Woodbury High School announced on Wednesday that he no longer works with them either.
On Monday, this individual, in four separate classes of 10th and 12th graders, shared experiences from his time as a cop. School authorities mentioned this in a letter to students, parents, and staff.
Students alleged that besides recreating the events leading to George Floyd's death, the substitute teacher made racist remarks, told inappropriate jokes, spoke graphically about dead bodies he had encountered, stated that police officers are the best criminals since they know how to avoid punishment, and denied the existence of police brutality, according to the letter.
The letter was signed by the principal of Woodbury High School, as well as the superintendent and assistant superintendent of the South Washington County Schools district. It stated that the man cannot step foot on district property. They also reported the incident to the Minnesota Department of Education, the state teacher licensing board, and the Woodbury Police Department.
George Floyd died after a white officer kept his neck on the ground for 9 1/2 minutes, even as the Black man repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe." Teenagers were among the witnesses, including one who recorded the event and shared it on social media.
The officer, Derek Chauvin, was found guilty of murder. Floyd's death sparked protests, some of which became violent, and put Gov. Tim Walz under pressure during one of Minnesota's most significant moments. It also led to a nationwide examination of racial discrimination and police misconduct.
Principal Sarah Sorenson-Wanger specifically addressed the racial harm caused by the substitute teacher enacting the pose that resulted in Floyd's death in her letter.
"This behavior is reprehensible. I'm sorry this happened to our students. We will give students the time they need to process and have open discussions that lead to healing, action, and education. Such actions will not be tolerated at Woodbury High School or in the South Washington County Schools," she wrote.
The letter did not disclose the substitute's identity, but it stated that he is not a cop in Minnesota. Woodbury is a suburb southeast of St. Paul, and the eastern suburbs of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area extend into western Wisconsin.
The substitute was employed through Teachers on Call, a staffing agency affiliated with the national Kelly Education employment network. The man passed background checks before being assigned, according to the company.
"The actions of this individual were unacceptable, and the substitute teacher is no longer an employee of Teachers on Call," company spokeswoman Danielle Nixon said in a statement. "We take our responsibility to ensure a safe learning environment very seriously, and have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of violent, aggressive, or harmful behavior."
As the investigation continues, the company won't release any additional information about their former employee.
Woodbury Police Chief Jason Posel stated in a statement that his department will fully investigate the incident and show compassion to the affected students. However, officials are still unclear which police department the substitute teaches for.
The principal did not respond to a request for further details on Wednesday. The superintendent's office referred requests to the district spokesperson, who didn't respond either. The Education Department and the teacher licensing board also did not return messages.
The South Washington County Schools district serves about 18,700 students at 25 schools across seven communities. Around 37% of its students identify as a race other than white.
Despite being employed by Teachers on Call, the substitute teacher in question is no longer working with us at Woodbury High School. We stand in solidarity with our students who were impacted by his inappropriate behavior and will provide them with the necessary support to heal and learn from this experience.
