Police Officer Working As Substitute Teacher Accused of Reenacting George Floyd’s Murder in Classroom

A Wisconsin police officer working as a substitute teacher in a Minnesota high school was put on administrative leave after school officials said he reenacted the murder of George Floyd in a classroom.

The incident occurred at Woodbury High School in Woodbury, Minn., on Monday, Oct. 14, according to a letter from the school’s principal, which was published in full by MPR News. 

In the letter, principal Sarah Sorenson-Wagner laid out the alleged actions of the substitute, which the principal said occurred in two different English classes. The substitute teacher has been banned from school district property.

The letter alleged that the teacher put a student on the ground while demonstrating the actions that killed Floyd, whose 2020 death was the result of being knelt on by a Minneapolis police officer for several minutes and led to nationwide protests.

The teacher is also accused of having twisted a student’s arm behind their back, made “racially harmful comments” and told “sexist jokes,” according to the letter.

The letter further alleged that the substitute told students that “cops would be the best criminals” because “they know how to get away with stuff,” and claimed that police brutality wasn’t real.

“I am embarrassed, and I am sorry this happened to our students,” Sorenson-Wagner said in the letter. “We will take as much time as students need to listen and create open space for courageous conversations that lead to healing, action and education.”

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Though the letter did not name the substitute, the City of Prescott, Wisc., identified him as Steve Williams, who has been a police officer with the city for two years. The city said he has been placed on administrative leave and that it was conducting an internal investigation while also allowing for the Woodbury Police Department to investigate.

“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 we in no way condone his actions,” the city said in a statement. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the South Washington School District, staff and students.”

Williams did not immediately respond to an email asking for comment.