Prosecutors in the City of Woodbury declined to issue charges against a substitute teacher who reenacted the prone restraint that killed George Floyd on a student and made other “racially harmful” statements while working at Woodbury High School in October.

Steven Williams was fired by the substitute staffing agency Teachers On Call that employed him, but his state license through the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) remained intact as of this report.

At the time of the incident, Williams was also employed as a police officer in Prescott, Wisconsin. The Prescott City Council unanimously approved a separation agreement with him about a month later.

Police and other city records newly obtained by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS took us inside Woodbury High School Classrooms that day.

Audio and video recordings captured Williams kneeling on the back of a student’s neck in one class.

Before that incident, that student, 18, told police Williams said, “…police brutality isn’t real…”, according to a police incident report, and he’s overheard on multiple audio recordings saying, “George Floyd wasn’t killed by the cops.”

Then, a couple of minutes later, he asked the teenage boy “…if he could use him as an example,” according to the incident report. The student told investigating officers he was “…apprehensive about it and stated, ‘No’…” but ultimately, “…felt pressured and agreed…”

A video from inside the classroom showed the student “tap out” as Williams appeared to demonstrate a wrist lock, causing “…slight physical pain…”

The student described the incident as “…uncomfortable and weird,” adding, “…once he gets his license, he would be scared to be pulled over by [Williams].”

According to the incident report, the substitute teacher got physical with another student, demonstrating “…pressure points on [their] hand, face and arm…” without their permission.

A female student reported Williams “…got graphic about details” as he told police stories, describing the topics as “…very controversial” and at times, “…triggering…”

A total of 90 students over the course of multiple class periods were affected, according to the incident report.

In October, Woodbury High School Principal Sarah Sorenson-Wagner said she personally escorted Williams off of school grounds as soon as she started hearing from students.

“I would use the word deranged, it was just like unbelievable,” she said, describing what was reported to her in October.

Investigators sent the case to the City Attorney for a possible disorderly conduct charge, but prosecutors declined.

“Although the suspect’s conduct here was indeed inappropriate, I do not believe the evidence is sufficient…” a prosecutor for the city wrote in a letter addressed to the Woodbury Police Department.

In a statement this week, South Washington County School District Superintendent Julie Nielsen said, “We stand in support of our students regardless of a charging decision… Real harm was done to our students and to Woodbury High School by the reprehensible behavior of the substitute teacher that day…”

District officials reported the incident to the Minnesota Department of Education and filed an ethics complaint with state educator licensing agency PELSB.

PELSB public records showed Williams’ substitute teaching license remained intact as of this report.

In her statement, Nielsen also wrote, “We hope the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) steps up and holds this person accountable for the behavior exhibited at Woodbury High School that day.”

That complaint was filed a few months back, the district said.

In an email response, a spokesperson said PELSB could not confirm or discuss an active investigation, citing privacy laws, adding that it can take more than a year for any potential discipline to be finalized, and the license would remain valid until then.

Read Nielsen’s full statement below:

“We stand in support of our students regardless of a charging decision. Nothing has changed from our statement when this incident was first reported to police. Real harm was done to our students and to Woodbury High School by the reprehensible behavior of the substitute teacher that day, specifically the reenactment of the prone restraint that resulted in the murder of George Floyd.

“It took courage to stand up for and uphold our district’s values in the face of inappropriate and racially-harmful actions by an adult. Our students’ responses to these actions showed profound maturity, empathy and calm in a troubling situation.

“We hope the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) steps up and holds this person accountable for the behavior exhibited at Woodbury High School that day.“

Read the full response to questions from PELSB below:

“PELSB takes the safety of students seriously. However, based on Minnesota Statute 13.41, PELSB cannot confirm cases or disclose information relating to the active investigation of complaints against any licensee as this is considered private data.

“If it is helpful, I can provide some general information on how our process operates. Once PELSB receives a complaint, an investigation is opened. During the investigation, PELSB’s Ethics Department is not able to provide updates, as that is confidential, according to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. An Ethics Committee investigation can take over a year before any potential discipline would be final, and the license would be valid during the pendency of any investigation (if the licensee is not charged with an automatic-revocation offense). If there is final discipline or if a matter is closed without discipline, the complaint filer will be notified. If the Board does take action/discipline on a licensee, that information becomes public and is posted to the Teacher Disciplinary Inquiry System.”