A substitute teacher escorted out of Woodbury High School on Monday after he reportedly “reenacted the prone restraint that resulted in the murder of George Floyd” has since been fired by the company that the school district contracts for substitute teaching services, and on Wednesday, he was placed on administrative leave by the Prescott Police Department in Wisconsin where he’s employed as a police officer.

In a statement, Prescott Police Chief Eric Michaels identified Steve Williams as the former substitute teacher for South Washington County Schools, adding that Williams was a two-year veteran of the police department.

“Mr. Williams was not serving in an official capacity as a Police Officer for the City of Prescott when the alleged actions occurred. 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,” Chief Michaels wrote.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the South Washington School District, staff and students.”

“I just still feel sick about it,” Woodbury High School Principal Sarah Sorenson-Wagner said in an interview on Wednesday.

“I feel like my job is to make sure students know that they are safe and loved, and that didn’t happen on Monday.”

Sorenson-Wagner said roughly 90 students over the course of four classes were harmed by the man they looked to as an educator.

“I think the kids just feel really weird about it. They knew it was wrong, but they didn’t know how to stop it,” she said.

In a letter sent to families on Tuesday, district leadership said Williams shared “disturbing” stories from his work as a police officer, “told sexist jokes” and “repeatedly made racially harmful comments.”

He also reportedly “invaded students’ space,” while mimicking things, like, “holding up a gun and pointing it at students.”

“I would use the word deranged, it was just, like, unbelievable,” Sorenson-Wagner reacted during the interview.

The situation culminated during a fourth-period English class when Williams “put a student on the ground in front of the class” and “reenacted the prone restraint that resulted in the murder of George Floyd.”

Sorenson-Wagner said after that class, she started hearing about it from students, and she escorted the substitute teacher out minutes later.

“I just knew I had to get him out of the school. I mean, it was very quickly apparent,” the principal said, adding that students “showed me a video of it, and they also had an audio recording of other things that he had been talking about in the class.”

A spokesperson for South Washington County Schools on Wednesday said the sub covered eight middle and high school classes since he was hired by substitute staffing service Teachers on Call in March, including filling in during another Woodbury High School Class earlier this month.

Monday was the first time issues were reported to school administration, the spokesperson added.

In a separate statement on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Kelly Education, the parent company of Teachers On Call, wrote, “The substitute educator involved in the reported misconduct passed all required background screens before being placed on assignment.” According to the statement, that background check included “…searches of local, state, and national criminal records—including crimes against children—and a search of the National Sex Offender Registry.”

“We have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of violent, aggressive, or harmful behavior,” the spokesperson continued, confirming ”the substitute teacher is no longer an employee of Teachers on Call.”  

Sorenson-Wagner said this was a first-of-its-kind situation in her 11 years as principal and that she’d continue to make herself available to students and parents as needed. She said she’s also a parent of a student at the high school.

“I’m a mom, and I just have a mom heart, and so I’m thinking, if I’m a parent, I just want to go in and talk to someone and maybe be together with other parents that had children that went through this trauma together.”

The principal held a meeting at Woodbury High School with parents on Wednesday evening. Two additional meetings are scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

The school district spokesperson confirmed Williams is under a formal order not to trespass on school grounds, which would be enforced by the Woodbury Police Department.

Sorenson-Wagner said the district also reported Williams to the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board with the stated goal of ensuring he won’t teach in any Minnesota schools again.

“We’re working with the Woodbury Police Department,” she added, “…to investigate, to see if there’s criminal charges that would be possible.”

Woodbury police issued the following statement on Wednesday regarding the incident:

“Woodbury Public Safety is aware of the incident that occurred at Woodbury High School on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. We are disturbed by the preliminary information of what occurred. The substitute teacher who was involved in this situation has no affiliation with Woodbury Public Safety. We value our relationship with the South Washington County School District and will continue to work closely with them. The safety of the students, teachers, staff and our community is our top priority. We will investigate this incident to the fullest extent, while showing compassion to the students impacted.”

Jason Posel, Chief and Director of Public Safety

Police added while they’re in the very preliminary stages of their investigation, there is no case file, and no one is in custody.

Prescott Police Chief Eric Michaels also provided a statement regarding the incident:

The letter sent to families from Principal Sorenson-Wagner can be viewed in full below, as well as the full statement from Kelly Education.

“Teachers on Call is deeply concerned about the reported misconduct of a former employee on assignment at Woodbury High School. The actions of this individual were unacceptable, and the substitute teacher is no longer an employee of Teachers on Call.

We recognize the significant public trust placed in us to ensure our substitute educators maintain a safe learning environment. We have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of violent, aggressive, or harmful behavior.

Our substitute educators undergo a rigorous screening process that is fully compliant with Minnesota Department of Education standards and includes screenings that go beyond state requirements. This includes comprehensive background and fingerprint checks, which include searches of local, state, and national criminal records – including crimes against children – and a search of the National Sex Offender Registry. Our review system strictly adheres to all state and district requirements, prioritizing safety and security in educational environments. The substitute educator involved int he reported misconduct passed all required background screens before being placed on assignment.

We want to thank our partners at Woodbury High School for taking swift action to protect students’ well-being. We are cooperating with the school district and local authorities during the ongoing investigation.”

Kelly Education