Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Politics/National
BlogsNationalNews

#SpringValleyHigh: Classmates Dismiss Claims That Female Student Was ‘Disruptive’ Before Violent Arrest by White Officer

Posted byBy Zellie Imani | Published on: CommentsComments (5)

[playwirevid id=’4217923′]

A video surfaced online Monday afternoon of an incident inside of a classroom between a Spring Valley High School student and a school resource officer.

In the video, a female student is approached by a police officer while sitting at her desk in a classroom where several other students are present. An officer can be seen grabbing the student’s arm and placing his own arm around the student’s neck before yanking her from her seat.  Once the student is on the ground, the officer drags the student across the floor and out of the view of the camera.

According to Sheriff Leon Lott, the school resource officer was acting in response to a student who was being disruptive in class and resisting arrest.

“The student was told she was under arrest for disturbing school and given instructions which she again refused,” Lott said. “The video then shows the student resisting and being arrested by the SRO.”

Students present in the classroom posted on twitter disputing the account.

Richland School District Two. Superintendent Dr. Libby Roof released the following statement:

“Our District is deeply concerned about an incident that occurred at Spring Valley High School today. The incident took place between a school resource officer employed by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and a student. Video of the incident is circulating on social media.

“Student safety is and always will be the District’s top priority. The District will not tolerate any actions that jeopardize the safety of our students.

“Upon learning of the incident, school and district administrators began an investigation. We are working closely and in full cooperation with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department to conduct a thorough and complete investigation.

“Pending the outcome of the investigation, the District has directed that the school resource officer not return to any school in the District.”

 

About 70 percent of students involved in in-school arrests or referred to law enforcement are Black or Hispanic, according to SuspensionStories.com. Many on twitter provided evidence of how often similar incidents occurred at Spring Valley High and nation wide.

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top