The 16-year-old Spring Valley High School student who caused a national uproar by refusing to follow the directions of her teacher, a school administrator and a school resource sheriff’s deputy, will not face any disciplinary action from the school according to local South Carolina media reports.
The announcement came a day after students staged a walkout in support of the fired deputy. Some students had already been protesting in school that week by wearing white t-shirts with handmade messages supporting the deputy.
Image by Cassibry via Twitter.
Cellphone video of the deputy trying to remove the recalcitrant student from her desk went viral as the video showed the student fighting the deputy and her desk then flipping over with her in it. The deputy was then seen dragging/throwing the student across the room to subdue her.
wistv.com – Columbia, South Carolina
All three videos of the incident can be viewed here.
A fellow student, 18-year-old Niya Kenny, who started screaming profanities in class in support of the disruptive student will also face no disciplinary action.
Instead, the deputy has been fired, the teacher reassigned from her class and the administrator has been suspended pending investigation.
The two students still face charges of ‘disturbing school’, but with the Obama administration’s Justice Department and FBI investigating the incident there is little doubt the charges will be dropped. The officer involved is a white male while the two students involved are Black females.
WIS-TV reported on a statement issued Saturday by the Richland School District.
“Richland Two Chief Communications Officer Libby Roof said: “No suspension or expulsion recommendations or actions have been taken against the students in connection with the incident on Monday and they have been allowed to return to school. Criminal charges are not handled by the district. While the independent investigation is being conducted, a substitute teacher is teaching the class during which the incident occurred. Consistent with the district’s standard procedure when investigations are being conducted, the administrator is on paid leave.”
On Friday around 100-200 Spring Valley students walked out of class in a short protest calling in support of the fired deputy, Ben Fields. Those supporting Deputy Fields included a large number of Black students.
Students prepare to protest firing of Deputy Fields, image by Mina Rena via Twitter.
Featured photo collage by @_Yonaaa via Twitter.
