SC - Columbia - Sheriff Slams Female Student to Floor In Class - #2

South Carolina sheriff's deputy on leave after dragging student from her desk
Matthew Teague
Tuesday 27 October 2015 11.57 EDT

The video shows a school monitor reported to be Ben Fields – who is also a Richland county sheriff’s deputy – confronting the female student.

When she refuses to leave her seat in a classroom at Spring Valley high school in Columbia, he tells her: “I’ll make you.” He then wraps his arm around her neck, flips her desk backward, then drags her across the floor. He arrested both the girl, and a male student.

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Ben Fields, South Carolina Deputy, Fired Over Student Arrest
By ALAN BLINDEROCT. 28, 2015

[...]
The deputy, Ben Fields, was dismissed two days after the episode at Spring Valley High School, where students recorded an encounter that spread quickly across social media and became a vivid reminder of concerns about the treatment of black people by law enforcement officers.

“He picked a student up, and he threw the student across the room; that is not a proper technique,” Sheriff Leon Lott of Richland County said at a news conference in Columbia, where he told reporters, “Deputy Ben Fields did wrong this past Monday, so we’re taking responsibility for that.”

Thanks for the new thread!

Okay. So a lot of posters think a better solution than physically dragging her out of her desk would be to let her stay there, and assign her other punishments at a later time. In school suspensions, Saturday detention, that sort of thing. And I agree with that for some cases.

The problem is, ISS and detentions tend to have MUCH more strict rules, and MUCH more in your face demands for behavior. Get your head up off your desk right now. Don't slouch. Stop talking, that's it, you just signed yourself up for another Saturday detention.

IMHO, that would have only further delayed the confrontation where someone would have to physically force this child to comply. You have to be VERY VERY compliant to get through ISS and Detention without being assigned more.

I think "passing the buck" to an ISS teacher or a detention monitor would only kick the problem further down the road, and that is that this girl will not respond to direct instruction from people who are in legitimate authority.

Bessie, can you clarify if this girl is considered a victim and/or a minor?

Either way you rule, I think it will eliminate some of the acrimonious posts.

Thank you in advance. I don't want a vacay!

Students walk out to show support for fired S.C. school deputy

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...alkout-backs-fired-deputy-sc-school/74874920/

Elley Mae said:

Students walk out to show support for fired S.C. school deputy

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...alkout-backs-fired-deputy-sc-school/74874920/

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I feel so sorry for those kids.

EllieBee said:

Bessie, can you clarify if this girl is considered a victim and/or a minor?

Either way you rule, I think it will eliminate some of the acrimonious posts.

Thank you in advance. I don't want a vacay!

Click to expand...

defendant would also apply, seeing as she's facing prosecution for disturbing the school

bluesneakers said:

I feel so sorry for those kids.

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Why do you feel sorry for them?

Someone in the previous thread said they see her as failing. Wouldn't it be great if she excels? That is my wish for her.

So back in the day, my son got into a minor misdemeanor, class c, and as a result had to go to this "scared straight" type of evening where they put the fear of God into these kids that if they don't straighten up and fly right they'll rot in prison. BTW, these were all kids who were caught smoking, truant, at an underage drinking party, etc. A parent had to attend with the kid. The whole thing was kind of heavy-handed, but the teacher was reasonable and likable enough. No one wanted to be there, everyone wanted to bolt for the door, but the air was civil.

THEN, some aggressive guy walked in and challenged the instructor. I don't know what his thing was exactly, but he entered the room and asked if all these kids had been convicted of crimes. No? Then why are they here. The guy was very menacing. At first, it seemed to everyone that this was part of the presentation and everyone sat there and watched as if we were all watching a stageplay.

Then it became apparent this was NOT a play, and it was this guy against the program presenter. EVERYONE in the room sided with the program presenter, and many adults and kids rose in their seats to defend him. It was after hours in the county courthouse, and there would be no help for this presenter if not for the participants in the room who didn't want to be there in the first place.

The point of this whole long-winded story is, most people recognize and respect legitimate authority. Even if this agitator believed himself to be on the kid's side. Even if the kids are there under duress. I think this aggressor thought he would have a room full of supporters - but he had none. I don't know what his beef was with this program, but he clearly had a beef. Everyone else in the room could sort out the legitimacy of the presenter.

Anyway. After the aggressor was chased off and the presenter called on his cell for police backup, the room relaxed into a very cohesive environment. We aren't lawless. Most people aren't lawless. Most people recognize a threat to legitimate authority.

BayouBelle_LA said:

Someone in the previous thread said they see her as failing. Wouldn't it be great if she excels? That is my wish for her.

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I think it's quite possible she will excel. She has a foster parent who seems very reasonable, and is working to help her out.

A post on the last thread said that the students who support Fields think he did the right thing. Well one of those students is quoted that he supports Fields but does not agree with his conduct.

It also occurs to me that if this was uncharacteristic for the officer, maybe he needs to have a welfare check at home? Either way, I believe he should be charged with assault.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...alkout-backs-fired-deputy-sc-school/74874920/

John Cassibry, a 17-year-old senior, posted a video of the demonstration and photos of students wearing protest T-shirts.

Cassibry, who participated in the protest, told The Huffington Post that while he did not agree with Fields' conduct in arresting the student, he also did not believe the officer deserved to be fired.

"I believe it is important as a student to voice my opinion," Cassibry told HuffPost."My belief on Deputy Fields is just that — I do believe he was too aggressive, but I do not believe it was any circumstance to lose his job, nor do I believe it was race-driven."

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Lawyer for Teen in SC School Assault Video Speaks on Injuries She Suffered, Whether She Is an Orphan and Fake ******** Pages

On Thursday a lawyer for the South Carolina teen who was violently assaulted by a school resource officer appeared on activist Joe Madison's radio show on Sirius to clarify remarks posted about the teen and the incident.

...

"This is not a child with a great deal of means," Rutherford said. "This is not a child where a cellphone came easy. This is probably the most valuable possession this child has. So for the teacher to try and take that, to her, was shocking, so she simply sat there quietly."

...

Officials for the Richland County Police Department claimed that no injuries arose from the incident, but Rutherford told WLTX that his client suffered multiple injuries as a result of the officer's assault.

"He weighs about 300 pounds," Rutherford said. "She is a student who is 16 years old who now has a cast on her arm, a Band-Aid on her neck, and neck and back problems. There’s something wrong here."

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EllieBee said:

Bessie, can you clarify if this girl is considered a victim and/or a minor?

Either way you rule, I think it will eliminate some of the acrimonious posts.

Thank you in advance. I don't want a vacay!

Click to expand...

I hope the following info. is taking into consideration when making that determination.

The sheriff said the student, arrested on a charge of disturbing school, also should be held accountable. The girl hit the officer as he tried to remove her from the class, Lott said.


"She was very disruptive, she was very disrespectful and she started this whole incident with her actions," the sheriff said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0SM1N120151029

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I read a lot of speculation on the previous thread that the other students in the class were probably glad to see the girl removed since she was disrupting their learning.

I watched this video all the way to the end (thanks, Bluesneakers) and I don't see any students looking too happy about what is going on. Most have their heads scrunched down, one completely, as if they don't even want to watch what's happening. I don't see any jubilation or relief that the student is being removed. Their postures express fear and discomfort to me.

https://youtu.be/ggVMqzhkfCk

EllieBee said:

Bessie, can you clarify if this girl is considered a victim and/or a minor?

Either way you rule, I think it will eliminate some of the acrimonious posts.

Thank you in advance. I don't want a vacay!

Click to expand...

She's not a victim in the usual sense of the word as it applies at Websleuths. Obviously, there was wrong on both sides. That said, posts that are deliberately mean-spirited won't be allowed. Posters, however, aren't prohibited from expressing the view that the officer's actions were warranted.

I'd advise that rather than continue to focus on the student, a more productive discussion would come from debating the issue of whether or not LEO's should be school monitors. In other words, focus on the issues, and not the individuals. And as always, don't expect to change anyone's mind.

"Unfortunately, our Legislature passed a law that's called 'disturbing schools,' " he [Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott] said.

"If a student disturbs school -- and that's a wide range of activities, 'disturbing schools' -- they can be arrested. Our goal has always been to see what we can do without arresting the kids. We don't need to arrest these students. We need to keep them in schools."

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/29/us/south-carolina-school-arrest-videos/

Officers can 'break down these barriers'

"It breaks down these barriers where the law enforcement officers are seen as an enemy," said Michael Allison, a Pennsylvania high school principal and president of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. "In the majority of cases around the country, that's what school resource officers are doing every day."

Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, said it takes a special kind of officer.

"That's one of the most unique jobs in law enforcement and it takes a very unique individual who understands that to some degree students have a different way about them sometimes," he said. "And you know, they're going to say and do things that we might not like, but are not necessarily criminal in nature."

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/27/us/south-carolina-school-resource-officers/

And btw, if you don't want a vacay, don't respond.

Elley Mae said:

Students walk out to show support for fired S.C. school deputy

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...alkout-backs-fired-deputy-sc-school/74874920/

Click to expand...

I applaud those students!

magnolia said:

I hope the following info. is taking into consideration when making that determination.

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I understand what you are saying, but the sheriff wasn't there so had to rely on what was reported to him by others.

Who may or may not have had a vested interest in portraying the girl's behavior as worse than it was.

I'm not saying I think this is what happened, but I am allowing for the possibility and therefore not taking his statements as fact.

I'll apologize in advance for this lengthy post.

I've been reading this thread for a couple days, and have resisted the urge to enter the fray. But this eve, I changed my mind. My post is mostly about the behavior of the student, and what I think should happen going forward, as the officer is already being more than adequately punished for his part in this situation.

Regarding whether or not the student is a “victim” or a “perpetrator”, IMO, she is BOTH. That is what makes these kind of cases so difficult, and controversial, to discuss. She absolutely initiated the situation, AND escalated the situation. The officer that responded, IMO, very clearly used excessive physical force—and for that he has been fired, and faces prosecution, and civil rights investigation. His career is over, and his life will suck for a very long time now. He is being more than adequately punished for his actions. IMO, he should not be sued by anyone—this should not be an opportunity for a multi-million dollar “cash windfall” for anyone, due to the bad behavior of 2 people—EVEN with the power differential.

The student’s behavior that initiated this entire confrontation, however, should not “go away” with no consequences, just because of the officer’s reaction. He is being punished. But IMO, she deserves, and should definitely face consequences for HER behavior as well—and for her escalation of the defiance, disobedience, and disrespect. Real life has consequences, and school is “real life”. As has been pointed out by others, that kind of behavior—if it continues, is predictive of a lot of problems in life and in the work world. She is plenty old enough to know that her behavior (beginning with the in class cell phone use, and then escalating the defiance) was waaaaaaaay out of line. I cut her absolutely no slack for that. She knew exactly what she was doing every step of the way.

IMO, she should receive, at a minimum, a 3 day in school suspension, which should include a decision by her as to whether or not she is willing to work with the teacher and principal to remain in the Algebra class with the existing teacher. If she is willing to work on remaining in the class, she needs to apologize in writing, and in person, to both the classroom teacher, and the vice principal. Additionally, a behavior contract should be drawn up that she and the teacher and principal/ vice principal agree to implement, that outlines conditions of her return to the classroom, academic expectations, behavior expectations, and consequences for any further disruptive behavior. The foster parent/s should be involved with this, as well as her social workers.

If she is unwilling to complete the ISS, apologies, and agreement to the behavior contract, she should be placed in a study hall for that hour, with alternative math instruction that does not occur in a classroom environment, IMO. I don’t think she should simply be moved to another teacher’s classroom until the issues of behavior and apologies are completed. She has created an enormous amount of controversy, which is going to be a distraction for a while yet. It’s up to her to participate in turning that around, IMO. That’s tough love—but that is exactly what this young adult (not “child”) needs. She needs to be shown what her "power" is in the situation, to resolve it appropriately, and continue with her math instruction. It could be a real turning point in her attitude, and make a huge difference in her future trajectory after foster care and high school ends, IMO.

She is on the thin edge of aging out of the foster care system, and apparently has a number of social problems. She is actually IN school—which is huge. Society has a vested interest in getting her to graduate, so she can be a productive member of society. The best thing that could happen to her, IMO, is a coordinated effort of teachers who care about her, to demonstrate that they will help her make this behavior problem “right” again, and move forward in a positive fashion. That would make the whole thing into a learning situation, and show her HOW to work with people in authority to recover relationships and trust when someone makes a serious mistake in their behavior.

That could be a learning lesson for the other students who witnessed her behavior, as well—to see her return to the classroom successfully, and be a successful student, with a respectful relationship with the Algebra teacher. That would be a huge life lesson for everyone.

I’m fully aware there are folks here who don’t agree with me, and think this teen is totally “innocent” for the outcome of the situation, and should get a big hug, a big lawsuit settlement, and be relieved of all responsibility. But that kind of approach, IMO, won’t get this girl anywhere in life. This is about her last chance to have the real support of caring adults—and I genuinely hope it goes well for all of them.

"This is not a child with a great deal of means," Rutherford said. "This is not a child where a cellphone came easy. This is probably the most valuable possession this child has. So for the teacher to try and take that, to her, was shocking, so she simply sat there quietly."


Oh, For Goodness Sakes...the teacher was not taking the phone away. It was going to stay on his desk until class is over. She is a senior in high school. Surely she can part with her phone for 45 minutes.

There is a reason that students are not allowed to 'peek' at their smart phones. That is how kids cheat during assignments and tests. Teachers do not need to put up with students looking at their phones during class time.

And that explanation by the attorney does not explain why she defied the administrators request for her to leave the classroom.

I think the officer might have taught her a valuable lesson. If she was out driving around in a car w/ her friends at night, and a cop pulled them over, hopefully she won't refuse a request to get out of her seat, if asked. Now she understand what might happen if she tries to resist a lawful request. JMO

bessie said:

She's not a victim in the usual sense of the word as it applies at Websleuths. Obviously, there was wrong on both sides. That said, posts that are deliberately mean-spirited won't be allowed. Posters, however, aren't prohibited from expressing the view that the officer's actions were warranted.

I'd advise that rather than continue to focus on the student, a more productive discussion would come from debating the issue of whether or not LEO's should be school monitors. In other words, focus on the issues, and not the individuals. And as always, don't expect to change anyone's mind.

"Unfortunately, our Legislature passed a law that's called 'disturbing schools,' " he [Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott] said.

"If a student disturbs school -- and that's a wide range of activities, 'disturbing schools' -- they can be arrested. Our goal has always been to see what we can do without arresting the kids. We don't need to arrest these students. We need to keep them in schools."

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/29/us/south-carolina-school-arrest-videos/

Officers can 'break down these barriers'

"It breaks down these barriers where the law enforcement officers are seen as an enemy," said Michael Allison, a Pennsylvania high school principal and president of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. "In the majority of cases around the country, that's what school resource officers are doing every day."

Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, said it takes a special kind of officer.

"That's one of the most unique jobs in law enforcement and it takes a very unique individual who understands that to some degree students have a different way about them sometimes," he said. "And you know, they're going to say and do things that we might not like, but are not necessarily criminal in nature."

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/27/us/south-carolina-school-resource-officers/

And btw, if you don't want a vacay, don't respond.

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Thank you. It really helps my perspective to know that she is not considered a victim. Some of the hateful posts on the previous thread made my heart hurt for her, though.



And I will not respond.