South Carolina parents are demanding answers after a student at Spring Valley High School in Rockland County posted a video to social media showing a police officer violently dragging a Black female student from her desk at school.
The video shows Deputy Ben Fields, who has also been identified as the school’s football coach, approaching the unidentified student. Fields suddenly grabs the girl by the shoulder and neck, attempting to pull her from her desk. As he drags the girl while she’s still seated at the desk, her chair topples over, and Fields throws the student across the room before kneeling on top of her and arresting her. An area sheriff told a local news station that the girl was arrested for allegedly refusing to leave a class after causing a disturbance.
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Since the video was posted to social media earlier today, area parents have come together, calling the incident “unacceptable” and demanding justice.
“Parents are heartbroken as this is just another example of the intolerance that continues to be of issue in the Richland School District Two, particularly with families and children of color,” said representatives from the Richland Two Black Parents Association. “As we have stated in the past, we stand ready to work in collaboration to address these horrible acts of violence and inequities among our children.”
The school district issued a statement saying that education officials and the sheriff’s department are investigating the incident.
