This spring, at the Academy for Learning in Dolton, Illinois, a school police officer allegedly assaulted a 15-year-old special-needs student for not adhering to the school’s dress code, according to CNN.
The confrontation, which was caught on a school surveillance videotape, reportedly began when the officer admonished the student for not tucking in his shirt properly, in violation of the school’s dress code.
In the video, the student responds to the officer, after which a faculty member grabs the student’s arm. The student resists, pulling away and walking down the hall, followed by the officer and faculty member. The officer then slams the student against the lockers and pins him on the floor, breaking his nose, according to the student’s attorney. The officer was treated at a hospital for an eye scratch.
“Unfortunately, the physical restraint of a student sometimes becomes necessary,” according to a statement submitted by the school to CNN. “In such instances, AFL and its staff are committed to employing techniques that are safe, effective and which conform to best practice standards.
After reviewing the tape, the Dolton police department removed the officer from the school and placed him on administrative leave; he has since voluntarily resigned.
The parents are considering suing the city of Dolton, the school, and the Dolton police department. The student now attends a different school.