Almost a month ago at Spring Valley High School, Ben “Officer Slam” Fields, was fired after slamming a 16 year old, female student on the ground and flinging her across the classroom. There have been debates on the news and talk shows about whether the force was necessary but if it were he would probably still be employed.
But what if “Officer Slam” had tased the student instead of slamming her?
November 20, 2013, a Cedar Creek High School (Texas) resource officer tased Neo Nino de Rivera when he was trying to break up a fight between his girlfriend and another female student. After being struck with the taser Nino de Rivera fell to ground and hit his head which caused severe brain damage. The teen was in a medically induced coma for 52 days. On video surveillance Nino de Rivera appeared to be stepping backward, away from the officer before he was tased.
October 21, 2015, a Northern High School (North Carolina) resource officer tased a male student. The student did not suffer any major injuries.
The officers tried to talk to the student and ask him to leave campus after he was suspended. One of the resource officers touched his arm and he began to swing at the officers and was subdued with a taser.
Today it seems like normal protocal for schools to have resource officers. Should they be allowed to use physical force, tasers, and pepper spray? There is a video that has gone viral of a CVS (Chicago, IL) student threatening a teacher, while other students look on and laugh. If this student were slammed, tased, or pepper sprayed would anyone care?
After watching him terrorize his teacher, I can’t say that I would care in this particular situation.
So when is it okay? Is it ever ok? With the culture of students disrespecting teachers and even being violent with them, are physical force, tasers and pepper spray the solution or is there a better way?
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