In 2015, a white, male school police officer in Columbia, South Carolina, entered a classroom to confront a sixteen-year-old Black female student. The young woman was allegedly unwilling to turn over a cell phone to her teacher or leave the room after being ordered to do so. After a few seconds, the officer placed his forearm around her neck, flipped her over, and dragged her across the classroom. A female classmate began recording the incident when the officer walked in the room; the resulting video attracted national headlines. Both young women initially were charged with the crime of “disturbing schools.” The incident catalyzed a national conversation about the involvement of police officers in the administration of school discipline.
