A video has erupted throughout the internet over the past week, from Spring Valley High School in South Carolina, which has caused extreme controversy throughout the nation on what role police should play in the classroom setting. The videos, and there are a handful, display Deputy Ben Fields, Student Resource Officer of Spring Valley High School for 7 years, slamming a student on the ground with her desk and tossing her across the room. It's unclear as to what led up to the video, but the general story is that a student was caught using her cellphone in her math class.
The teacher asked her to put her phone away, and the student refused. Then the teacher gave the student orders to leave the classroom, but still she refused. That is when an administrator came down and reenforced the order to leave the classroom. Still, she defied these orders and did not leave. That is when Deputy Fields is called down to handle the situation which, from my understanding, leads to the beginning of the video.
The video starts off with the officer saying “Get up or I’m going to make you”. He then moves the student’s laptop off the desk, and the desk to the side. Then the officer grabs the girls arm, wraps his other arm around her neck area, and slams her backwards with her desk. The student falls to the ground, then the officer grabs the student, tosses her across the room, and forces her onto her back to arrest her. The student and a classmate were arrested on a charge titled “Disturbing schools”, and the officer was first suspended, then fired on Wednesday by Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. This vine has sparked continuous debate on whether or not the officer’s actions were justified. Lets look at why some could vote in favor of Ben Fields:
The officer’s attorney Scott Hayes, said in a statement to CNN that he believes Field’s actions were both justified and lawful. His exact words were:
"We believe that Mr. Fields' actions were justified and lawful throughout the circumstances of which he was confronted during this incident. To that extent we believe that Mr. Fields' actions were carried out professionally and that he was performing his job duties within the legal threshold."
Furthermore, although Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott suspended and fired Ben Fields, he believes the officer was justified: to a certain extent. The Sheriff told CNN that what the student did does not justify the officer’s actions, but she must take responsibility for her role. Sheriff Lott stated that the “actions by Deputy Fields was not typical of the job i expect them to do” however, "We must not lose sight that this whole incident was started by this student. She is responsible for initiating this action. Some responsibility falls on her.”
The Sheriff also says “When the officer puts his hands on her initially, she reaches up and she pops the officer with her fist”.
CNN Law enforcement analyst Harry Hock also justifies the officers actions by stating that if an officer decides to make an arrest “he or she can use whatever force is necessary. So if you don't comply with my wishes," he said, "then I can do whatever it takes to get you out of that seat and put handcuffs on you.”
On the flip side, some may disagree with some of these justifications. First off, the classmate who got arrested alongside this student, Niya Kenny, told CNN’s Don Lemon that Officer Ben Fields “Had a reputation for being a dangerous man”. Kenny goes on to describe what occurred in the video, stating that the student retaliated and popped the officer with her fist after the officer violently put his hands around her neck area. Therefore, the officer initiated violent contact, causing a violent reaction. Also, Niya Kenny’s attorney, Simone Martin, said she's been told “by a number of students that he is referred to as Officer Slam as opposed to Officer Fields. And thats telling.”
Although no injuries were reported initially, the victim's attorney stated that she now has to wear a sling on her arm, and suffered a bruise on her head.
The FBI is taking the lead in this investigation, and determining whether any civil rights have been impinged on the student during the arrest.
My opinion on this matter?
Well, I have a couple problems with this issue:
South Carolina passed a legislature called “Disturbing schools” which states “if a student disturbs school"-and that covers a wide range of activities- "they can be arrested”. However, this can be misconstrued in many different ways.
First off, the law is unclear as to what actions done by the student is cause for arrest. Clearly though as seen in the video, refusal to give up a mobile device calls for the student to deal with South Carolina’s Richland County Law Enforcement. Even so, how can this law be in effect if another law is broken to enforce the law? For instance, how about the law that covers penalties on assault to a minor? The Second Degree Assault and Battery charges in South Carolina “is considered a misdemeanor, though it carries up to a three year prison sentence,” and one is accused of assault when one unlawfully threatens or harms another, “resulting in moderate bodily injury or could have resulted in moderate bodily injury requiring medical treatment”.
Why does this law apply to this situation? Well for starters the officer threatened the student, as seen in the video. Secondly, the student’s attorney already stated to CNN she has a bruise on her head, and must wear a sling on her arm. Finally, in my opinion, even though officers are allowed to use “whatever means necessary”, no human being should be lawfully allowed to slam a student, a 16 year old minor nonetheless, on the ground, and toss them across the floor with intentions to discipline. Even though cops are given the right to use “whatever means necessary”, all that statement does is give them the opportunity to abuse their power.
Let me ask you this: if your child came home crying because an officer just pulled a WWE move on them for not giving up her phone, how would you feel?
In this society we are brought up to respect our elders. Our parents try to instill us with kindness so we can respect any authoritative figures in our lives, such as parents, grandparents, teachers, and officers. But how can we respect authority if authority is doing the oppression? Yes this girl might've been disobedient by not giving up her phone in school, but that does not give this person the right to assault her. Any police officer should not even be the ones disciplining children in a classroom, that is why God gave children parental figures and guardians to learn from, not a person with some badge. I say person, because I refuse to call Ben Fields a man.
A man is defined not by his power, but how he uses his power, and it is as clear as day that this is a case of an officer abusing his power. Yes, there are good cops out there, (I personally know some.), but more often then not, we have been constantly seeing police brutality at its worst, with more and more videos floating around social media of cops abusing their authority on innocent civilians. I do recognize that in some of these instances the citizens were not always innocent, and had justice rendered onto them. But in this case, the classroom setting is no place for a cop to even think of putting his power in use, unless there is a clear imminent threat to the student body and faculty. It is the duty of officers to serve and protect, not abuse and oppress to discipline others.
Of course you're all probably thinking, who is this kid talking like he knows it all, talking as if we should listen to what he says, as if he is right. My response is, I don't think I’m right. You're right: I’m just a college kid writing about some controversial issue in the news. However when I write, I like to use something that we all were given from birth: common sense, and it's common sense to see that this officer was wrong in all aspects of this situation. Personally, I am glad Sheriff Lott took “whatever means necessary” in this situation, and fired Ben Fields. After all, its common sense.
