School Climate & Safety News in Brief

School Resource Officer Activates Taser to Awaken Sleeping Student in Ohio

By The Associated Press — September 11, 2018 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Police in northeast Ohio have placed a school resource officer on unpaid leave for activating a Taser to wake up a sleeping student.

The incident occurred late last month at Liberty Preparatory School in Smithville. Police say the officer was called to a classroom when a sleeping student wouldn’t wake up for a teacher or principal. Smithville Police Chief Howard Funk said the officer removed the cartridge from the Taser and “arced” it. Authorities say the sparking sound and noise from the other students woke the sleeping student. No probes were deployed, and the teenager wasn’t hurt.

Funk will meet with the Smithville solicitor to determine if any charges should be filed.

A version of this article appeared in the September 12, 2018 edition of Education Week as School Resource Officer Activates Taser to Awaken Sleeping Student in Ohio

Events

Student Well-Being & Movement K-12 Essentials Forum How Schools Are Teaching Students Life Skills
Join this free virtual event to explore creative ways schools have found to seamlessly integrate teaching life skills into the school day.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Special Education Webinar
Bridging the Math Gap: What’s New in Dyscalculia Identification, Instruction & State Action
Discover the latest dyscalculia research insights, state-level policy trends, and classroom strategies to make math more accessible for all.
Content provided by TouchMath
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Too Many Initiatives, Not Enough Alignment: A Change Management Playbook for Leaders
Learn how leadership teams can increase alignment and evaluate every program, practice, and purchase against a clear strategic plan.
Content provided by Otus

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School Climate & Safety 4 Ways Schools Can Build a Stronger, Safer Climate
A principal, a student, and a researcher discuss what makes a positive school climate.
4 min read
A 5th grade math class takes place at Lafargue Elementary School in Effie, Louisiana, on Friday, August 22. The state has implemented new professional development requirements for math teachers in grades 4-8 to help improve student achievement and address learning gaps.
Research shows that a positive school climate serves as a protective factor for young people, improving students’ education outcomes and well-being during their academic careers and beyond. A student raises her hand during a 5th grade class in Effie, La., on Aug. 22, 2025.
Kathleen Flynn for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Schools Flag Safety Incidents As Driverless Cars Enter More Cities
Agencies are examining reports of Waymos illegally passing buses; in another case, one struck a student.
5 min read
In an aerial view, Waymo robotaxis sit parked at a Waymo facility on Dec. 8, 2025 , in San Francisco . Self-driving taxi company Waymo said it is voluntarily recalling software in its autonomous vehicles after Texas officials documented at least 19 incidents this school year in which the cars illegally passed stopped school buses, including while students were getting on or off.
Waymo self-driving taxis sit parked at a Waymo facility on Dec. 8, 2025, in San Francisco. Federal agencies are investigating after Austin, Texas, schools documented incidents in which the cars illegally passed stopped school buses. In a separate incident, a robotaxi struck a student at low speed as she ran across the street in front of her Santa Monica, Calif., elementary school.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images via TNS
School Climate & Safety Informal Classroom Discipline Is Hard to Track, Raising Big Equity Concerns
Without adequate support, teachers might resort to these tactics to circumvent prohibitions on suspensions.
5 min read
Image of a student sitting outside of a doorway.
DigitalVision
School Climate & Safety Officer's Acquittal Brings Uvalde Attack's Other Criminal Case to the Forefront
Legal experts say that prosecutors will likely consider changes to how they present evidence and witness testimony.
4 min read
Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, left, talks to his defense attorney Nico LaHood during a break on the 10th day of his trial at Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.
Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, left, talks to his defense attorney Nico LaHood during a break on the 10th day of his trial at Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. Jurors found Gonzales not guilty.
Sam Owens/Pool