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

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
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Managing AI in Schools: Practical Strategies for Districts
How should districts govern AI in schools? Learn practical strategies for policies, safety, transparency, as well as responsible adoption.
Content provided by Lightspeed Systems
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
Reading & Literacy Webinar
Unlocking Success for Struggling Adolescent Readers
The Science of Reading transformed K-3 literacy. Now it's time to extend that focus to students in grades 6 through 12.
Content provided by STARI
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

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 Two Children, Ages 8 and 10, Killed in Minneapolis School Shooting
Seventeen people were injured in the new academic year's first school shooting.
Parents await news during an active shooter situation at the Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 27, 2025.
Parents await news during an active shooter situation at the Annunciation Church in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, 2025. This is the first school shooting of the new academic year.
Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP
School Climate & Safety Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Creating Inclusive Classrooms?
Answer 7 questions about creating inclusive classrooms for students.
School Climate & Safety Sandy Hook Survivor: Teachers Need a Louder Voice in School Safety Debates
Aspiring teachers also need the opportunity to talk about gun violence during their time in college, Abbey Clements said.
6 min read
Abbey Clements, of Newton, Conn., speaks during the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago.
Abbey Clements, of Newton, Conn., speaks during the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. Clements co-founded an advocacy group, Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, to amplify teachers' voices on issues like gun control.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
School Climate & Safety What Makes Schools Safe? Researchers Outline These 4 Key Recommendations
Researchers distilled dozens of studies to create practical school safety recommendations.
5 min read
Pictures of the Week North America Photo Gallery 23236807597084
Melissa Alvarez hugs her son, Ignacio, then 2, during a special session of the state legislature on public safety on Aug. 23, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn., following a deadly school shooting that March. New research drawing on scores of studies identifies some of the most important steps schools can take to stop violence on their campuses.
George Walker IV/AP