Minnesota Teacher Charged for Allegedly Stepping on Student During Drill

Miami Standard (Otter Tail County, MN) – During a lockdown drill, a 350-pound teacher in Minnesota is accused of using a sixth-grade pupil as a “stepping stool” by standing on his back for ten seconds while the boy was lying on his stomach, according to police. The teacher is facing criminal charges.

According to court documents obtained by the Tri-City Herald, Jason Rogers, a teacher at Otter Tail County’s Underwood School, allegedly admitted to stepping on three separate students during a lockdown drill on February 10 in which children were instructed to sit in specific locations while staff performed a security drill. According to reports, Rogers thought the pupils weren’t paying attention to the drill.

Rogers allegedly told investigators that he told the children that since they were lying on their stomachs rather than sitting down, “he could step on them.” Allegedly, one of the pupils, a sixth-grader, was hurt and started crying.

“(The child) did not know why Defendant did this because he did not hear him say anything about it and just stepped on him like he was a ‘stepping stool,” according to Rogers’ criminal complaint, which was filed this week. “He stated the entire class saw it and thought Defendant had broken (the boy’s) back,” the complaint says, according to the Herald news report.

According to authorities, the boy was taken out of school for a week in order to treat his injuries. Rogers, who reportedly weighed 350 pounds according to court filings, reportedly told investigators he was “concerned” after realising this, according to the Herald. After bringing the child to Lake Region Hospital, the mother filed an assault report.

The mother of the sixth grader stated in the criminal complaint that following the event, her son “was walking around like an 80-year-old from the pain in his back.” Rogers is on administrative leave until he is held accountable for his alleged offences, according to school officials. He is accused of intentionally punishing a child.