In a deeply troubling video that has recently emerged, a school resource officer in New Mexico was seen violently subduing an 11-year-old girl. The footage depicts Officer Derek Thompson forcefully pushing the sixth grader against a brick wall before taking her to the ground, all while he repeatedly yells at her to “stop resisting.” The child can be heard crying and pleading for him to relent, saying, “I’m not resisting. Get off of me — you’re hurting me.”
The incident unfolded over what can only be described as trivial infractions: the young girl had been standing on the school bus and had taken an extra milk from the cafeteria. Such behavior is hardly out of the ordinary for a child her age. Is this truly the type of discipline we are endorsing in educational environments today?
During the shocking video, a school administrator is seen imploring Officer Thompson to allow the girl to rise, arguing that she poses no threat to herself or others. Despite this, he continues to apply excessive force. Throughout the discussion, the girl remains compliant and does not display any violent behavior.
This incident highlights an urgent need for schools to prioritize mental health resources, such as psychologists and counselors, over punitive measures. After a brief exchange, Officer Thompson made a phone call to determine if he could arrest the girl for “disrupting the educational process.” He insisted multiple times to both the principal and the police that he wanted to charge her with a crime, a shocking overreaction to her minor misbehavior.
Eventually, additional officers arrived, and Thompson accused the girl of “battery” against the principal while also claiming she resisted arrest. These false allegations were later echoed to the girl’s mother when she arrived on the scene, prompting her to file a legal claim against the officer the following day.
Following the incident, Police Chief Greg Allen expressed his outrage after reviewing the footage. “I was appalled and saddened by what I witnessed,” he stated. He confirmed that Officer Thompson resigned after an internal investigation found he had breached the department’s use-of-force policies. The school district also issued an apology, acknowledging the need for improved procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The young girl was treated for scrapes, bruises, and a mild concussion as a result of the encounter. Despite the severity of the situation, the New Mexico State Police and the local district attorney have chosen not to file charges against Officer Thompson.
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This incident serves as a sobering reminder of the necessity for appropriate measures in handling student behavior and the critical importance of mental health support in schools.
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