Hamilton County Schools officials are investigating events leading up to the arrest of a Black student at East Ridge High School after a video of the incident went viral Tuesday.
The footage shows a white school resource officer attempting to restrain the student on the bleachers by pulling his hair and pushing him to the ground. A nearby adult can be seen and heard saying “don’t resist!” The student responds, “Ya’ll see what he’s doing? I’m not resisting.”
The Chattanooga NAACP posted video of the interaction on its Facebook page, with the comment, “We have questions and need explanations. What was the cause of this situation at East Ridge High School?
The district is looking into the matter.
“The safety of students and staff is the highest priority for Hamilton County Schools,” a news release stated. “We are aware of a situation at East Ridge High School today involving the interaction of a student and the school’s school resource deputy. HCS is working with school administrators and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office to gather information about the incident. When that process is complete, we will review the information to make sure we are taking all available steps to ensure a safe learning environment where all students feel accepted and welcomed.”