A video bouncing around social media on Monday afternoon shows a police officer wrestling a student to the ground and dragging her across the floor.
The video emerged from Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina. According to reports, the officer was responding to a student's refusal to leave class as directed.
According to Sheriff Leon Lott, the student was arrested. Via a report from WISTV:
"The student was told she was under arrest for disturbing school and given instructions which she again refused," Lott said. "The video then shows the student resisting and being arrested by the SRO (school resource officer)."
School superintendent Dr. Libby Roof said the officer in the video, Dep. Ben Fields, has been placed on administrative leave and will remain there through the duration of a district investigation. Her full statement, via WLTX:
"Our District is deeply concerned about an incident that occurred at Spring Valley High School today. The incident took place between a school resource officer employed by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and a student. Video of the incident is circulating on social media.
"Student safety is and always will be the District’s top priority. The District will not tolerate any actions that jeopardize the safety of our students.
"Upon learning of the incident, school and district administrators began an investigation. We are working closely and in full cooperation with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department to conduct a thorough and complete investigation.
"Pending the outcome of the investigation, the District has directed that the school resource officer not return to any school in the District."
Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.