Milwaukee families are rattled and calling for tighter security after a 23-year-old woman entered Rufus King High School last month posing as a substitute teacher.
On Sept. 24, police say Amy Jones was able to get into a classroom, where she subjected students to profane language, racial slurs and sexually derogatory comments, according to police records.
Jones, a former King student, was recognized by staff and escorted from the building, according to a statement from Milwaukee Public Schools.
She has been charged with one felony count of impersonating a public employee and five counts of exposing a child to harmful descriptions.
How did Milwaukee woman pose as substitute teacher at Rufus King High School?
Here’s what we know about how this happened: MPS has found that Jones did go through the school’s daily safety scan, but that the front office did not follow protocol in validating her as a substitute teacher.
Office staff are supposed to confirm that a substitute is both registered in a system called Frontline and that they’re assigned to that school based on a specific absence of a teacher.
The district said there is “no excuse” for the breakdown in security. The district is providing support to the students who came in contact with Jones, according to a note sent to King families.
In her first court appearance on Tuesday, defense attorneys for Jones argued she has bipolar disorder and was having problems with the home delivery of her medication on the day she went to King.
She was released without bail, but a judge ordered Jones to stay away from Rufus King High School. She’ll be back in court on Oct. 20 for a preliminary hearing.
MPS is still investigating the incident.
Do you have a question about education or how schools work in our area? Submit it here to WUWM education reporter Katherine Kokal.
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