A 23-year-old woman has been charged after allegedly posing as a substitute teacher at a Milwaukee high school, where she insulted students and caused disruption, according to authorities. Amy Jones faces one count of impersonating a public employee and five counts of exposing a child to harmful descriptions, following an incident at Rufus King International High School on September 24.
Alleged Motive and Actions
When questioned by authorities, Jones allegedly said she carried out the stunt because she 'was bored', adding that she 'hates kids' and 'just wanted to f*** around.' Jones, a former student at the school, is said to have scouted the premises for a week before the incident, getting past security by blending in with other students.
She allegedly returned on a day when eight teachers were absent, and 'got lucky' as only seven substitutes had signed in. She then went to a classroom set up by another teacher, who stayed with her for 20 minutes. After that teacher left, she allegedly organised students by race and gender, insulted them using racial slurs and derogatory statements, and used explicit language. She also played loud rap music and bragged about being OK with going to jail.
Student Reports and School Response
A 16-year-old boy in the class told authorities that she called one student 'fat boy' and told two white pupils that 'they were the type to start school shootings', as reported by the Independent. Fox6 News Milwaukee reported that Jones was said to have asked if any students had a vape or marijuana, as the class 'was so f****** lame and annoying'.
She was reportedly escorted from the school after students raised the alarm and principal Doreen Badillo became aware of the situation. Badillo said in a statement that while Jones did go through the school's safety scan, the school office 'did not follow proper district protocol in validating the individual as a substitute teacher' and that the matter was under investigation.
Legal Proceedings
A further statement sent to the school community on October 5 said: 'Since our first communication, our initial investigation determined that this individual involved was a former student recognized by staff. She was not a substitute teacher.' The statement also noted that the district involved Milwaukee Police Department school resource officers the day it occurred, and the Title IX coordinator was notified.
Jones is scheduled for a preliminary court hearing on October 20 and could face a maximum 21 years in prison if convicted, according to the Independent. Her lawyers have said she suffers from bipolar disorder and was experiencing issues with her medication on the day of the alleged incident.
