Woman charged after posing as MPS substitute teacher in order to harass kids
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A woman is facing a series of felony charges after allegedly entering a Milwaukee high school, posing as a substitute teacher, then berating kids during two different class periods before finally being escorted out of the building.
Amy Jones
According to court records, 23-year-old Amy Jones went to Rufus King International High School on the morning of Sept. 24. After telling the front office she was a substitute teacher, she was able to enter an 11th grade classroom.
Students told staff that during the first two periods of the day, Jones yelled at students. She used racial slurs, used explicit sexual terms and separated kids by race and gender.
Jones appeared in court Tuesday, Oct. 6, facing five felony charges of representing as a public employee and exposing a child to harmful descriptions.
The criminal complaint against Jones states students recorded several videos of her behavior. Students alleged Jones was "using profane language, racial slurs, sexually derogative statements, and organizing students by race and gender."
Laila Forrest, a junior at Rufus King, said she wasn't in the classroom with Jones but several of her friends were.
"They heard her saying racial things and inappropriate things," Forrest said. "Like, 'Raise your hand if you've had sex and lost your virginity,' and 'If you're Black, put your hand down because we know you've lost your virginity.'"
At one point, students alleged Jones made Asian students sit together and told male students about sexual acts they would one day have to perform on women.
In one of the classes, she reportedly called a student "fat boy" and "used the F-word, the B-word and the N-word." In the second class, she allegedly told white students they were "white as s---."
Jones was escorted out of the school before the third class period was set to begin. Staff identified Jones as a former Rufus King student.
Investigators claim Jones admitted to posing as a substitute teacher and was pleased at the thought of being infamous following the incident.
"Amy stated she went to the school because she was bored," part of the complaint read. "She stated she hates kids."
Forrest said she was especially bothered by Jones' ability to get past the front desk and remain unsupervised in a classroom during two different periods.
"People can just walk in and say they're substitute teachers and just teach? That's not OK," she said. "We need to do better with our safety."
A new response from MPS
A spokesperson for Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) initially responded to questions by sharing a letter Rufus King Principal Doreen Badillo sent to parents, which confirmed Jones was a fake sub and a former student at the school.
"We will continue to take all appropriate action to ensure that Rufus King International High School remains a safe and welcoming place for our students and staff."
Late Tuesday afternoon, the district shared a new letter Badillo shared with the school's families. It said, "initial findings suggest the office did not follow proper district protocol in validating the individual as a substitute teacher."
According to Badillo's letter, staff are supposed to use a system called 'Frontline' to validate teachers in the system, which lists both the substitute and the teacher who whom the sub is covering.
"This should happen every time a substitute visits a school," the letter read. "There is no excuse for it not occurring, and we take this matter seriously."
Jones appears in court
In court Tuesday, a court commissioner set a $5,000 signature bond for Jones. Jones' attorney told the court she checked herself in for psychiatric treatment following the incident at currently has a bed at the Granite Hills facility in West Allis.
Court records show Jones entered into a deferred prosecution agreement for a 2024 retail theft case. She also has convictions for traffic and drug ordinance violations.
If convicted on all counts in this case, she faces a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison.
Amy Jones