A Minnesota teacher who admitted to stepping on the backs of three students during a school lockdown drill has avoided jail after pleading guilty to misdemeanor child punishment charges. The case drew national attention after one student reportedly suffered injuries that left him “walking like an 80-year-old.”

Jason Rogers, 49, a former fifth- and sixth-grade science teacher at Underwood School, was accused of standing on a sixth-grade student’s back for about 10 seconds during a lockdown drill in February 2025. Investigators said Rogers, who weighed more than 350 pounds, later admitted he also stepped on two other students because he believed the class was not taking the drill seriously

According to court documents, the injured student was lying on his stomach when Rogers used him “like a stepping stool.” The boy later told investigators he had no idea why the teacher stepped on him, and his mother said he was in so much pain afterward that he struggled to walk normally for days and had to miss school.

As part of a plea agreement, Rogers received two years of probation and avoided a jail sentence. He was also ordered to surrender his teaching license, complete an anger management assessment, perform 90 hours of community service, pay $2,250 in fines and fees, and write letters of apology to each of the three students involved. If he successfully completes probation without further violations, the charges may ultimately be dismissed under a stay of adjudication.

Rogers resigned from his teaching position in April 2025 after the allegations surfaced. His attorney described him as “a good guy” who made a serious mistake and said he hopes to move on after the case.

The sentencing has sparked renewed debate over appropriate disciplinary methods in schools and whether the punishment adequately reflects the seriousness of the incident. Many parents and educators have expressed outrage over the case, while others note that Rogers permanently lost his teaching career as part of the outcome.