COLUMBIA, S.C. — A group of high school students staged a brief, peaceful walkout in support of a deputy sheriff who was fired after being recorded flipping a disruptive student out of her desk and tossing her across the floor.

Spring Valley High School Principal Jeff Temoney said about 100 students gathered Friday in the school atrium to back former Richland County deputy Ben Fields.

Images of the walkout on social media showed students in T-shirts that said “#bringbackfields” and “#bringfieldsback.”