A Leflore County School District administrator has accused a colleague of assaulting her following a staff meeting last week.
The district’s conservator, however, says her own investigation into the alleged incident has failed to substantiate the claim made by Dr. Karina Peterson, the district’s secondary curriculum coordinator.
According to a Greenwood Police Department incident report, Peterson has accused Latanya Calhoun, the director of special education, of getting upset at a remark Peterson made following an administrative meeting in the district’s boardroom Thursday afternoon.
Peterson told officers that Calhoun blocked the doorway leading from the boardroom, put her hands in Peterson’s face and grabbed and struck Peterson’s right arm several times. Eventually, according to the incident report, Peterson was able to exit the room, but as she walked past Calhoun, the latter “pushed her once, and started shouting at her.”
Dr. Ilean Richards, who took over last month as conservator of the school district, said the incident did not happen as described in the police report.
“That’s not true. That’s not true. No person struck anybody several times,” Richards said this morning.
Peterson told police four other administrators witnessed the altercation: Latrinda Walker, coordinator for testing, safe and drug-free schools, and workers’ compensation; Cynthia House, director of federal programs and human resources; Byron Haynes, deputy superintendent for federal programs; and Mary Johnson, elementary curriculum coordinator.
Richards said, however, that none of the four has validated Peterson’s claim that she was assaulted by Calhoun.
Peterson signed an affidavit against Calhoun, according to the incident report.
Peterson reportedly told officers that she had not had any previous altercations with Calhoun but was now afraid to return to work.
Peterson was out of the office this morning and could not be reached for comment. She is the daughter of Dr. Viola Williams, who was the school district’s superintendent at the time of the 2013 state takeover due to students’ low scores on state tests.
Calhoun could not be reached for comment this morning either.
No arrest has been made. Greenwood Police Chief Ray Moore said Peterson’s allegation would amount to simple assault, and it is the department’s standard procedure to refer all simple-assault cases to the municipal judge to determine whether the evidence justifies issuing an arrest warrant.
According to court personnel, the earliest date for that probable cause hearing would be Feb. 24.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
