The Leflore County School District’s director of special education was arrested Friday afternoon on a simple assault charge stemming from an alleged altercation with another district official earlier this month.
The district’s secondary curriculum coordinator, Dr. Karina Peterson, alleged that Latanya Calhoun became upset at her following a remark Peterson made at the end of an administrative meeting in the district’s board room on Feb. 4.
At the time, Peterson told officers that Calhoun blocked the doorway leading from the boardroom and struck Peterson’s arms several times, pushed her and began shouting at Peterson as she walked away.
According to Greenwood Police Chief Ray Moore, Peterson signed an affidavit accusing Calhoun of simple assault, which led to her arrest.
Calhoun was teaching at the Leflore County Detention Center when she was arrested. Moore said she cooperated fully and was released on her own recognizance shortly thereafter on the order of Municipal Court Judge Carlos Palmer.
When reached for comment earlier this month, district conservator Dr. Ilean Richards denied Peterson’s account of the altercation.
“That’s not true. That’s not true. No person struck anybody several times,” she said.
Neither Peterson, Calhoun nor Richards was immediately available for comment on Friday afternoon.
• Contact Nick Rogers at 581-7235 or nrogers@gwcommonwealth.com.
