MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Fayette County elementary school principal has filed $1 million dollar lawsuit against the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) following her arrest in February 2024, in which the FCSO claimed she possibly covered up an assault on a student by a teacher.
The Fayette County Sheriff's Office said Fabre Ford, the principal of Southwest Elementary School, was arrested in February and charged with tampering or fabricating evidence in an aggravated assault investigation. The sheriff’s office claimed Ford did not report a possible assault on a student to law enforcement and interfered with a school resource officer's investigation into the incident.
The lawsuit filed June 13 names the sheriff’s office, an investigator, and the school resource officer. In the suit, Ford claims her arrest was an “unprecedented abuse of power in an effort to ‘get back at’ and/or otherwise ‘put the Plaintiff in her place.’”
The incident in question
In a news release Feb. 13, the sheriff's office said a school resource officer (SRO) discovered the incident when a teacher went home on concussion protocol, after a student reportedly hit the teacher with a metal thermos. The sheriff's office claimed Ford prevented the SRO from interviewing students and staff about what happened and said the school "handled" the incident.
That's when investigators at the sheriff's office became involved and were told that the teacher may have assaulted the student first. The sheriff's office said investigators asked Ford to speak to them about what happened, but she refused to provide them with any information or witness statements from students.
Ford was charged with tampering with or fabricating evidence for refusing to cooperate with the investigation and not providing witness statements or any other evidence regarding the incident.
The lawsuit’s claims
According to Ford’s lawsuit, the SRO “appeared to believe that ‘he was in charge of the school’” from the start of his position and would try to intimidate Ford and the school staff. The lawsuit claims the sheriff’s office appeared to condone the actions.
The lawsuit says on Feb. 2, the student was brought to a teacher’s room because he was “acting out in his assigned classroom.” The suit says the student slapped the teacher’s hand several times while he was talking to him, then the student struck the teacher in the jaw and head with a Stanley Cup canteen.
The lawsuit says the teacher reported what happened to Ford, said he was not injured and did not plan on pressing charges. The suit says Ford contacted the Fayette County Superintendent and followed school policies by giving the student suspension days.
In the suit, Ford says the SRO learned of what happened “through word of mouth” several days later and began asking why he wasn’t notified. Ford says in the suit she told him she had “taken care of everything and that he didn’t need to worry about anything.”
Ford claims the SRO became “enraged” and said he started an investigation and threatened her, saying “she better do what he says and he doesn’t care about the school system policies and procedures and/or federal or state law.” The lawsuit says Ford’s attorney asked for body camera footage from the conversation to be preserved.
Ford says in the lawsuit another investigator later tried to “coerce and threaten” her into violating school policies and state or federal laws.
Three days later, on Feb. 12, Ford was arrested at the school and charged. The suit says she was handcuffed and paraded in front of staff and students.
The lawsuit claims the news release issued by the sheriff’s office provided “utterly false and libelous statements” in an attempt to disparage Ford.
Ford’s suit goes on to say during an appearance March 28 in court, the court agreed to dismiss the charges and a Nolle Prosequi was to be entered, and that’s when she saw an “Amended affidavit” which changed the charges against her and was “directly contrary” to the sheriff’s office’s previous allegations.
The lawsuit says the arrest has led to the TSA pulling her eligibility for its Pre-Application program affecting her travel. The suit also accuses the sheriff’s office of trying to cover up issues with the arrest and investigation.
The lawsuit asks for a trial by jury and minimum of $1 million in compensatory damages.
When asked if they had a response to the lawsuit, the Fayette County Sheriff's Office told ABC24 they have not been served with anything so far and could not provide any more information.
