In a surprising turn of events, charges against Dr. Fabre Ford, an elementary school principal in Fayette County accused of covering up a physical altercation between a student and a teacher, have been unceremoniously dropped. The Fayette County District Attorney's Office, led by DA Mark Davidson, chose to not proceed further with the case against the Southwest Elementary School principal after reviewing new evidence.
The incident, which had initially led to allegations against Dr. Ford for tampering with evidence, occurred back in February. A student reportedly struck a teacher with a metal thermos, an act that under normal circumstances would typically lead quickly to law enforcement involvement. Dr. Ford, however, was accused of failing to report the violent encounter properly. A subpoena issued later compelled the school district to furnish evidence that proved crucial in reviewing the charges against her. In a move to possibly further investigate the situation, the charges were dismissed, as the evidence allowed authorities to complete their investigation.
A statement from the Fayette County Public Schools, quoted by Action News 5, highlighted Dr. Ford as "extremely passionate about her staff and students," a sentiment that seemed at odds with the accusations she faced. Following her arrest, the school district had expressed their desire to be transparent and to cooperate fully with law enforcement in resolving the matter.
"Our Office met with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office to review the case, as we do with all cases after charging," Davidson stated, in words obtained by FOX13. "That review included information that the school provided after charging pursuant to a subpoena that was responsive and allowed the Sheriff’s Office to complete their investigation of the underlying incident. We then exercised our prosecutorial discretion to nolle pros the charge." This statement echoed the sentiment in a press release from WREG, which detailed the dismissal of the charges post-review.
The conclusion of this case brings relief not only to Dr. Ford but also to a community that has watched anxiously as the events unfolded. With the legal question now seemingly laid to rest.
