West Tennessee principal arrested following assault investigation

UPDATE: Law enforcement speaks on arrest of elementary school principal

FAYETTE COUNTY, Tenn. — A principal at a West Tennessee elementary school has been arrested following an assault investigation.

According to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Southwest Elementary School Principal Fabre Ford failed to cooperate with law enforcement during an investigation into an alleged assault on school grounds.

An incident report states the incident occurred Friday, February 2, and involved a student allegedly striking a male teacher in the head with a Stanley cup.

According to the incident report, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office was not made aware of the incident until days later, when the situation came up during casual conversation between an officer and the teacher involved.

The Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation and received information that the teacher may have assaulted the student first.

Principal Ford allegedly refused to provide necessary information to law enforcement, along with failing to report the incident, which is a violation of Tennessee Code.

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office released the following information regarding the incident:

Fabre Ford, principal of Southwest Elementary school was charged with T.C.A. 39-13- 503 Tampering With or Fabricating Evidence in the investigation of an aggravated assault that occurred at the school. This assault was not reported to law enforcement but was discovered by the School Resource Officer. The alleged incident involved a student striking a teacher in the head with a metal thermos. The S.R.O. was advised that the teacher was sent home on concussion protocols following the incident. When the S.R.O. spoke to principal Fabre Ford regarding the incident he was told it had been handled by the school and she interfered with him conducting interviews with students and staff. Investigators at the Sheriff’s Office became involved and received information that the teacher may have assaulted the student first. When investigators asked Ford come to the Sheriff’s Office to speak regarding the incident, she refused to provide any information regarding the incident and refused to provide the investigators with the witness statements given to her from student witnesses. Ford was charged with Tampering with or Fabricating Evidence for the refusal to cooperate with the investigation and provide the witness statements or any other evidence regarding the incident.
T.C.A. 49-6-4301 requires principals to report incidents of this nature to law enforcement.

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