Zachary Peterson and Leslie Fletcher Under Investigation but Not Fired After Alleged Slur Incidents at Madison County School District

School officials say an investigation is underway after social-media posts surfaced alleging that two staff members used a racial slur, but neither employee has been terminated as of now.

In a public statement shared Thursday, Superintendent Karen Pickles said the district is treating the situation seriously, stating that “the language depicted in the post is unacceptable and stands in direct opposition to the core values of our district.” The district confirmed that a formal review was launched under its internal policies.

According to widely circulated claims from a parent, one incident involves history teacher Zachary Peterson, who allegedly told students during a Black History–related lesson that he was allowed to say the slur because he teaches history and that he did not care about Black History Month or Pride Month. The parent said a meeting was later held with school administrators and that Peterson allegedly repeated the word during that conference. The district has not publicly confirmed those specific allegations but acknowledged it investigated the matter.

The parent stated Peterson was temporarily removed from the classroom while the review took place and was later returned after receiving what the district described as a corrective action plan rather than termination. The parent also said a complaint has been filed with the state Department of Education and that the issue may be raised at a school board meeting.

Local outlet WCTV reported that two separate incidents involving staff members were circulating online, one involving a male employee and another a female employee, though details about the second allegation involving Leslie Fletcher have not been formally confirmed by the district.

Officials have not announced disciplinary outcomes beyond acknowledging the investigation, and they have not released the names of staff involved in their official statements. The situation remains ongoing, and further updates may depend on findings from district or state-level reviews.