MADISON, Fla. — The Madison County School Board has settled the employment status of three teachers who were investigated earlier this year over allegations of using racial slurs, deciding that two will return to the classroom for the upcoming school year while one will not.
The controversy dates back to incidents reported earlier in 2026 that drew large crowds to school board meetings and sparked heated debate across the community.
Fletcher Reinstated Despite Split Vote
One of the teachers at the center of the controversy is Leslie Fletcher, a Madison County High School teacher who was caught on video by a student using a racial slur during class in April.
At a recent meeting, board members voted 3-2 to put Fletcher back on the instructional list, clearing her to resume teaching duties next school year.
The vote was not unanimous. Board members Katie Knight and VeEtta Hagan voted against reinstating Fletcher.
Hagan was especially critical of the outcome, arguing that adults on staff had ignored the same standards children are expected to follow and disregarded district rules in the process.
Board member Franklin Carroll took a different view, characterizing Fletcher’s comment as a mistake rather than a slur directed at anyone, and noting it came in the form of a question rather than an insult.
Destiny Jones, the former student who filmed the incident, told WCTV she hopes Fletcher will eventually apologize, something she says has not happened yet, and that she hopes Fletcher works to make all of her students, particularly her Black students, feel comfortable in the classroom going forward.
Second Teacher Barred, Third Case Still Under Wraps
The board also reviewed the case of Zachary Peterson, who was accused of using a racial slur during a parent-teacher conference.
Unlike Fletcher, Peterson will not be returning to the classroom. The board voted 3-2 to keep him off the instructional list.
During the discussion of Peterson’s case, District 5 board member Devin Thompson asked for clarification on Peterson’s defense, which centered on a claim that a former principal had given him permission for his conduct.
Superintendent Karen Pickles confirmed that the principal in question had not actually granted that permission, undercutting the justification Peterson had offered.
A third case involving teacher Catherine Roberts was also addressed during the meeting, though details remain limited.
WCTV reports it is still waiting on a public records request to learn more about the specifics of that investigation. Roberts has not issued any public statement regarding the allegations against her.
Despite the unresolved questions about what exactly occurred, the board decided she would also return to the instructional list for the new school year.
WCTV reached out to school board members following the decisions for further comment, but the board declined to provide any additional statements beyond what was discussed during the public meeting.
The outcome leaves two of the three investigated teachers cleared to resume classroom duties when the new school year begins, while the community continues to watch closely for any further developments, including the results of the still-pending records request related to the Roberts investigation.
This story is developing, and WCTV says it will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available regarding the Roberts case and any further fallout from the board’s decisions on Fletcher and Peterson.
