Overview:
Former DeKalb County Schools superintendent Devon Horton was arrested on charges of third-degree cruelty to children and first-degree assault, with officials saying the alleged incident is unrelated to the school district.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The former superintendent of DeKalb County Schools has been arrested, according to DeKalb County Jail records.
Devon Horton was arrested Saturday and booked into the DeKalb County Jail on charges of third-degree cruelty to children and first-degree assault. Horton was arrested by the DeKalb County Police Department.
Horton resigned from his position as DeKalb County Schools superintendent late last year after being indicted on federal charges connected to his prior tenure as superintendent of Evanston/Skokie School District 65 in Illinois.
Authorities have not released information about what led to Horton’s most recent arrest.
In a written statement, a spokesperson for the DeKalb County School District said, “The DeKalb County School District is aware of the reported arrest of former superintendent Dr. Devon Horton, which stems from an alleged incident not related to the school district. As this is an active legal matter with law enforcement, the district has no further information to share and will not be making additional statements. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority.”
Horton was named the sole finalist for the superintendent position in April 2023 following a months-long search. Two weeks later, the DeKalb County School Board voted 6-1 to approve his contract, a decision that followed heated public forums and raised concerns among parents and educators.
During those meetings, critics questioned Horton’s leadership record and pointed to a 2021 federal lawsuit involving his former Illinois district that accused officials of promoting what was described as “race-based programming.”
Former DeKalb County School Board member Dr. Joyce Morley previously said that the board was aware of past financial issues and an ongoing criminal investigation connected to Horton before his hiring.
“The board already knew,” Morley said. “We had an anonymous package sent to us last year, August 2024, that showed about 14 indictments that they were suggesting.”
The investigation into Horton’s arrest remains ongoing.