Former DeKalb Superintendent Devon Horton arrested for assaulting wife

Former DeKalb superintendent given bond

Former DeKalb County Schools Superintendent Devon Horton was granted bond but is not allowed to contact his wife after an alleged assault. He was arrested on assault and third-degree child cruelty charges

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The former DeKalb County Schools superintendent has been arrested for allegedly assaulting his wife in front of children, according to the DeKalb County Police Department.

Former DeKalb County superintendent arrested

What we know:

According to DeKalb County Jail records, Devon Horton was booked into the facility around 1:30 p.m. Saturday after being arrested on charges of aggravated assault – strangulation and third-degree cruelty to children.

Police said they responded to Horton's home on Saturday following a domestic call. Officers stated that a verbal dispute between Horton and his wife turned physical, resulting in the charges. According to police, children were present when the assault occurred.

Horton is still in jail, according to records. 

A DeKalb County judge granted former superintendent Devon Horton a $25,000 bond following his arrest for an alleged domestic assault. (FOX 5)

Horton responds to charges

The other side:

In a statement to FOX 5, Devon's attorney, Terence Campbell, said that he is a dedicated father and his wife does not want to press charges. 

"Dr. Horton and his wife got into an argument at their home yesterday, and he was arrested as a result.  Because headlines can be misleading, everyone should know that this incident had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with their children and no child was involved in the argument in any way, other than the mere fact that they were at home when it occurred.  Dr. Horton is a loving and devoted father to his children.  This is really a personal matter between husband and wife, and Dr. Horton’s wife is fully supportive of him and does not want charges pursued," Terence Campbell of Cotsirilos, Poulos & Campbell said. 

DeKalb County superintendent resigns

The backstory:

Horton resigned from his position late last year after being indicted on federal charges tied to his previous tenure leading Evanston/Skokie School District 65 in Illinois. While he was not employed by the district at the time of the arrest, the school system issued a statement regarding the incident.

"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," a district spokesperson said in a written statement. "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."

A DeKalb County judge granted former superintendent Devon Horton a $25,000 bond following his arrest for an alleged domestic assault. (FOX 5)

DeKalb County superintendent indicted

Local perspective:

DeKalb County’s superintendent search concluded in April 2023 with Horton as the sole finalist. Two weeks later, the board voted 6-1 to approve his contract, ending months of uncertainty and sparking new controversy.

Former DeKalb Superintendent Devon Horton was arrested Saturday on felony assault and child cruelty charges.

The decision came after heated public forums in which parents and educators raised questions about his leadership record and a 2021 federal lawsuit from his Illinois district that accused officials of promoting "race-based programming."

Former DeKalb County School Board member Dr. Joyce Morley told FOX 5 in December that the board was aware of previous bankruptcies and an ongoing criminal investigation in Evanston before hiring Horton.

"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."