A Northampton County Board of Education member is calling for an investigation and sanctions after alleging she was harassed, threatened and verbally abused by two fellow board members.

During a board meeting held Wednesday evening, Erica Smith-Ingram presented a memo to her colleagues about the mistreatment she had received.

“I am gravely concerned about the continuous disrespect and unacceptable behavior and disregard for professional courtesy displayed by board member Lafayette Majette on three occasions, and (board member) Mr. Charles Tyner on one occasion and the continuous lack of professionalism and unfair treatment,” said Ingram.

Ingram continued by saying that she has spoken to Board Attorney Rod Malone, Schools Superintendent Dr. Eric Bracy and Board Chair Grace Edwards.

“I now appeal to this board for action,” she said.

Ingram referred to an occurrence on April 28 during a hearing and described it as “utterly disgraceful and placed me in a very hostile environment.”

Ingram went on to described the alleged mistreatment she received.

“I was cussed out, a folder was thrown toward me; I was told disrespectfully in a disrespectful manner to close my mouth amongst other things,” she said. “I have also been threatened by this board member.”

Ingram continued to read from the memorandum.

“It is unfair for me to have to exercise the duties I was elected to fulfill with the constant harassment, verbal abuse, intimidation, disregard for human courtesy and decency,” she said. “I’m requesting a full investigation of these concerns and a mediated resolution. ...I am specifically requesting sanctions for Mr. Majette.”

Ingram said she had come before the board on two other occasions when the incident happened, when she was threatened.

“I said that if it were to occur again I was going to ask for sanctions,” she said. “Now I can do this through policy procedure or I can appeal to the board to do what is decent and what is right.”

Ingram’s memorandum concluded, “Unless these concerns are handled in a judicious and appropriate manner, I will proceed with requesting a full investigation of unethical conduct and violation of the Northampton County Board of Education Ethics policy.”

“And we have enough legal issues going on,” she added. “We need to deal with this before it goes higher.”

The Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald requested a copy of the memorandum presented by Ingram. The request was approved by Malone, who in turn informed the News-Herald that portions of the memo were blacked out.

When contacted Thursday morning by telephone, Malone explained that the document contained information that was deemed confidential pursuant to North Carolina Open Meetings Law. He described those portions left out in the newspaper’s copy as “personnel in nature.”