Embattled instructor awaits trial on charges of misdemeanor battery.

The Rampage acknowledges that Kevynn Gomez is the current Opinions page editor. Gomez has no input on this story or other related stories.

The semester has started, but there is one less tenured professor on the Fresno City College campus.

Dr. Brian Calhoun, an education instructor, was fired by State Center Community College District in May.

Calhoun notified his colleagues of the termination of his employment in an email he sent to several FCC faculty members.

With the subject heading, “It’s been a pleasure,” Calhoun declared himself the true victim in the altercation with 20-year-old student, Kevynn Gomez.

“My filing of a formal complaint against the student under SCCCD Board Policy 5500, (Student Conduct and Discipline) for her swearing at me, disrupting the class, punching me in the face numerous times, breaking my glasses and knocking out a tooth has been ignored,” Calhoun said in his email.

Lacy Barnes, president of the State Center Federation of Teachers, declined to comment about Calhoun’s firing, stating, “SCFT does not comment on matters involving individual members.”

Calhoun had been on administrative leave since the March incident that took place in front of OAB 216.

Calhoun and alleged victim, Gomez, have shared drastically different versions of events, but the SCCCD police report is filled with witness statements that verify Gomez’s story.

Calhoun’s email portrays him as an injured party. However, the witness statements in the police report show the opposite.

“Dr. Calhoun grabs her and throws her against the wall and has full wrist control on her,” said Jacob Martinez, a student that witnessed the altercation. “She said ‘let go’ and he didn’t let go.”

Martinez witnessed the incident and claims to have helped physically pull Calhoun off of Gomez when the situation escalated.

However, Calhoun claims that Gomez said “f— off a–hole” and instigated the altercation.

“…I was charged with misdemeanor battery, simply touching someone that does not want to be touched,” Calhoun said in his email. “I was trying to obtain her name to report to authorities.”

According to the police report, Calhoun explained that “he grabbed Gomez’s arm; he asked her what her name was … [Calhoun] wanted her name so he could write a disruptive student report on her.”

The police report continued saying that “Gomez went crazy and began to assault [Calhoun] … Gomez punched [Calhoun] in the face three times before he could defend himself from her attack.”

Eyewitnesses are clear about what they saw in their statements to the police. The following is a direct excerpt from the official police report written by Officer Chris Caldwell of the SCCCD Police Department:

“Castro told me that an instructor walked into the class he was in at Old Administration Building room 216 and yelled at everyone to get out. [Michael Medrano], who is a substitute, asked if we could take two minutes to finish up a test. [Calhoun] said ‘no, get out.’ As Kevynn, (Gomez) walked past to turn in the test, she looked at the instructor and said, ‘Piss off [a–hole].’”

“Castro said the instructor just snapped and went after Gomez. Castro said the instructor went out after her and grabbed her by her left arm and grabbed her around the neck with his other arm. Castro said Gomez tried to pull away and he wouldn’t let her go, Gomez punched or swung her arm at him and knocked his glasses off, [Calhoun] picked Gomez up and slammed her on the ground. Some other students pulled Gomez away and several other students got between [Calhoun] and Gomez and he still tried to go after Gomez.”

Calhoun is appealing his termination and says that financial times are getting tough for him as a result.

“Being fired means, of course, no salary or benefits,” Calhoun said in his email.

Calhoun continued, “Also, I cannot collect my pension while in a lengthy arbitration process. Attorney fees and living costs come directly from my savings.”

Calhoun’s education classes are now being taught by several different instructors: Charmaine Fitzgerald, Edwardo Valero, K. Kaiser Clarey and Sean Henderson, the director of Student Activities.

Calhoun had his arraignment on June 19 to begin his legal process. Calhoun, Gomez and her attorney, Catherine Campbell, were not present at the arraignment.

There is a pretrial hearing scheduled for today, and the jury trial for this case is scheduled for Sept. 25.

Gomez is also suing Calhoun in civil court for violating her rights.

Both FCC and SCCCD administrators have remained silent during this ordeal.

FCC President Tony Cantu declined to comment on the matter, stating that it is a personnel issue.

“The student in question made a ‘citizens arrest’ … Battery is not a criminal felony charge, but it does come with a penalty if found guilty.” Calhoun said in his email.

“I felt wronged and chose a jury trial that will take place in September,” Calhoun continued, “The student also sued me in civil court on charges as long as your arm (to include civil rights violations since she is Hispanic and I am not).”