Wayne Week — March 3, 2024

A unanimous decision to move Goldsboro High School to a new building has drawn the ire of community leaders, former students, and teachers who fear the school will soon close for good.

ENDANGERED SPECIES?

BY KEN FINE / p. 14

MARCH 3, 202 4

Volume 1, Issue 29 NEWOLDNORTH.COM

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CONTENTS

4 About last week, and the future

Our printing partner chalked it up to a mechanical failure and a bad day. And we get it. We are all human. But we take too much pride in this publication to allow something subpar to be distributed across this community with our names on it. And we will not settle — because you, our readers and our neighbors, deserve better.

6 Court filing seems to indicate that former WCSO Drug Unit chief has reached a pre-trial plea agreement with the federal government

It is unclear if and when the details of what appears to be a plea deal will be released to the public, but a “plea supplement” filed late last week suggests Michael Cox’s legal journey, one that began when a federal grand jury handed down a sprawling indictment, is about to come to an end.

8 Worth’s arraignment delayed again as he pursues more talks

Wayne County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Christopher Worth’s arraignment was supposed to unfold this past week. Instead, a judge granted him a continuance so he and his attorney could keep talking with federal prosecutors about a potential pre-trial deal.

12 Our take

It is time to have the tough discussions about Goldsboro High School and its future so its student body has the opportunity to shine.

14 Cover story

The Wayne County Board of Education has submitted a request to the state to extend Goldsboro High School’s “Restart” status, but after making a decision in early February to relocate GHS to the building currently occupied by Wayne School of Engineering, former students and teachers say they fear the end of Goldsboro as they know it is in sight.

18

The Spectator

Charles B. Aycock mounted a dramatic comeback against North Lenoir Tuesday before ultimately losing a heartbreaker. The good news? High school baseball is officially back!

{ A note from the editors }

About last week, and the future

It would appear, judging by the metrics, that the vast majority of our subscribers received the note emailed to them last week ahead of what was supposed to be our regular delivery cycle — that they clicked the link and accessed the Feb. 25 edition of Wayne Week digitally.

But we are also aware that it is possible, perhaps even likely, that a handful of you chalked up not getting your paper to a fluke — that instead of calling our offices to inquire, you took one on the chin.

This message is, largely, for you, but we also felt it was important to share it with the public so that those who are not yet subscribers have a firm grasp of who we are and why we risked alienating our readers to protect our brand.

Our hope is that when you are finished reading this, you will understand why we decided to refuse to accept the thousands of print editions delivered to us late Feb. 22 — and that maybe, those we have become known for holding accountable will see the moral to this story.

In short, the print quality of the papers was shockingly subpar. In fact, it was so far removed from what we have come to expect over these last 30 weeks, it seemed impossible.

A few phone calls later, we would come to learn that the state of the publication was chalked up to “mechanical issues” and “a bad day.”

And we get it. We are all human.

But there was absolutely no way we were going to put what we saw out into our community.

What we told our printing partner is that you, our readers, deserve better — that from our magazine products (think “Best of the Boot” and the official N.C. Freedom Fest program) to Wayne Week, we take a great deal of pride in producing publications that reflect our very best because our community deserves nothing less.

But what those living outside Wayne County could not possibly understand is that this newspaper has taken on an identity of its own — that our subscribers read every issue cover to cover and those who have not yet jumped on board either borrow from a neighbor or rush to racks every Sunday and Monday to ensure they get a copy.

And since we are talking about subscribers, let us share with you how important you are.

Independent journalism is not cheap — that’s why so many traditional media companies have stayed beholden to poor standards and succumbed to sketchy definitions of what “fair” and “unbiased” mean.

When there are too many people who can push you around, you can’t do the kind of work we do. It makes you pause. It makes you tone down the truth — or to ignore it when it is right in front of you because you are be-

holden to a company that simply wants to “get along” to keep the checks coming.

To survive and expand, like any business that has to pay bills, we have to have subscribers and advertisers — people who put their money where their mouth is to support the hard work it takes to hold leaders accountable.

Your subscriptions make that possible. Period. As does your support of the businesses and individuals who advertise in each edition of Wayne Week.

They deserve your dollars because they aren’t just willing to sit back and watch, staying safely under the radar, as their community disintegrates.

And don’t think that some of the people we have criticized have not tried to bully them into not supporting this newspaper. We know they have — and others have not supported us because they were warned what might happen if they do.

So, your vocal thanks to them — and your dollars spent in their shops — lets them know you appreciate not only their business, but their courage.

We have said it before. This is a mission — a real chance to effect change in your children and grandchildren’s futures. And because of you and our supporters, we have already had a MAJOR impact in getting this community back on track.

Don’t believe us? Just look back at where we were a year ago. We cannot stop now.

So many of us have felt over the past few years that we couldn’t speak up, that we couldn’t say what needs to be said.

We were afraid. We felt we just had to accept what those in power dish out. We couldn’t disagree or point out a place where a better decision could be made without getting a label or being “canceled.”

But that tide is turning.

With that said, and we can’t emphasize this enough, we need you. All of you.

It’s time to grow this publication and put eyes on every single public body in Wayne County.

So, if you have been on the fence or have just thought “I will pick up Wayne Week from my neighbor, friend or at the office,” or if you simply have been too busy and thought, “I will subscribe later,” know this:

We are a team. Without you, we cannot do what we do. And there is a lot more to do now that the future of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is being threatened.

We are, if we’re being honest, not surprised by the response we have received to this little experiment — and how much and how many of you care about making this community better. It’s why we took a chance.

Now, it is time to think about the future and what’s next. That is why quality matters, and why we took the unusual step of making sure our product, your product, kept its print

integrity last week.

Frankly, we do not believe that a publication like Wayne Week is happening anywhere else in the state — and those who publish other papers might not get that distributing what can only be characterized as a trainwreck could send a message to you that we have no intention of sending.

How can we preach accountability, quality, attention to detail, and our stated goal of helping to guide this community toward a brighter star while allowing something that looked like that to reflect this Wayne Week movement we have fostered, together, over these many months?

Well, it simply wasn’t going to happen.

That is why you did not receive your Feb. 25 print edition.

That is why you were directed to the digital paper.

And that is why every single one of you has been given a one-week credit on your account.

We get it. Some of you are likely reading this thinking a lengthy explanation for what we have every reason to believe will be an anomaly case of human error is a bit extreme.

But we also know that ignoring it is not who we are.

That is why we had a frank and firm discussion with our printing partner.

That is why we opened up the Feb. 25 edition, for free, to the world this past weekend.

You, this publication, and this community are worth fighting for.

That is why we take on those in power who need to be checked.

That is why we aren’t shy on our editorial page.

And that is why we take on stories that have gone untouched for years because others feared “blowback,” including this week’s cover story.

Together, we are changing this community. We know you know that.

The days of backroom deals and “private” conversations between wannabe power brokers who don’t have the courage to own words meant to set policy for the public are coming to an end.

So, we hope you enjoy a return to your ritual of sipping on hot coffee while you flip through the pages this weekend — and getting a little ink on your fingers — and understand that the decisions we make have been and will always be about you.

And if you have not yet become a subscriber, we hope you will join us soon.

We need you now more than ever — not just to expand our mission, but to ensure those in power know that our coalition is growing, and they can no longer operate in the shadows.

Now?

Onward. n

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NEWS + VIEWS

Court filing suggests Cox reached plea agreement

Former Wayne County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit Chief faces a myriad of charges, from alleged bid-rigging to conspiracy to sell narcotics.

BY KEN FINE A ND RENEE CAREY / Wayne County

Court documents filed Feb. 22 seem to indicate that former Wayne County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit Chief Michael Cox has reached a pre-trial plea agreement with the government — though it remains unclear whether he has or will cooperate with federal officials.

The filing, a “Plea Agreement Supplement,” was sealed by Standing Order 22-SO-1, which establishes that in regards to guilty pleas in felony cases, in order to “protect the safety of criminal Defendants,” the court can override the “public’s right of access to these documents.”

But it does not, however, necessarily mean Cox has cooperated with the federal prosecutors pursing his conviction on a myriad of charges outlined in a sprawling indictment handed down by a federal grand jury in August 2023 — nor has a timeframe been given for public acknowledgement of what appears to be a guilty plea or the sentence that will be handed down by Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II.

The latest development could mark the culmination of a case that has captivated Wayne County since late last summer when Cox was handcuffed by federal agents outside his Goldsboro business, Eastern Emergency Equipment, and charged with everything from financial crimes to conspiracy with multiple drug traffickers to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and oxycodone — allegations that were detailed in the Aug. 17, 2023, indictment handed down by the grand jury and used by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Duffy during two separate hearings to convince two federal judges to deny Cox pre-trial release.

(It is worth noting that the names of three of the major players in that document — “Drug Trafficker One,” “Drug Trafficker Two,” and “Drug Unit Subordinate One” — were identified in open court by prosecutors as Theodore Lee, Rinardo Howell, and WCSO Deputy Charles Shaeffer, respectively.)

Lee stands accused of trafficking methamphetamine, cocaine, crack, fentanyl, oxycodone, heroin, and marijuana, according to a March 21, 2021, indictment obtained by Wayne Week.

Howell is a convicted drug dealer who is currently serving two 188-month sentences in

federal prison.

And Shaeffer made headlines when he was put on administrative leave after FBI agents searched his home the same day Cox and WCSO Maj. Christopher Worth were indicted by the grand jury.

The following allegations are among the pieces of the government’s investigation that have been made public:

• On May 18, 2017, Cox texted (Howell) a photograph of a Peele Road drug dealer, which was obtained from CJ Leads, a secure database for use solely by law enforcement.

The text also included a pin indicating the

location of the Peele Road residence and stated “(t)hat’s the man’s house.” (Howell) indicated that he would be “paying em visit.” Just 10 days later, there was a violent home invasion at the residence, and according to the indictment, even though Cox had knowledge of Howell’s possible involvement in the home invasion, he said nothing. During Wednesday’s hearing, Duffy characterized the home invasion as including “elements of torture” — describing the pistol-whipping and duct-taping of juveniles and slamming a girl’s face into a stove with the burner on.

• On June 26, 2017, Cox observed (Howell) purchasing two ounces of cocaine from a

target whose home was being watched by Cox as part of a DEA operation. Instead of arresting him, “Cox pulled over (Howell) and explained that the drugs would need to be seized because the DEA was targeting (Howell’s) supplier.” (Howell) complained that he would be out the $2,000 used to buy the drugs. In response, Cox “stated that he would use buy money to reimburse (Howell) and make it appear as if the situation had been a controlled purchase, which it was not.” Cox, the indictment alleges, paid (Howell) the $2,000 and a $200 confidential informant fee.

• On Sept. 27, 2018, Goldsboro police and the Sheriff’s Office executed dual search warrants on houses used by (Howell). He was arrested and his cell phone was seized. After (Howell) was released on bond, he called Cox and was instructed to come to his home in Walnut Creek. Cox, at the time, was still a sworn WCSO deputy. He was hosting a cookout with the head of the WCSO Patrol Unit and a defense attorney. Upon arriving at Cox’s house, the indictment alleges that (Howell), the defense attorney, and Cox discussed the search warrants and then Cox arranged for the attorney to handle (Howell’s) case. During the hearing, Duffy identified the attorney as Goldsboro attorney Worth Haithcock.

• Cox later called the GPD drug unit and demanded that investigators turn over (Howell’s) phone to the WCSO. The head of the GPD drug unit refused. During Wednesday’s hearing, an FBI special agent testified that Cox contacted the GPD and “tried to get the phone back” because, as the prosecutor put it, “He knew what was on that phone.”

• Cox’s official retirement date was Oct. 31. On Nov. 5, 2018, Cox and (Howell) texted about which witnesses the defense attorney should call at an upcoming suppression hearing relating to GPD and WCSO’s dual search warrants. Charges against (Howell) were dismissed on Jan. 9, 2019. In the meantime, now that Cox was gone, the WCSO’s new head of the Drug Unit

Continued on page 8

Artist rendering of former WCSO Drug Unit Chief Michael Cox in federal court. ILLUSTRATION BY SHAN STUMPF

Continued from page 6

proposed that GPD join WCSO in a drug task force, which was to be housed at a new, shared facility. The indictment alleges that the city had been unwilling to join such an effort in the past because investigators believed Cox was “improperly protecting (Howell).”

• On Feb. 15, 2018, (Howell) texted Cox a photograph of 14 oxycodone pills stamped “K8” and texted “(t)here,” to which Cox responded, “(t)hanks.” (Howell) texted back, “No problem it’s 15,” which the indictment alleges was a reference to a price per pill. Four days later, on Feb. 19, 2019, (Howell) shot a cooperating informant who the joint WCSO-GPD task force “had planned to use to make buys from (Howell).” The wounded informant survived and called 911, telling the operator he had been shot by (Howell). A detective arrived at the hospital that night to check on the victim. According to the report, 90 minutes later, the detective received a call from Cox. According to the detective, Cox stated that he had heard (Howell) was being accused of shooting someone. According to the indictment, Cox said, “(Howell) didn’t shoot nobody he was texting and facetiming me all night during the Carolina Duke basketball game … he wasn’t at Slocumb and Mulberry.” During Wednesday’s hearing, Duffy argued that Cox was “busy creating an alibi” for Howell when, the prosecutor alleged, “he knew it was (Howell) who shot the C.I.”

• On April 26, 2018, (Lee’s) image was captured on a video entering a drug stash house in Goldsboro “with a handgun in his right hand and then exiting the house minutes later,” the indictment alleges. After (Lee) drove away, another dealer was seen “limping out of the house with a gunshot wound to his leg.” After the incident, (Lee) contacted Cox and asked him to let him know if law enforcement were looking for him. (Lee) was arrested and charged on May 5, 2018, but the charges were dismissed, the indictment alleges, on May 17, 2018, after the victim “signed an affidavit stating that (Lee) had not shot the victim.”

• On Feb. 21, 2019, Cox texted (Howell) and directed him to “go up to the shop. (a worker) is gonna fix u.” The indictment then alleges that Cox texted the following to (Haithcock) the next morning, “(Howell) has attempted murder warrant. It’s bullshit. … (Howell) has got like 1500 cash if you meet him at the magistrate office just try and get his bond at 200,000. He said he can make bond if it’s 200,000. Let me know if you can help him.” (Haithcock) told Cox to tell (Howell) to “lay low” until he could meet him at his office. Cox indicated that he passed the message along to (Howell).

• On March 1, 2019, (Howell) and Cox exchanged messages. (Howell) texted, “My

WORTH’S ARRAIGNMENT DELAYED AGAIN

Wayne County Sheriff’s Office major is working in “good faith” with government in attempt to avoid trial.

Chief United States District Judge

Richard E. Myers II has agreed to delay Wayne County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Christopher Worth’s arraignment again, as the embattled lawman “continues to work in good faith with the government for a non-trial resolution” to charges stemming from a sprawling indictment handed down by a federal grand jury in August alleging he “conspired with others to defraud the Wayne County government.”

The government claims that Worth, while moonlighting for Eastern Emergency Equipment, benefitted financially by ensuring the company was awarded contract after contract from the WCSO to upfit vehicles, including Sheriff Larry Pierce’s 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe.

EEE is owned by former WCSO Drug

bruh for life … (expletive deleted) who don’t like it.” On March 3, Cox responded, “I know u do. U know I have your back through anything. There ain’t many people you can trust in life. But ur my bro.”

• On June 27, 2019, according to the indictment, (Howell) texted Cox again, this time to discuss the arrest of another drug trafficker. Cox indicated he did not have any information to share yet, but discussed via text with (Howell) the possibility of getting DT3’s bond reduced to $75,000. Cox allegedly told (Howell) to put money on DT3’s canteen account at the jail and that Cox “would take the amount out of what (Howell) owed Cox.”

• On Dec. 4, 2019, (Howell) was arrested by WCSO in possession of two kilograms of powder cocaine. After the arrest, (Shaeffer), who was previously mentioned in the indictment in connection with an alleged incident involving Cox, drove (Howell) to be interviewed by investigators. During the drive, Cox called (Shaeffer), who did not answer the call. Drug Unit Subordinate One was assigned to make a copy of (Howell’s) cell phone. According to the indictment, upon learning that (Howell’s) cell phone had been dumped, Cox sent a text to (Shaeffer),, “I know you dumped ((Howell’s) phones and have read all the text messages. Why didn’t you say anything abt when I talked to you earlier. I really don’t give a shit. Cause there ain’t nothing on any of his phones that would get me in trouble. But

Unit Chief Mike Cox, who was also indicted and remains in custody after several attempts to receive pre-trial release failed because two judges determined he posed a “danger to the community.”

Unlike his former colleague, Worth was granted the opportunity to prepare for trial at home.

At the heart of the government’s case against Worth are accusations that he rigged the bid process and failed to follow protocol to ensure Cox’s company had an unfair advantage over would-be competitors — a system, prosecutors allege, that benefitted him financially.

His arraignment, which was supposed to unfold last week after several delays, is now set for April 9 in a federal courtroom in Wilmington.

- Ken Fine and Renee Carey

damn!! Why is everyone so secretive? I hope somebody comes to speak to me. Cause I will blow the roof off that dumb ass office!! Thanks for looking out.” When he did not receive a response from (Shaeffer), the indictment alleges that Cox texted the following: “I knew something was up when you said you were going to help me at the shop and you never came or called. You know if it weren’t for me you wouldn’t even be there now. They wanted you gone. And thought you were dirty and I stood up for you. In fact I got fired because of the whole situation I had your back to the end. Investigate all y’all want to. There is nothing I have said or done that is remotely illegal. Lose my number. You don’t ever have to worry abt talking to me again. YOU LIAR.”

• On Jan. 7, 2020, the indictment alleges that a close relative who lives at Cox’s residence asked him if he could contact (Lee). “You think (Lee) could get me something in the next few days. I have cash.” On Jan. 16, 2020, the close relative — identified in Wednesday’s hearing by Duffy as Cox’s wife, Rebecca — indicated that there was “not one thing in the mailbox not even mail. You’re gonna have to threaten that sorry (racial slur deleted).” Cox responded later that (Lee) “was still looking.” After that exchange, Cox and (Lee) texted at least 30 times during the remainder of Feb. 5, 2020.

• On Jan. 24, 2021, according to the indictment, Cox texted (Lee) about getting

some Percocet/oxycodone pills. (Lee) then began communicating with his suppliers to set up a deal with Cox, and calls were made by two pill suppliers. On Jan.25, 2021, (Lee) called and informed Cox of the identities of the two suppliers from whom he could get the pills and explained that the available supply would be limited to “10 pills at $15 per pill.” (Lee) also indicated that Cox would have to split the pills with him. And, according to the indictment, Cox agreed. A text discussion was held three days later negotiating prices for more pills, to which Cox agreed. According to the indictment, (Lee) agreed to deliver the pills to Cox’s home mailbox. “A review of data from a GPS device that had been placed on (Lee’s) car shows (Lee) driving to the Walnut Creek subdivision where Cox resided.” The GPS device was placed by the ATF pursuant to a federal court order.

• On Jan, 29, 2021, (Lee) texted Cox again and asked about delivery for the original 15pill order. And after a series of texts, they agreed to the same mailbox delivery.

• On Feb. 25, 2021, (Lee) used his original cell phone to alert Cox that a GPS device had been found on his car during an oil change. He reminded Cox that he had made deliveries to his home with that vehicle. (Lee) said he pulled it off the car and told Cox that he had posted a picture of it on Snapchat.

• After receiving the call from (Lee), Cox tried to call the WCSO Drug Unit and Drug Unit Subordinate One, who spoke to him for less than two seconds. Cox also made calls to other Drug Unit members. From those calls, the indictment alleges, Cox “surmised that the GPS device was part of an ATF investigation.” Cox then called (Lee) to warn him about the ATF investigation. (Lee) then called his drug associates to warn them as well.

Beyond what was detailed in the indictment, the government has characterized Cox as a “dangerous” man who had “close relationships” with known drug dealers.

And Duffy, in open court, took it a step further.

“If you’re a drug dealer, this guy is a unicorn. He literally gave a golden ticket to all these drug dealers,” he said. “He took his badge and used it as a weapon. It staggers the imagination.”

Myers told Cox the government had “a strong case” against him and presented “clear and convincing evidence” he believed was “enough to convict you.”

Since that time, the former deputy’s arraignment, which was scheduled for Oct. 24, 2023, has been delayed several times as his attorney, Hart Miles, successfully argued the discovery file was “quite voluminous” and would require more review in order for the defense to prepare for trial.

And he also noted that Cox hoped “to continue discussions with government.”

• • •

According to Standing Order 22-SO-1, which was ordered by Myers in September 2022, “cooperating Defendants are targeted for violence and retaliation” when incarcerated.

“The Court has learned that in Bureau of Prisons facilities, inmates often demand to see documents from other inmates’ cases, including copies of filed plea agreements, transcripts of plea hearings and sentencing hearings, docket sheets, and pre-sentence investigation reports, to determine whether another inmate cooperated with the Government,” Myers wrote. “Often, inmates who refuse to provide the requested documents are labeled as cooperators by other inmates. Cooperators and other inmates face increased risks of violence or retaliation. Inmates suspected of cooperating face these same risks.”

But by sealing the “separately docketed supplement addressing the Defendant’s cooperation status,” that risk would be eliminated.

In other words, even if someone was, as a condition of their plea agreement, working with the government, they would have plausible deniability.

And it is possible that Cox is simply pleading guilty — that the government is willing to forgo trial to save money and manpower — as the supplement would be sealed regardless of whether a defendant worked with the government or not.

“All criminal felony plea agreements shall be filed with a supplement that either:

(1) includes the terms of the Defendant’s agreement to cooperate, or (2) states that no cooperation agreement exists,” Myers wrote. “The Court orders that these supplements shall be filed under seal by the Clerk and shall remain sealed unless otherwise ordered by the Court. The plea agreement supplements will be available only to the Court, the Government, and counsel for the Defendant.”

As it relates to Cox’s case, it is unclear if the public will ever be made aware of whether or not he has, or will, cooperate in any previous, current, or subsequent investigations.

• • •

As of press time, prosecutors are still set to try Worth for alleged bid-rigging.

And Duffy, in open court, has gone after the WCSO generally — and Sheriff Larry Pierce specifically.

The prosecutor talked about seized firearms being stacked in an abandoned shower inside the Sheriff’s Office Annex.

He alleged that some of them were never

logged as evidence and, instead, sold on gunbroker.com, a website advertised as a “marketplace of gun enthusiasts.”

There were, Duffy claims, unrecorded narcotics mixed into a basket with properly marked seizures that had been slated for destruction.

And some deputies, he told the court, kept evidence in “personal lockers.”

Those practices, Duffy said, fostered a culture of not following protocol that allowed WCSO personnel to not only avoid checks and balances, but permitted “under the radar” access to weapons, money, and drugs — particularly in the Drug Unit.

“The Drug Unit’s off-the-books method of handling evidence provided it with the ability to avoid creating any record of a drug suspect’s arrest for drug dealing,” the indictment reads. “In addition, it allowed members of the Drug Unit the ability to seize drugs and guns from citizens without any accountability for such evidence.”

As a result, the indictment continues, there were “no safeguards in place to stop deputies from taking unmarked evidence, such as firearms, for their personal use.”

And Duffy also seemingly took aim at Pierce — alleging he or someone in his leadership circle tipped off Cox that the case the government was building was about more than alleged bid-rigging charges against him and Worth.

“(Cox) was able to figure out what we were looking at just by making a call,” Duffy said during the Oct. 3 hearing, adding Pierce himself might have given Cox “a tip off.”

Pierce has remained relatively quiet since Cox and Worth were taken into custody more than six months ago and has not been charged with any crimes.

His only public statement regarding the indictment was a written one released at the end of August.

“Wayne County and the Sheriff’s Office were notified in the Fall of 2021 of an ongoing federal investigation. The County, Sheriff’s Office, and all employees fully cooperated with the investigation and provided all information that was requested from authorities,” it stated. “After learning of the investigation, the Wayne County Finance Department and the Sheriff’s Office implemented immediate corrective action.”

But back in May 2022, he acknowledged the FBI was investigating the WCSO — although he said then that the probe involved “old cases” that were handled by “a prior employee.”

At the time of his arrest, Worth was an active member of the force.

For more on this story as it develops –including Cox’s next court appearance at which, should Myers accept the terms of the plea, he could be sentenced — follow Wayne Week n

Primary Primer

We have said it before, and we will say it again.

Local elections matter.

And Tuesday, voters will take a first step in determining who will represent them on, among other public bodies, the Wayne County Board of Commissioners and Wayne County Board of Education.

Over the last several weeks, we have introduced you to most of the men and women who are seeking your vote and identified those who decided speaking to Wayne Week and answering tough questions was not worth their time.

Our hope is that you will, armed with what they had to say — or, for those who ignored our requests, didn’t say — will take a few minutes Tuesday to ensure your voice is heard.

From recent news about the future of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base to the Board of Education’s controversial decision to move several schools to new homes, there has, in our view, never been a more critical time to send a message to those in power that you are watching.

A shockingly high voter turnout would, we believe, do so loud and clear.

So, one last time, here are the men and women vying to make it beyond the Primary to the November ballot.

Choose wisely — as if your community, and future generations, depend on the decision you make.

Wayne County Board of Commissioners

Wayne

Wayne

Wayne

* Notes Incumbant

Antonio Williams*

Alex Asbun Bridgette Cowan Richard Taylor

Freeman Hardison Jr.* Timmy Harrell

Joe Daughtery* Craig Uzzell

Tondalayo Clark

Sometimes, it really is about the numbers, and head above heart, as much as you would like it to be about anything else.

Such is the case when you look at Goldsboro High School.

Your heart tells you that this school has a long and rich tradition, a history that is full of stories of achievement, comradery, and obstacles overcome.

And those who were lucky enough to have been teenagers through those years are, understandably, fiercely protective of those memories and that legacy.

And they are right.

There are generations of young people who got their start there — and every year they come back to remember and to honor the impact the school had on their lives.

That is what makes the Dillard/Goldsboro Alumni and Friends Homecoming weekend such a meaningful event year after year.

But that is also what makes the next part so hard.

Things just aren’t working at Goldsboro High School.

There are a thousand reasons why — among them, staggeringly low enrollment numbers and students and an atmosphere that are just different.

Yet, there are still stars graduating from GHS, young men and women who are earning scholarships to prestigious colleges and universities and who are building successful lives and careers.

And no, the overwhelming majority are not athletes.

What those students have in common is drive, ambition, and a focus on getting good grades and a high school diploma.

They are supported by loving, interested, and involved parents and mentors — some of whom, many of whom, were raised on the values and the importance of education that was such an integral part of the Dillard, and then GHS, experience.

They are OK because they were always going to be OK. They have the support they need and the personal skills to take advantage of the educational opportunities their high school has to offer.

But they are not who we are talking about — not if we want to think honestly about what the future should hold for Goldsboro High School.

The numbers over the years, the key metrics, are just not getting better.

They are there for you to look at in this week’s cover story.

And they tell a story that we can no longer

CLEAN SLATE

ignore — again, not if we want to see the change those young people deserve.

From worsening graduation rates to spiraling suspension rates and plummeting college entrance exam scores — not to mention the failing school moniker that has gotten us here in the first place — the numbers are not just discouraging, they are bad.

And we aren’t the only ones looking at those numbers.

State officials have had their eye on Goldsboro High School for more than a few years now.

In fact, if you have noticed, Wayne County Public Schools has announced that Goldsboro High School will apply, once again, to be a “Restart” school.

That doesn’t sound bad, right?

Well, not on the surface.

Restart is, in theory, a model meant to offer ways to support the “reform” of schools that have been designated as “Recurring Low Performing” by the Department of Public Instruction.

And as long as they remain in the Restart

program, the local Board of Education maintains control.

There’s just one problem.

GHS has been a Restart school since 2016 and the numbers, as you will see, have gotten worse.

And 10 years earlier, Judge Howard Manning threatened to close the school — and 16 others — if their tests scores did not improve.

Well, Manning is gone now.

And the window for improvement under Restart has long since passed — even if grace is offered for the “COVID years.”

Yet here we are again.

Except this time, after yet another principal has been let go — this time independently by the school district — we are not any better. In fact, things at GHS are worse.

You have read the stories or, worse yet, seen the videos.

Discipline problems. Poor leadership. Teachers fleeing or refusing to work there. The fights. On and on.

And worse than that, no one wants to talk about it — not the real stuff, not the

important stuff — because they don’t want to look like he or she is piling on the majority minority inner-city school.

No one.

No one has the guts to say out loud what needs to be said and to set a course for a rebirth at GHS.

Well, almost no one.

We have a few of those voices in today’s edition — people who attended GHS, taught there, and have faith that with the right vision and leadership, “Cougar Pride” can mean something again.

So, what to do?

Well, first we have to talk about it — and not with the specter of political correctness and cancel culture looming over our heads and not in whispers at public “retreats” hundreds of miles away.

We are going to have to talk about some things that some people are not going to want to hear.

We are going to have to stop making massive decisions like moving current GHS students out of the historic portion of campus without any real notice given that the decision could be made by the Board of Education.

Because when you do that, it makes people think you wanted to make those moves in the shadows — and starts conversations that are unfolding in droves on social media and inside local churches and restaurants about what the people engaged in those discussions believe are your real intentions.

And, most importantly, we are going to have to put the needs of the students first and foremost and not just come up with a solution that keeps a few hotheads and advocates quiet.

Because believe it or not, there are some real solutions for the school — and a way to keep Goldsboro High School’s legacy, its true heart, intact.

So, let’s get into it.

There have been some bright spots over these last nearly 20 years.

When Marcia Manning, no relation to the judge, was running the school on an interim basis, there were rules.

Students who disrupted classes or fought in the hallways were out. There was no tolerance for the behavior that seems to have taken over the school in recent years, and students and teachers were able to teach and learn effectively.

She tried some new stuff, brought in some new blood, and scores were increasing.

But then she was swept out.

And here we are.

What Manning understood more so than

any other administrator who has been in that building since is that Goldsboro is full of students with potential. They are hungry to be somebody. But they might not be getting the attention they need to get to that level, to have a chance at a choice.

Because when a teacher is focused on the shenanigans of the students, and we use that term loosely, who don’t care to be there and whose presence is a constant distraction and interruption — and there are nearly 30 students, say, in a critical core English class — how are they supposed to get the instruction they need?

And it is those students, the ones who could be successful with just a little extra push, that we should be thinking about.

Without a real leader, that will never happen.

We have had leaders like that at Wayne County high schools before.

Think the legendary Dr. H.V. Brown, Dr. Pat Best, or Dr. Earl Moore.

They expected good behavior and proper dress from their students, and constantly walked the hallways so their staff and teachers knew someone was holding them accountable at all times.

And even though they had their detractors, nobody ever questioned their pursuit of excellence.

Those two men are among many legendary coaches, teachers, and administrators who pushed the community’s young men and young women to be something.

And in the case of Brown, many of them did exactly that — and are the backbone of the Dillard/Goldsboro Alumni group, the president of which is a former state representative.

And more of them are teachers and administrators in the county schools, and business owners and entrepreneurs.

Their road wasn’t easy. But their dreams included more than just a basketball or football or gang sign.

And that is what we want for today’s Goldsboro students.

So, how about a new idea — a new concept?

It is one that has been pitched inside WCPS’ Central Office before, but was tabled by a former superintendent because “the money wasn’t there,” despite the fact that the district was cutting hundreds of thousands of dollars in checks to its fancy Raleigh-based attorney and building a multi-million-dollar gymnasium at Southern Wayne.

What if Goldsboro became a magnet school?

What if it was a place that specialized in something that has been a tradition at that school for generations — music, art, and theater?

There is talent there. We’ve seen it. And if you haven’t and know someone who has, ask them about what Victoria Ruffin Atkins was able to accomplish on that campus.

Her students literally brought people to their feet as they wiped tears from their eyes.

And there are students across this county who would be interested in just such a program.

It would not just be playing around either. It would have rigorous expectations and academic requirements.

This would be a serious place for students who are serious.

It would take an investment, of course. And, most importantly, it would take a vision.

But that doesn’t solve the problem for those students who don’t fit into that mold, right?

What about them?

Truth is, not everyone needs college. There are students right now with skills — mechanical or otherwise — who would do very, very well in a vocational program.

And those programs are not for those who want to fool around either. They require math knowledge and other skills that go with being a businessowner, including how to communicate with other people.

And with the size of that sprawling campus, we could have programs — great programs — just like those here, that would attract students from all over the region.

And lest you think we would be cheating these students, let’s think about this: How hard is it to find a plumber, a carpenter, or a car mechanic these days? And how much did you pay the last time you called one?

These are great careers, a chance to be an independent businessperson, a chance to be able to make the kind of money that supports a family.

And that’s the lesson we need to teach.

Here’s another: mixing students in this community is not a bad thing — and neither is opening up opportunities by thinking bigger.

Goldsboro High School’s legacy is not about bricks and mortar. Neither was Dillard’s.

It is a spirit of what can be achieved when you teach a student that boundaries can’t contain them and that self-respect, accountability, and hard work matter.

That is the legacy that should be protected. It is what needs to be done.

So yes, Goldsboro does need a restart — just not the kind the Board of Education is pursuing.

What that school — and its students and alumni — deserve is a bigger and more expansive dream.

And that achievement, should we be bold enough to chase and then reach it, is one that should make the decades of Goldsboro and Dillard alumni — and teachers, coaches and administrators who inspired them — proud.

But we can’t keep going this way.

The time to act is now — before the state decides otherwise and this opportunity passes us by. n

ENDANGERED SPECIES ?

Victoria Ruffin Atkins turns and faces the several dozen teenagers standing in parallel lines on the Goldsboro High School auditorium stage.

Moments earlier, they were all smiles — joking with their choral director backstage as they prepared to perform for a full house — but when the light hits Atkins’ face, they can tell by her expression that it’s time to get serious.

To the GHS Show Stoppers, this particular song is not just another track on their set list.

It has, in many ways, become both their anthem and Atkins’ way of preaching to her alma mater through her students.

But to make them — their peers, parents, community leaders, and others in attendance — buy into the message they are attempting to deliver, they know have to own every single word.

“When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out.

I am brave, I am bruised I am who I’m meant to be.

This is me.”

Watching Atkins command respect from the boys and girls in the choir she ran at GHS for years, it was clear to both those inside the historic Beech Street building and people who saw them perform everywhere from retirement homes to the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair, that with the right mentor, students in Wayne County’s lowest-performing school could shine.

A unanimous decision to move Goldsboro High School to a new building has drawn the ire of community leaders, former students, and teachers who fear the school will soon close for good.

And when they sang those words, it was clear that after a lifetime of attending failing schools and navigating the challenges associated with growing up in some of Goldsboro’s most impoverished neighborhoods, it also took the right leader to convince them that was the case.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SHAN STUMPF. COUGAR PHOTO BY KEN FINE

“

Ialways tried to instill in my kids that they could defy all those labels. There is always going to be a label somebody is going to try to place on you because you come from a single-parent home or because you live in a certain project,” Atkins said. “I lived in those areas and look at me. So, when students came to me, they knew when they crossed the line into my classroom, those labels went away. You came to me to be the best you that you could be, and I treated them as such. I had high standards and they followed suit. You have to treat them as the best and they will give you that.”

They proved it on stage, yes, but also when they organized to blow the whistle on deteriorating conditions inside their school during a 2022 City Council meeting — a presentation that resulted in statewide news coverage, visits from legislators, and almost immediate work by the school district to fix everything from rotting ceilings and floors to plumbing issues and insect and rodent infestation.

Atkins, a GHS graduate who left Wayne County Public Schools at the end of the 2022-23 school year to pursue her dream of working as an administrator, has been thinking about them lately — ever since the Wayne County Board of Education unanimously voted, without specifying on its agenda action involving the school could unfold, to move the GHS student body out of their historic home and into the building currently occupied by Wayne School of Engineering.

She wonders who might have shown up to talk about the fear she says has set in among students and alumni as a result of that vote — that this is simply the next step in what will, one day soon, culminate in the end of the school she attended and taught inside.

“I am so disappointed about it because … I don’t think that any new superintendent — any new anything — should just come to Goldsboro and say, ‘This is what we’re going to do,’ and slide it in and not include the alumni and community input,” Atkins said. “I feel like there is a bigger plan in place. I really feel like they are trying to do away with Goldsboro High School altogether.”

She is not alone.

In the nearly a month since the Board of Education voted to approve a “Facility Utilization Plan” that included relocation of four schools — GHS, Wayne Middle/High Academy, Wayne School of Engineering, and Edgewood Community Developmental School — a common theme in social media posts, inside churches and restaurants, and around watercoolers is the fact that none of those schools were mentioned on the agenda released ahead of the Feb. 5 meeting as part of WCPS’ legal obligation to notify the public of

the official business that would be discussed.

“We had no idea until it was already said and done,” Atkins said. “I feel like by Goldsboro High School being such an historic landmark, by us having one of the biggest alumni organizations in the world, that is something they should have gotten our input on. But they didn’t want it. They have never wanted it. I mean, let’s just say they knew what they were doing.”

Once counted among the top high schools in North Carolina, it has been a rough two decades for GHS.

Back in 2006, Judge Howard Manning named it as one of nearly 20 schools across the state that would be closed if they did not improve.

And in 2016, the N.C. Board of Education approved “Restart” status for the school — a move some saw as a “lastditch effort” to save GHS.

Under the Restart model, “recurring lowperforming schools” are given flexibility in both how they staff their buildings and how they deliver education.

But in the years since GHS received the designation, the numbers have gotten worse.

In its first year under the Restart model, the school earned a D on its state report card and a “performance grade” of 42.

Only 14.4 percent of students scored a 19 or higher on the ACT — 44 percent below the state average — and only 50% of graduates went on to enroll in college.

And the short-term suspension rate, another metric reported on state report cards, was 81.15 per 1,000 students. By comparison, the state average was 14.02 and the Wayne County Public Schools average was 29.20.

Last year, the school received an F with a performance score of 38.

Only 5 percent of students scored a 19 or above on the ACT and 44 percent enrolled in college.

And the short-term suspension rate was a staggering 787.04 per 1,000 students.

In fact, little academic improvement was demonstrated during any year between the school’s first year of Restart and today.

In response to a question submitted to WCPS by Wayne Week, district spokesman Ken Derksen said Central Office leaders recognize that “GHS has not realized the academic gains originally hoped for through the Restart model.”

“The district administration is carefully looking at what may need to be done differently moving forward to best leverage Restart flexibilities to advance the school and

to make greater academic gains if Goldsboro remains in Restart,” he added.

And at the same meeting at which board members voted to move GHS students to what is currently the home of Wayne School of Engineering, they also approved submitting a new Restart application to the state.

Superintendent Dr. Marc Whichard, during an hourlong sit-down with Wayne Week, said he was confident that GHS would be granted another chance to succeed under Restart.

“I have good faith that it will be approved,” he said, before declining to answer what would happen if the state rejected the application. “We’ve made significant changes there.”

Inside his classroom on the GHS campus, Taj Polack tried to take time every single day to address, head on, the challenges his students face.

The way they dressed and spoke to adults would matter more because of the neighborhoods they grew up in.

Their actions would be scrutinized more because they attended the lowest-performing high school in the county.

And if they weren’t careful, he told them, one day, his alma mater would cease to exist.

Continued on page 16

PHOTOBY ALEX BONIER

Victoria Ruffin Atkins

Continued from "Endangered", page 15

“It seems like this is something that’s been in progress for years. This isn’t a new thing. I actually talked to my students … and told them I could foresee something of this magnitude occurring,” Polack said. “I always felt like at some point, they were going to shut down Goldsboro High School. I could see the writing on the wall.”

But what disturbs the now-former teacher more than the decision to move the student body is what he considers a lack of transparency by the Board of Education.

A former member of the Goldsboro City Council — and, for a period, its mayor pro tem — he said not specifying the potential of a GHS move on the board’s Feb. 5 agenda all but ensured hundreds of alumni, students, and stakeholders he believes might have otherwise shown up to sound off on the change were left out of the conversation.

And at the very least, board member Patricia Burden, a former GHS principal, should have notified the Dillard/ Goldsboro Alumni & Friends.

“I think the mere fact that we thought we had representation for our school, and we didn’t, it was a travesty. We had no

Continued on page 18

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representation. I think the public should have been informed about something of this magnitude,” Polack said. “And the people that everybody has touted as the advocates for our community are not representing us and it shows. Their votes speak.”

But he is not surprised with how the school board voted.

After all, he said, they have known about problems at GHS for years and turned a blind eye, only taking action when Atkins’ students blew the whistle about conditions inside the building.

not be able to receive something Polack and Atkins agree could truly change the fortunes of the school they love — more students from other areas of Wayne County that could diversify the campus.

“Of course, on redistricting. We know we need to have different cultures and different races and different academics in that school. If we don’t, it will only get worse,” Atkins said. “We know GHS and our inner-city schools serve like nine housing projects, but there still has to be a way where we can integrate different cultures and races into those schools. Goldsboro, is doesn’t have to be an all-black school. That’s just the way they have redistricted so it would be that way. But I really do believe they need to have more culture there.”

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“We saw the writing on the wall. We saw the upgrades being done on the School of Engineering side while we were dealing with — until it was exposed by a group of students — a dilapidated structure,” Polack said. “And they have known about the other problems and did nothing. They knew that, even as an instructor, I was told to give certain students preferential treatment because they were athletes. That is a fact. So, them not doing right by that school, it’s nothing new.”

“Something needs to change but stop putting the wrong people in place at that school.”

And they are also responsible, he said, for what is seen by many as a lack of stability inside the school, as teachers and administrators seem to come and go more so than on any other WCPS campus.

– Victoria Ruffin Atkins

Polack took it a step further.

In his view, the segregated education he said exists at GHS — no matter the building that houses it — is damaging the city he was once elected to serve.

Monday, February 19 8:00am – 7:30pm

“In 10 years, we haven’t had any stability at that school as far as leadership. In the era of my mother being a teacher there, Mr. Pat Best literally put that school and the well-being of those students above his own family,” Polack said. “We haven’t had a leader like that in a long time and it’s sad.”

Atkins agreed.

The way to begin to turn the tide at GHS is through leadership, not moving buildings.

“Something needs to change but stop putting the wrong people in place in that school. You need to find someone who has the heart for that school, the heart for that community and who will bring in people who want to come into that building and turn it around — not throw it to the side,” she said. “It takes time. It’s going to take more time for Goldsboro High School to … arrive academically. But it’s never going to happen if you don’t have the right leader in place. Without a leader, the building doesn’t matter and by moving those students, all you’re doing is making them feel worse without a leader to guide them forward.”

And transitioning the student body into a smaller school facility also means GHS will

“When I was a student, it was a 60/40 blend. The scores were higher. And I’m not saying they were higher because we had more white kids. They were higher because the integration, in and of itself, gave us morale and pride. We have lifelong friendships with people from different backgrounds which now, you don’t see that,” Polack said. “And that right there is creating a whole culture in this city that we don’t need. Now, these kids are growing up not experiencing these other kids’ backgrounds and when they become adults, they are going to have this divisive mindset. It’s dangerous.”

And if his community wants to be taken seriously when it shows up to the Board of Education’s March 4 meeting, he said it has to look in the mirror about another factor he says led to GHS being vulnerable to decisions like the one made in early February in the first place — and could, he fears, soon lead to “the end of GHS as we have known it.”

“You’ll notice that on Open House night, you can count the small number of cars in the parking lot,” Polack said. “But let there be a basketball game or a football game and the parking lots are full. That speaks volumes.”n

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is the second of a multi-part series on the Board of Education’s recently passed facility utilization plan. For reaction to the decision to move Wayne Middle/High Academy to the Eastern Wayne High School campus, see the March 10 edition of Wayne Week.

Monday

Hours:

Friday

the SPECTATOR

Back on the diamond

After falling behind 4-0, the Charles B. Aycock Golden Falcons staged a dramatic comeback against North Lenoir in Pikeville, before ultimately coming up just short in their home opener. The good news? High school baseball, one of Wayne County’s favorite pastimes, is officially back!

Photos by Ken Fine

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I AM A LIFE-LONG REPUBLICAN, AND HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE WAYNE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WHERE I SERVED AS CHAIRMAN.

RE - ELECT FREEMAN HARDISON JR.

County Commissioner District 4

PRIOR TO BECOMING A COMMISSIONER, I HAVE SERVED THE COMMUNITY AND WAYNE COUNTY IN THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:

l Wayne County Planning Board - former Board Member

l Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority (GWTA) – former Chairman

l Wayne UNC Healthcare Hospital - Board of Directors Executive Committer Board Member

- Building and Grounds Committee - Chairman

- Quality Committee - Member

- Wayne Action Teams for Community

l Health (WATCH) - Board Member

WHILE SERVING AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER FOR THE PAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS, MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AND I HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ACCOMPLISHING THE FOLLOWINGZZ

l The purchase of Grantham’s EMS station from the Grantham’s VFD.

l Finding funding for the town of Mt. Olive.

l Construction of a new Department of Social Service and Health Department.

l Construction of a new jail to support our law enforcement; providing a safe environment for the officers as well as those confined.

l Purchase of a mobile command unit for the Sheriff’s department.

l Construction of a new elementary school in Fremont and plans for a new Rosewood Middle School.

l Renovation of the Fremont Library.

l Continued development of shell buildings for new businesses coming to Wayne County.

l Continued support to Wayne Community College (a leader in affordable education for North Carolina) for their new Center for Industrial Technology Education (CITE) building.

l Supported competitive salaries and compensations for our county employees, sheriff department and emergency department.

l Updated equipment and training to emergency stations and community volunteer fire departments in areas so that they can provide timely coverage for our communities.

l Grants to provide internet service in areas who do not have service, and improve services in other areas.

EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES, WE MUST CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE FUTURE. MY GOALS AS COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 4 ARE:

1. Continue to support our farmers and the Wayne County agricultural industry.

2. Continue to Improve School Facilities: I will continue to advocate for funding and initiatives that improve school facilities. This includes building a new Rosewood Middle School.

3. Improving Economic Development: we must attract new businesses and industries to our county, creating job opportunities for our residents, and promoting sustainable economic growth.

4. Developing a Regional Sewer: Access to proper sanitation is crucial for the well-being of our communities and economic growth.

5. Continue to support mental health initiatives throughout the County.