Southern Wayne teacher under investigation
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on December 11, 2008 1:46 PM
DUDLEY -- A Southern Wayne High School teacher is under investigation for "improper conduct" with a student, but investigators with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office would not say whether the misconduct was of a sexual nature.
Wayne County Schools spokesman Ken Derksen confirmed this morning that an exceptional children's teacher has been on paid leave since Nov. 17 as a result of an investigation into the matter.
Derksen said he is upset that some television news stations have described the alleged misconduct of the exceptional children as sexual.
He added that he could not describe any of the allegations further.
"I don't know where they got their additional information from," Derksen said. "The Sheriff's Office has released very little about this case."
The News-Argus learned in mid-November that the allegations of misconduct stem from allegations that the teacher, who lives in Kinston, acted in some sort of inappropriate way toward a 17-year-old student, but no further details have surfaced nor been released by authorities as the investigation continues into the alleged incident.
The investigation at Southern Wayne High School is the second time a county teacher has been put on paid leave since October because of alleged misconduct.
Charles B. Aycock teacher Lee Person was placed on paid administrative leave Sept. 30 following the opening of an investigation at the school by the State Bureau of Investigation and the Sheriff's Office.
The SBI has encouraged Sheriff Carey Winders and Investigations Capt. Tom Effler to remain as silent as possible about the investigations.
Both have said they still are not sure whether or what charges will be filed in either incident.