Board of Education: Burden, Jackson win race
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 16, 2016 1:46 PM
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Patricia Burden
Trebor Jackson
In the four-way race for the District 3 seat for the Wayne County Board of Education, incumbent appointee Patricia Burden maintained an early lead, with Trebor Jackson emerging as her opponent for the November race.
With 13 precincts reporting, Burden received nearly 50 percent of the vote, with 1,987 cast for her. Jackson had 22 percent, with 875 votes. Taj J. Polack, a Goldsboro firefighter in his first bid for elected office, received 655 votes (16 percent), followed by Charles Wright, a private duty nurse, who had 479 votes (12 percent).
Ms. Burden was appointed to the seat by the school board in May 2014 to complete the unexpired term of the late Thelma Smith. The Dillard High School graduate had a 42-year career in education, including being principal at Goldsboro High School from 2000 to 2010.
She said she was very happy with the outcome and very grateful to those who helped her accomplish the win.
"I truly appreciate all of the support that I received from the community, not only the people at the polls and in the background, organizing this campaign, but the people that came out to vote, even those who found out they were not in my district and they couldn't vote for me," she said.
She acknowledged the "vote of confidence" in her remaining on the board and said she was looking forward to continuing efforts to work with the superintendent and leadership team, while being an advocate for the students and staff in the district.
The primary is just a first step, though, she said, with an eye toward completing the race in November.
"I truly know what it is to be engaged in a campaign," she said. "We have to get prepared for that.
"But I feel very, very good about the outcome. I really do."
Jackson was more reticent, saying he was "somewhat excited" about the outcome and looking forward to pressing on, but there is still work to be done.
"I just want to give God all the glory. I thank the Lord for being there for me," he said. "If God hadn't intervened today, I wouldn't be the second person."
Both he and Polack expressed concerns about things they witnessed during the campaign, hinting at questionable practices.
Jackson cited examples of names being left off ballots and constituents being unaware of some of the candidates in the running, but would not name names or elaborate on which contested race he meant.
"These polls were really rough. There were some things that were going on at the polls that were really difficult," he said. "I just didn't like the tactics that were used to win -- to me, people die for people to have the right to vote -- to use that tactic to get people to vote, I don't think God is pleased with that.
"Not that Wayne County is not educated but if this was a more metropolitan (area like) Charlotte, Greensboro, people would have complained. They would have been offended by that. It offended me."
Polack agreed.
"It was definitely an eye-opening experience. I wouldn't want to be too negative as far as special interest groups and campaigns. I ran a clean campaign," Polack said. "Ballots were put out excluding certain candidates. I didn't realize that the political process was as nasty as it's been -- from signs being taken away and sample ballots that excluded certain candidates' names."
When pressed for specifics, Polack declined, focusing more on the positive aspects of his own campaign.
"I'm just very glad that my campaign was run by people that had genuine intentions," he said. " I'm very proud of the way the process went and my supporters.
"There's not going to be an absence of my name in the community. I will continue to be a part of grassroots efforts like The Village. I want to continue to be part of that group and that movement. You don't have to be in the forefront to be effective."
He also threw his support to Jackson in the upcoming election.
"The issue is not about myself but it is about someone who will be an effective voice and be passionate for the community," he said.
Jackson, 50, is a military veteran and 1984 graduate of Goldsboro High School. He is a juvenile court counselor with the Department of Juvenile Justice. This is his second time running -- the first was in 2010 for District 6, before his area was redistricted.
He said the primary was a challenge but he has faith he can go the distance.
"I'm Trebor 'Tree' Jackson and I'm a man, a man with a plan," he said, adding, "Ms. Burden is a person that has a lot of education and a lot of responsibility. I have got much respect for her."
Wright, who previously ran for the seat in 2008 and 2012 and was among candidates vying for the appointment along with Ms. Burden, could not be reached for comment. When he had announced his candidacy, he told the News-Argus this would be his "third and final" time running.