By Sarah Campbell
scampbell@salisburypost.com
EAST SPENCER — Civil rights activist Dee Dee Wright issued a warning to the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education during the public commenting period of the board’s regular meeting Monday.
“I have here a packet of information that was mailed to me concerning unfairness within the school system,” she said. “I thought it was appropriate at this particular time to come to you and let you know this stuff is in my hand.”
After the meeting, Wright told a Post reporter the packet includes official documents sent to her by former school personnel who were “denied due process under the law.”
“I ask and I urge that this board, this superintendent and assistant superintendent do what is right and righteous as it relates to employers and students,” she said during the meeting.
Wright told the Post reporter the board “knows exactly what they’ve done and know exactly who they’ve done it to.”
“I came to give them fair warning,” she said. “There is information that has been blatantly covered up by the school administration and I’m not going to let it happen.”
Wright welcomed the administration to call her to address the concerns.
“If something is not seriously done about how teachers and particularly about how minority students are treated in this school system I am willing to take it a step further,” she said “If I were to give this to the reporter at the Salisbury Post, this system would almost collapse.”
Wright did not give specifics, but told the Post reporter an employee was “fired without due process then offered money not to sue the district.”
Brenda Peoples also addressed the board with public comments related to Wright’s request.
“I want to express some concerns that I have regarding certain members within the school system’s administrative staff,” she said. “We all know that the school system is governed by the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction, all member of the superintendent’s administrative team are responsible to adhere to every single policy, regulation and law of both governing bodies.”
But Peoples said that isn’t the case.
“Certain members of the administration are operating outside the law,” she said. “And no one is above the law.”
Peoples said she’s concerned about the basic rights of district employees.
“People are being trampled on with no due process.”
Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.
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