SMITHFIELD, N.C. — A Johnston County mother is looking for accountability within her son's school system after learning a teacher taped shut the mouths of her son and his classmates several times this school year.
Catherine Webster admits her 11-year-old son, Brady, can be talkative, a chatter box and a class clown, but she is distraught about the way a Smithfield Middle School teacher handled his behaviors.
Webster said she got a text from her son on Feb. 14 from inside Smithfield Middle School. There was painter’s tape across the sixth grader’s face.
“I asked, ‘What is that? Who did that,’” Webster said. “And, he didn’t respond.”
“I showed the pic to [the] principal [and] she took us into her office,” Webster said.
Webster said the tape was put on her son’s face two or three times. It led to an investigation within the school system.
Her son told Principal LaShunda Faison that it had been going on for several months, had happened to several kids in the classroom, and that the teacher would also tape students’ wrists together, Webster said.
Johnston County Public Schools said the teacher resigned. The district provided the following statement:
“Johnston County Public Schools takes any allegations of staff misconduct seriously. Although we cannot discuss the specifics of an investigation into alleged staff misconduct, we can confirm that whenever such allegations arise, our administration responds swiftly, by investigating the allegations and, sometimes, by removing staff from classrooms pending completion of a thorough review.
“School administrators are always able and willing to speak with any and all parents who may have concerns regarding any issue that occurs.”
Brady told his mom that he didn’t speak up because he didn’t want to question his teacher.
“He was humiliated,” Webster said.
Johnston County Public Schools said the teacher, who was just hired on Aug. 17, 2022, resigned on Feb. 17, days after Brady's text to his mom.
“Just because Brady didn’t get hurt doesn’t make this less serious,” Webster said.
The Johnston County Sheriff's Office also investigated. The sheriff’s office said other parents also made allegations. However, after consulting with the district attorney, the sheriff’s office didn’t find proper intent to warrant an assault charge.
Webster said the district is lucky Brady doesn't have a breathing condition like asthma.
“I want to know who is going to be held accountable, so this doesn’t happen again,” Webster said.
Webster said she waited to speak out about her son’s incident because she wanted to wait for both the school system and sheriff's office investigations to be complete.
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