NEW HANOVER COUNTY — A month after being suspended with pay by the New Hanover County School district (NHCS), a Williston Middle School teacher is returning to work. The district said both its own internal investigation and a “review” by law enforcement had been completed.
William Graham was suspended with pay in February after a parent made a criminal allegation against him by a parent on behalf of her daughter, a Williston student. After receiving several media requests, NHCS acknowledged that Graham had been suspended.
The ‘with pay’ is an important caveat, as the district has frequently suspended teachers with pay while allowing investigations to be carried out; in the cases, there is not in the district’s eyes substantial evidence to pursue disciplinary action. In contrast, where there has been an arrest and/or additional compelling evidence, the district has suspended employees ‘without pay.’
According to NHCS, ” Mr. William Graham, a teacher with New Hanover County Schools, has been returned to active duty following a review by the school system and an independent review by law enforcement. Mr. Graham, at his request, has been reassigned from his former post as a teacher at Williston Middle School to a temporary assignment with the Director for Secondary Education helping with delivery of instruction during the present school closing. He will return to the classroom at a school to be determined for the 2020-21 school year.”
