[EXCLUSIVE] Goldsboro Teacher May Lose License After SRO Attack

The charges were eventually dropped, but now Mr. Anthony Williams must stand before the school board on August 24th to determine whether or not the county will permanently ban him from teaching at the school or, even worse, take away his teaching license altogether.

GOLDSBORO, NC – August is an important month for a teacher. It signifies back-to-school season, finishing lesson plans, and buying classroom materials and supplies.

For the first time in 14 years, Southern Wayne High School Science Teacher Anthony Williams did not spend this month decorating his classroom and preparing to welcome students back. Instead, he’s spending it fighting to keep his teaching licensure after being attacked by a Student Resource Officer.

February 16, 2022 started off as a typical day at Southern Wayne High School. Mr. Williams had taught a science lesson on aerodynamics where they cut cardboard using a pocketknife to test the aerodynamic efficiency of different designs earlier in the day, he had just wrapped up a meeting for the Young Life club, and he went to work the basketball game at his principal’s request.

According to Mr. Williams,  when he was at the game he made eye contact with Student Resource Officer Albert Woods who motioned for him to come to him and asked him if he had a weapon in his pocket.

“He gave me two options. He said that he would either take the knife, or I could go put it up,” said Williams in an exclusive interview with Spectacular Magazine, ”I told him that I would go and put it up.”

However, when Mr. Williams tried to explain that he was a teacher things took a turn for the worst.

“When I told him I was a teacher. I got a distinct look from him like he was shocked or puzzled. He looked me up and down and said, ‘Nah, you’re coming with me,” said Mr. Williams. “and I told him, I said, Sir, I said, I promise I’m gonna teach. I said I work here.”

Surveillance footage from the school gymnasium would show what happens next. 

Watch the surveillance footage:

Mr. Williams and Officer Albert Woods spoke for a while before walking over to an area blocked from the camera. After less than a minute of speaking Officer Roy Woods could be seen grabbing Mr. Williams, putting him in a chokehold, and attempting to throw him to the ground. Mr. Williams began trying to move to a more visible area, frantically waving his arms, and appears to be shouting for help as the officer throws him around. The video ends with students and faculty running over to both of them.

“I did my best to hold on to the doorframe and I yelled for help,” said Mr. Williams. “And I just remember the varsity basketball coach coming and two other resource officers coming down there and telling them to let me go, that I was a teacher.”

Eventually, the officer did let Mr. Williams go. According to Mr. Williams, after that, he met with two student resource officers alongside his wife (who is also a coach at the school) and the former and present basketball coaches. He was apologized to, told no charges would be filed, and Mr. Williams stayed and continued to work the game.

Mr. Williams would find out two days later that that was not the case.

“Friday, I was asked to come to Central Office and give my account and more like a questioning or interrogation,” said Mr. Williams. “My principal came in first. And then the resource officer came in second and serve me with papers. He handed me an envelope, said I’m sorry, and then walked out.”

At that moment Mr. Williams found out he was being charged with resisting arrest and having a weapon on school grounds.

“I was going thinking that I was going to be supported, only to get back to school and realize that now charges are being pressed once I left school that afternoon,” said Mr. Williams.

The charges were eventually dropped, but now Mr. Williams must stand before the school board on August 24th to determine whether or not the county will permanently ban him from teaching at the school or, even worse, take away his teaching license altogether.

According to Mr. Williams’ attorney, Habekah Cannon, he’s being called to stand before the school board because they claim he was insubordinate, he was dishonest, and he is an inadequate teacher as a result of how he handled this situation. She says this couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Mr. Williams has been at that school for 14 years, and not once has he ever been disciplined to the point of unpaid or paid suspension,” said Cannon. “All of his teacher evaluations were average or above average, so they’re just kind of throwing the kitchen sink at him because they feel as though you know, he wasn’t being honest.”

Cannon claims that when Williams was interviewed by the school board he was asked to recount the situation in explicit detail and when he struggled to he was labeled as insubordinate, inadequate, and dishonest.

 “What the school board failed to acknowledge is that Mr. Williams experienced an assault and with an assault comes trauma,” said Cannon. “He had difficulty recalling many of the specifics of what happened on the 16th as well as what happened procedurally afterward.”

For Mr. Williams’ students, the news that Mr. Williams could potentially never teach again came as a massive shock.

“Knowing that that’s an actual possibility is wild because the man didn’t do nothing wrong,” said former student Ahmad Stewart. “He was the only teacher I honestly got a great relationship with. He just checked up on me not too long ago, because I moved into college, and he offered to help to move me into college. He cares about his students, regardless of the pay. I know that for a fact.” 

Stewart was one of more than 150 students who participated in a walkout on February 24th in support of Mr. Williams’ reinstatement. Despite the outpouring of support, Mr. Williams was never reinstated and his class was taught by a substitute for the rest of the year.

“Southern Wayne High School has several vacancies, and this school system elected to suspend one of their tenured teachers and sit him out of the classroom knowing how this would impact the students,” said Cannon. “and they chose to make this decision and let his kids go like half the school year without a teacher.”

Despite everything he’s gone through, Williams said that he still tries to show up for his students and his school however he can. 

“My students would email me and say Mr. Williams we’re not learning anything. How can I do this? I even had this substitute call me and ask me, How can I do this?” said Mr. Williams.

It still is not clear what Mr. Williams’ fate will be at the school board meeting this Wednesday (August 24th), but it’s clear that regardless of the outcome, Mr. Williams was meant to be a teacher.

“I believe everyone was put on this Earth to do something that only they can do and nobody else can do like them,” said Mr. Williams. “Teaching is one of those things that just comes naturally to me.”