News

Jun 11, 2023

Wayne County leaders walk through Goldsboro High School after students complain of vermin, mold

Wayne County Public School leaders walked through Goldsboro High School on

Wayne County Public School leaders walked through Goldsboro High School on Friday to address concerns raised by students over the conditions of their classrooms. At a city council meeting on Monday, students spoke out against vermin, cockroaches, mold, rotten floors and plaster peeling from classroom walls.

The district's superintendent joined three members of the Wayne County Board of Education along with the high school's maintenance director.

"We walked them into a number of classrooms where floor tiles were damaged from moisture caused by older window air units. We explained what temporary steps had been taken, such as the cleaning and removal of the debris and ongoing monitoring by custodians," according to Superintendent David Lewis. "We also showed what more meaningful steps the district began taking this week after we heard the students voice their concerns, which included the replacement of the tiles."

Most of the building's issues occurred in the original 1926 building, according to a release from the district.

Work orders showed that roof leaks had since been repaired but there were still issues with the roof that would need to be assessed, the release said. District leaders found that moisture issues in the building was causing the paint to peel off the walls.

Officials maintain that their records show there has not been any previous issues with pests in the building, despite video obtained by WRAL News showing a dead mouse.

"The district is working with its contracted pest management company to investigate and address, as needed, any student concerns," the district said in a statement.