Wake principal leaving his role after review of teacher who abused special-ed students
The Wake County school system has reassigned the principal of East Wake High School amid questions about the handling of abuse allegations by a special-education teacher.
In a message to East Wake High families on Wednesday, Superintendent Robert Taylor said Stacey Alston is immediately leaving his role as principal of the Wendell school. Alston will become a senior administrator in the Maintenance and Operations Department, according to Sara Clark, a district spokesperson.
In November, James Rencher III was convicted on multiple counts of assault on an individual with a disability when he was a teacher at East Wake High. Wake is conducting what Taylor has called a comprehensive review of what happened.
“I recognize this has been a difficult period for the East Wake Magnet High School community,” Taylor said in the message to families. “The school system has undertaken a comprehensive review of these concerns, and while many aspects are confidential, I want to assure you that the school system is taking appropriate steps to address issues identified through the review.
“Please know that maintaining the safety and dignity of all students is an essential priority for the school system, and we remain committed to continuous growth and improvement in this area.”
John Wall, a retired principal who has been serving as one of East Wake High’s interim assistant principals, will now serve as interim principal. Taylor said the district will work closely with staff and members of this community as they search for a new principal.
Principal at East Wake High School for nearly 10 years
Alston has been the principal of East Wake High since May 2015. In a message Wednesday to school staff, Alston said he was “stepping into a new role at the district level.”
Alston didn’t touch on the controversy over the abuse allegations in the message. Instead, Alston talked about how proud he was of the school.
“For the past 10 years, I have dedicated my heart and energy to making East Wake the best place possible through hard work, determination, and countless hours,” Alston said. “Serving this school and community has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I am deeply grateful for the experiences and relationships I’ve built during this time.”
Alston’s salary will remain unchanged at $143,300. according to the district.
Teacher convicted of abusing students
In June, Rencher was charged with 12 counts of assault on an individual with a disability. According to the arrest warrants, Rencher was accused of misconduct such as:
▪ Placing his arms on a student’s ankles to forcibly make him take steps against his will to walk down the stairs.
▪ Gripping a student’s head with the palm of his hand “forcing the victim against his will to look down at his school assignment.”
▪ Using his hand to “forcibly grab the victim’s shirt jerking him backwards by the neck.”
On Nov. 15, Rencher was convicted in Wake County court and received a 60-day suspended sentence, 12 months of probation and was ordered to undergo anger management training.
School officials sued over abuse
The families of the students who were assaulted by Rencher have filed a federal lawsuit against the school district and several individual school employees, including Alston.
The lawsuit says it took 602 days between the time that Wake was first alerted about the abuse before it was reported to law enforcement.
The parents say the school district needs to be held accountable for not promptly reporting Rencher’s misconduct or addressing the abuse sooner.
In the aftermath of the East Wake case, the district says it has implemented several measures such as:
▪ Training sessions for principals on mandatory reporting requirements.
▪ Strengthening report tracking processes.
▪ Updating investigation procedures and adding additional staff to support investigations.
▪ Created and shared a new Mandatory Reporting Guide that Wake says “clearly outlines the processes for reporting to law enforcement and other outside agencies.”
Wake is also reorganizing its special-education department.
This story was originally published January 15, 2025 at 5:03 PM.
