Another parent receives a letter alleging mistreatment of a teacher. 5 On Your Side Asks School What Happened

An anonymous letter sent to parents alleging abuse

The letter alleges abuse in a special education classroom at a Wake County school.

“The teacher is verbally and physically abusive… and makes racist remarks,” the typed letter reads. “School administrators are aware.”

Both parents told WRAL News they waited more than 17 months to get answers about whether the contents of the letter were true. Both parents had no idea other letters existed until 5 On Your Side began investigating.

The first letter, sent to Tess Smithen

In May, 5 On Your Side reported on an anonymous letter sent to Tess Smithen. Her son, Justin, is nonverbal.

In November 2022, Smithen received a letter in the mail informing him that Justin was being mistreated in class. Justin couldn't tell him what happened, so Smithen went straight to the principal's office.

“He told me he was aware of some things, but not all, and that there was an open investigation,” Smithen said of his interaction with the director.

The second letter, sent to Tim King

That initial story caught the attention of Tim King, a production supervisor at WRAL.

Christian, the king's son, is the apple of his eye.

“He’s the best kid you’ll ever meet,” King said.

Christian has special needs and is non-verbal, but like any great parent, King always seems to know exactly how Christian feels.

In the fall of 2022, King told WRAL News that Christian's behavior had changed.

“He just didn’t seem as happy as before,” he said.

Later that semester, King received an anonymous letter in the mail. He alleged that Christian's teacher was violent towards him and other students in the class. King went to school, fuming.

“They convinced me there was nothing to the letter,” King said. “The director told me there was nothing to the letter.”

Wake County families still waiting for answers

King felt there was nothing further that could be done and the school insisted it had the situation under control. He tried to forget the incident, but it still stuck with him.

A year and a half later, he noticed a 5 On Your Side article about an anonymous letter alleging abuse against teachers. The subject of the story was Tess Smithen, a woman King recognized immediately.

“She’s the carpool lady,” he said. “Her son is in Christian’s class.”

After looking at the story, King realized they had the same letter. The frustrations caused by questions that remained unanswered for a long time returned.

“I don’t want to cry, but god, it just brings back the emotions, just thinking about it,” King said. “When you take your child to school, you don’t expect anything bad to happen to them.”

Mixed messages from school leaders

5 On Your Side connected the two parents and they began to compare notes.

Smithen said she didn't report the letter until weeks after it was delivered because she waited to open it, not knowing what it was about.

When she reported the letter, she told 5 On Your Side she asked the principal if he was aware of the letter or the allegations in it.

“He said, 'I knew some of it, but not all of it,'” she recalls. But when Smithen spoke to King, they realized King had shown the letter to the school weeks earlier.

While King was told not to worry about the letter, Tess was told the school would investigate the letter and the teacher.

Records show the teacher transferred to another school and resigned a day after 5 On Your Side began asking questions about the letter.

Teacher denies allegations

5 On Your Side spoke to the teacher on the phone several times. They did not want to be named but denied all allegations in the letter.

The teacher told 5 On Your Side that three parents received the letters and quit, not because of the letters or 5 On Your Side's investigation, but because they were fed up with the treatment of district teachers.

“They need to give us more support,” the former Wake County teacher said.

5 Your Side does not name the teacher or schools involved because the teacher has not been publicly named by the district.

An anonymous phone call

After the first report featuring Smithen aired, she said she was called several times by someone claiming to be a district employee. The person told Smithen that the teacher was abusive and continued to behave that way when she was transferred to the other school. The district employee told Smithen he did not report the abuse for fear of losing his job.

In the state of North Carolina, adults are required to report suspected child abuse. A spokesperson for Wake County Public Schools told 5 On Your Side they expect teachers to report abuse to law enforcement. They did not confirm whether anyone had already reported the allegations in the letter to law enforcement, saying it would violate privacy laws.

5 On Your Side checked with county and state protective services, the Wake County Sheriff's Office and Wendell Police. There is no record of anyone reporting the letter or the teacher.

Two parents united in their fight for answers

King and Smithen believe the district isn't doing enough to investigate the letter or communicate with them. Even if their children can't speak, they hope someone else will.

“If there are any other parents who have received a letter or heard something, please come forward and tell someone,” King pleaded.