North Carolina
Legislation to clarify NC school suspensions finds initial bipartisan support • NC Newsline
Leah McGhee said when her son was suspended from Central Davidson High School, she could not appeal the punishment because it was less than 10 days.
According to McGhee, her 16-year-old son was only seeking clarification when his teacher used the word aliens in class, and he asked whether that reference was to “space aliens or illegal aliens who need green cards.”
The student received a three day out-of-school suspension for what was deemed a racially motivated comment which disrupted the class.
“The Board’s policies do not prevent students from using the words alien, illegal alien, or green card, nor does it state that these words are racially insensitive or abusive,” McGhee told members of the state Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.
Republican Davidson County Senator Steve Jarvis said the incident resulted in much confusion and frustration because there was little information provided regarding the school policy and how particularly the student violated those guidelines.
Currently, North Carolina students have the statutory right to appeal any long-term suspension, which is 10 days or longer. However, the same rights and protections are not awarded or given to students who receive short-term suspensions.
“This bill aims to rectify this disparity by granting students who receive short-term suspensions lasting five days or more, the same rights to those who are suspended 10 days or more,” said Sen. Jarvis in explaining his proposed committee substitute for House Bill 207.
The measure would also ensure that high school students who receive a short-term suspension of five days have the opportunity to appeal the principal’s decision to the district’s superintendent.
The bill also mandates that the school accept eyewitness reports from the student or members of school staff regarding incidents that led to the short-term or long-term suspension.
“It is crucial for our students to know why they are disciplined and to understand the section of the school’s code of conduct as well as how specifically it was violated,” Sen. Jarvis said. “Without this knowledge, they cannot make a fully comprehend their actions or how to address them. Therefore, the bill seeks and requires that students receive this detailed information.”
Democratic Wake County Senator Jay Chaudhuri agreed that this was a due process issue for students and their parents.
“We know that short-term suspensions increase the probability of getting long-term suspensions that may ultimately result in that student dropping out of school and potentially entering into the correctional system,” said Chaudhuri.
Senator Gladys Robinson, who has often raised concerns about the disproportionate number of Black students who are suspended and expelled from schools, praised the measure.
“This is a step in the right direction to address the huge number of suspensions that affect our children, especially as you look at the disparity amongst races and how that is disparagingly affecting their long-term ability to continue to higher education and trade schools or wherever they are able to go,” said Robinson.
The Guilford County Democrat also said she liked expungement provisions in the bill that would allow high school students to clear their record if certain specific criteria have been met.
During the 2022-23 school year, North Carolina recorded 247,454 suspensions in grades K-12.
Out of the 84,539 high school short-term suspensions, nearly 67,000 lasted longer than 6-10 days, according to Sen. Jarvis. More than 17,000 cases lasted five days.
NC Newsline has previously reported that Black students are suspended from North Carolina’s public schools at four times the rate of white students.
McGhee said that in her son’s case, she only received a one-sentence explanation that his remarks were racially insensitive. Efforts to speak with the school principal went unanswered.
“This bill simply by saying you have to write in details and give eyewitness accounts is going to help more than you even know,” McGhee testified.
While the legislation appears to have support on both sides of the aisle, the McGhees filed suit last month against the Davidson County Board of Education. They claim their 16-year-old suffered ‘reputational harm’ and school denied him his right to free speech. The family is seeking to have his record cleared and unspecified monetary damages.
House Bill 207 is likely to receive a vote in next week’s Senate Education Committee.
North Carolina
‘Infuriating, heartbreaking’: Raccoon recovering after getting caught in leg trap at Mecklenburg County park
The video above is a live stream of WBTV and affiliated programming, and may not be directly related to the article below.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – A raccoon is fighting for its life after it got caught in a leg trap at a Mecklenburg County park this week.
North Carolina Wildlife Rehab said a group of children found the raccoon stuck in a leg trap at a Mecklenburg County park on Thursday, June 18, but did not specify which park.
“This is absurd, infuriating, and heartbreaking,” a spokesperson said. “Just think about how many animals may have already been harmed—and how many babies may have been orphaned because of this.”
Raccoon had heat stroke, front legs trapped
Wildlife Rehab said it’s unclear how long the raccoon was trapped, but both of his front legs were caught.
Thankfully, his legs were not broken; however, he suffered heat stroke and had a body temperature of 105.4 degrees.
“Please keep this sweet boy in your thoughts and prayers as he fights to recover,” a spokesperson said.
Multiple traps found on property
The children reportedly found the trap attached to a fence on an adjoining property, and investigators said officers found several more during their search.
“Thankfully, the kids did not attempt to free the raccoon themselves, though that easily could have happened,” a spokesperson said. “Instead, they immediately got their parents, who then contacted Animal Control.”
Officials said the raccoon was the second animal caught in a leg trap, and both incidents occurred at parks in Mecklenburg County.
Wildlife Rehab said the traps are illegal and cited animal cruelty. In North Carolina, however, foothold traps aren’t entirely illegal, but they’re strictly regulated by state law. They can be used in Mecklenburg County if they comply with state guidelines for trap size, jaw type, and proper tagging.
–> Also read: Trio stole donated blankets, beds from Cabarrus County animal shelter, director says
As of this writing, no arrests have been made, and no charges have been filed.
Copyright 2026 WBTV. All rights reserved.
CHARLOTTE, NC (WCNC) – North Carolina is becoming a leader in artificial intelligence adoption among businesses – ranking ninth in the nation, according to a new LendingTree report. Over 22% of businesses in the state already utilize AI, with many more planning to incorporate it in the near future.
“I’m not surprised at all that North Carolina ranks high on the list in part because it’s a tech-forward state,” said Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst with LendingTree. “There is a lot of financial institutions in that state and no one should be surprised that NC is on the cutting edge with using AI in businesses.”
The report also sheds light on the implications of AI for the workforce. Generative AI usage makes up around 85% of overall AI business usage. Most companies are using the technology for repetitive tasks such as summarizing information, analyzing data, drafting content, or assisting with customer service.
Large companies are leading the way in AI usage. Businesses with over 250 employees use AI at a rate of 37.3% while companies with fewer than five employees use AI at a rate of 19%.
Charles Gaddy was tuna fishing with his dad on Sunday, more than 40 miles northeast of Oregon Inlet, when he saw something he’d never seen before.
“I was just looking in the water, seeing if, you know, any birds or anything, and I see this big gray fish with white dots,” said Gaddy. “Just from reading books and watching movies as a kid, I was like, ‘that’s got to be a whale shark.’”
The 18-year-old said they circled it. He grabbed his GoPro camera and started recording.
“It’s just sitting there, swimming beside us. It really, truly was amazing,” said Gaddy.
Whale sharks are the world’s largest fish. They’re currently listed as endangered by the Union for the Conservation of Nature.
In the Western Atlantic, whale sharks are primarily found in the Gulf and throughout the Caribbean, according to Eric Hoffmayer, a research fishing biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service. He said they’ve seen numerous whale sharks make their way up the Gulf Stream, ending up in the New England area in late summer and early fall.
“We had an animal last year that we tagged off Tampa and within a month was off New York, and cruised right past North Carolina about this time of year,” said Hoffmayer. “It’s not unheard of, but it’s not real common either.”
Gaddy recognized how lucky he was to experience a sighting.
“To be able to see one in person, especially locally, it’s very truly amazing,” said Gaddy. “It’s no doubt a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m no doubt very blessed.”
If you do encounter a whale shark in the wild, Hoffmayer said, you need to be careful if you’re in a boat because they spend a lot of time at the surface. If you get in the water, keep a safe distance.
“Most people I’ve talked to who have encountered whale sharks, it’s like a life-changing experience,” said Hoffmayer. “It’s really cool to see an animal that large in the wild doing its thing.”
You can report whale shark sightings to the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Fisheries Research and Development. If you’re able to capture a good picture of a whale shark, you can see if it matches one already in a database by uploading the photo and information about the sighting online.
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