John Wilson

By Catharin Shepard

Staff writer

John Wilson, a military veteran and former Lee County Schools crisis intervention team member, is running for one of three seats on the Hoke County Board of Education.

Wilson is one of seven people, including three incumbents, seeking election to a four-year term on the board this November.

Wilson served in the United States Army for 35 years until he retired in 2012. Currently, he is a senior at Fayetteville State University where he is completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He currently works part-time as a truck driver and would like to use his degree to work with returning veterans suffering from trauma.

Wilson and his wife have been married for 35 years and have two grown sons. The family moved to Hoke County two years ago when he retired from the military.

Wilson previously worked with at-risk children in the Lee County school system, a job that the candidate said gave him insight into the challenges facing not only Hoke schools but also school systems everywhere.

“I think most of the counties have the same problems. Most of the school districts across the state, across the country, I think they have about the same problems,” he said.

Wilson decided to run for a seat on the board of education after learning about the upcoming election. Being in the military for over three decades gave him a strong desire to continue serving his community in some capacity.

“I realized I can still be of service,” he said.

If elected, Wilson said he would first like to do more to show teachers and principals that the school system has their back.

“I found that when I worked in the school system, that teachers work better … I’d like to see support for the teachers and principals more solid. It’s kind of like, if you know your boss is going to back you on any stand you take, whether it’s running a classroom or if you make a decision and your boss has you 100 percent, then you’re going to run a strong classroom,” he said.

Teachers and principals that don’t have that reassurance tend to feel like they have to be constantly looking over their shoulder, Wilson said.

“Now you’ve got to do right, but we’ve got your back,” he said.

Working on academics to improve test scores, especially in the elementary grades, would be another priority for the candidate if he were elected.

“It’s kind of disturbing because they’re not doing well, they’re not testing very well, and I would like to see that addressed,” he said.

Enforcing discipline in the schools is another matter Wilson said he would like to work on improving if elected.

“I feel like they need a lot of support in that, it kind of went away,” he said.

Working to support efforts to keep children in school and addressing overcrowding in schools are additional concerns, he said.

Discipline, academics and overcrowding are the biggest challenges Hoke County schools are facing right now, Wilson said.

“To me, it goes back to academics and overcrowding. For me, me being a military guy, I’m big on discipline,” he said. “From what I can see, it’s very difficult for today’s teachers I think with discipline.”

Securing adequate funding and making “prudent use of the resources that you have” are also issues, Wilson said.

If elected, his first priority would be to meet with district teachers to get to know them and offer what reassurance he can that he would support them as a board member.

“You go out there and do your job and we’ll go and do our job and take care of you,” he said. “Go out and do your job and enjoy your job. I think I met, in my five years, only one teacher in the system that really shouldn’t have been there. Everybody has their heart in it, they love what they do, so just give them empowerment and let them have that assurance that you’re going to do it and we’re going to back them up.”

Voters should consider casting a ballot for Wilson in the election this year because he hopes to be an active, productive member of the board and the community, he said.

“I have a concern for the county … I just want to serve the community,” he said.

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