[{"_1":2,"_117":-5,"_118":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,85,95,105],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6466963,"mediaKeyId","5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6","parentId",5811957,"title","Former teacher details crash injuries and accuses district of deception and poor treatment","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1609000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6&start=1609&end=1609","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6/thumbnail_1609000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6466963/North-Carolina/Former-teacher-details-crash-injuries-and-accuses-district-of-deception-and-poor-treatment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466963-2705b7b223a02b3ec0149dbf75424bfa/orig.mp4?Expires=1775696359&Signature=VVBV~C1g2aJqNau-Kn4l7rhtqThYQ3fA-fht33lbp4jI~rGMJ2DREEez4cNldlsEnJ72-5hKwAn7SG5wE1~uJSZftjd3h8jiHd2QLZCKo4J6RY7JewpkocVJaP03kUuxeZD4KkAYRsuaiC5xCngmvYufIGwD1JDhObdd9zLc7j209EyQH3lKlSz7iKTf3sH~CbwhM~FJppXvRzD~JF-bvgG8qO~V8Fgiz1IQo1IzpSlhPCjtfrdpa9t4-lSgiKKVmjl1gkcr-Op2tOKaFj-nI66oHxW1BgkSYWYThqMlXPmxGJHx74LU1QpqcECrXhf2poqQpDhufIOpKvMmdpnNCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Catawba County Schools","date","2025-09-22T22:57:17.733Z","article","Craig Meadows, a former teacher and bus driver, used his three-minute public-comment time at the Sept. 22 meeting to describe injuries he said he suffered in a June 16, 2021 crash and to accuse the school system and the workers' compensation system of deception and mistreatment.

\"On 06/16/2021, while teaching driver's ed, The vehicle, myself, and 2 of my students were riding in was ripped apart by a drugged driver. I sustained a traumatic brain injury and several bodily injuries,\" Meadows said. He described ongoing physical and institutional harms and said the treatment he received \"has resulted in severe problems for me and my family.\"

Meadows criticized contract renewals and what he called a lack of accountability in district leadership, saying he will continue to raise the issue at board meetings. \"You will tell me what you've done to me to destroy my living testimony that I've spent a lifetime building. You may think you won't, but you are wrong. You most certainly will. You fix it or I will,\" he said.

The board did not record immediate follow-up action in the meeting transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","9-22-25 Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Craig Meadows, a former district employee, described a 2021 crash that caused serious injuries and criticized the school system and workers' compensation handling of his case, saying he will continue to press the board for accountability.","taxTitle","Catawba County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",38345,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":42,"_43":78,"_45":78,"_46":79,"_48":80,"_50":81,"_52":82,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6466968,"Speaker urges board to appoint Rhonda Pollock to fill Dr. Barnett's seat",1475000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6&start=1475&end=1475","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6/thumbnail_1475000.jpg","/articles/6466968/North-Carolina/Speaker-urges-board-to-appoint-Rhonda-Pollock-to-fill-Dr-Barnetts-seat","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466968-97534441e7104865256573e1e0962abe/orig.mp4?Expires=1775696359&Signature=hLpTdU~ZU1yc9~Uhq7w0bk7eEK2KFdtN2NiA-8R4vNvi4i6JstaJqki5jWdXkEkLioI-fphWJ7TvObK3X3~4F3b7yyFu8bsqVPmMHLlJIWvkY6IWb8k5~DyaOwhM-ltcPCYDh0p04OzHN-kUKG689S3kDBX5AJI-RkjLc1DxBK-Xajtnc1Evqt0LHFOtzZvyyPYQrWVdlG1m51xa8X6K04fJwa0-x3CD6Ga4B4ndSJPVaUcbEI52TUB9c7rNBf4y5q9~TrkcUlRv3xWKrpHTwoW1beF-blolydQuGEQtDThXxW5iI4Op7IUMXsPhQEmizFdUCcbWkhLAUKf92ArXmA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Julia La Rochelle, speaking during public comment, encouraged the board to consider Rhonda Pollock to fill the unexpired term of the late Dr. Leslie Barnett on the school board.

La Rochelle said Pollock recently retired from Catawba County Schools and has many years of experience and familiarity with board policies. \"If Rhonda were appointed to continue Dr. Barnett's passion, for doing what's right in our county schools,\" La Rochelle said, she would carry on Barnett's work, La Rochelle added that the speaker and community miss Dr. Barnett and want to continue her priorities.

The transcript records La Rochelle's recommendation but does not show formal board action on appointments during the meeting.","A resident recommended Rhonda Pollock, recently retired from Catawba County Schools, as a candidate to fill the unexpired term of the late Dr. Leslie Barnett.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":42,"_43":88,"_45":88,"_46":89,"_48":90,"_50":91,"_52":92,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":93,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":94,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6466973,"Organizer warns loss of CVCC sponsorship could end Science Olympiad site in Catawba County",1355000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6&start=1355&end=1355","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6/thumbnail_1355000.jpg","/articles/6466973/North-Carolina/Organizer-warns-loss-of-CVCC-sponsorship-could-end-Science-Olympiad-site-in-Catawba-County","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466973-9ddfa03e52a73c6ba0719b1cb85ffc60/orig.mp4?Expires=1775696359&Signature=eV1OomwscLJ-O8YQvlnWLFAUJLWV8M1pzW~GL5HoQloXcXZISjRHN9WKI4R5bXZzazgLID6UkrRgE1bVYYpFtzSe~cBvDafBg0~mdnG-Zsq4Sm2U2wgMgOZIuvudIOtG2aVgVvdWeDKA-s8-zNdYAWPI2KSxQeqUx8eCaK6225ITWlyIQSVEB3Mn6qMhwt7apOTtFkj2XvsS6FvovtJpRQj6GvkuKhXbDFbuuzA5CH~B1p9mMPhT9ciCc-ZZTEVmRH34vNfY9~FKpr-m7sqASEyiyiMEZhs0RurkMv2oHBBHew5Pqj5geaEu2QxYj8HPKato6wvpZYUn6uARBVw9QA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kimberly Turp, a volunteer Science Olympiad organizer, told the board that Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) has withdrawn as a sponsoring partner, leaving the tournament without a suitable local site.

\"CVCC has decided that they can no longer be a sponsoring partner for Science Olympiad, leaving us with no site for Science Olympiad to happen,\" Turp said. She said the Catawba County site is the western-most location in North Carolina for the event and that hundreds of middle- and high-school students could lose the opportunity to compete if an alternative venue is not found.

Turp said the tournament requires a site that can hold a couple of thousand spectators and provide three or more lab facilities; she added that local high schools do not have a gym large enough or adequate lab space. She identified Charlotte as the next closest tournament site but said that site has been at capacity for years.","Volunteer organizer said Catawba Valley Community College will no longer sponsor the county Science Olympiad site, leaving organizers without a venue that can accommodate thousands of spectators and laboratory space.",{"_33":96,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":97,"_41":42,"_43":98,"_45":98,"_46":99,"_48":100,"_50":101,"_52":102,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":103,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":104,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6466978,"Public commenter who funds school meal debt urges families to apply for assistance, pays tribute to Dr. Leslie Barnett",1154000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6&start=1154&end=1154","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6/thumbnail_1154000.jpg","/articles/6466978/North-Carolina/Public-commenter-who-funds-school-meal-debt-urges-families-to-apply-for-assistance-pays-tribute-to-Dr-Leslie-Barnett","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466978-61e9392e1593b4f2f4176898b9cc12e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775696359&Signature=COvAhjf8BxeHhwhOll6bK9VzpxVZ~4x2OqcBukuGijoKKs5750qhjl9kWGdh1CaXvYJuyAUpqcMBozs8rgfniC3Ppn6-QTkotHf5SPu4W-q5shp4tnPpWAq2K2YS7eYxttI95DmCK0-9m0HwqH9oU~tKWRNK0NloyYLCh0TCbbTNvHRfdi5VL~Zbf38aWFaWrkyJywoeTHS9YSWN9GP1vK90A2F2oEDeYRHynjXpfRBGC0tEH~eRnvThbwiSwi0EE0RURYza-SRjAabix8w6ecgXLjnnSNY2PUR577HJ57XVhvy2TfN0CSjlZqHHEZaTw7u0InmBQNoU1w1FNlFdCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Catawba County Board of Education's Sept. 22 public-comment period, Matt Sin, a resident, described his donations toward student meal debt and urged families to apply for assistance.

\"I've pledged and given over $10,000,\" Sin said, adding that school meals were important to his own education and that families who cannot pay should not let students be penalized. \"Young people shouldn't be penalized if their parents are not able to pay, and we need to do more. Either have fundraisers. I've offered to have fundraisers, and I've also pledged to help.\"

Sin also used part of his time to pay tribute to Dr. Leslie Barnett, who he said recently died. He called Barnett an inspiration and a mentor whose experience benefited Catawba County and North Carolina schools.

Sin told the board he would continue Barnett's legacy of advocating for public education and fairness.","At the Sept. 22 meeting a resident who said he has donated more than $10,000 urged families to apply for meal assistance and pledged further fundraising; he also paid tribute to the late Dr. Leslie Barnett.",{"_33":106,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":107,"_41":108,"_43":109,"_45":110,"_46":111,"_48":112,"_50":113,"_52":114,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":115,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":116,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6466983,"Catawba County Board of Education adopts 2025–26 budget, accepts audit and approves multiple contracts and agreements",364,1886000,2250000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6&start=1886&end=2250","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811957-6e940ac3675925caba2f46cccd1b7df6/thumbnail_1886000.jpg","/articles/6466983/North-Carolina/Catawba-County-Board-of-Education-adopts-202526-budget-accepts-audit-and-approves-multiple-contracts-and-agreements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466983-4409c75047c4d6a133d6d7957573776e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775696359&Signature=eaofF6TlambQOLZjRVjh~Bivy55PDsXbY0GpDihyAPS5BlW835MRLp6xYQ03rHcbEoZv~Qfht8LgYnrfRNH3dLwAGVGmnZM2vELL7FOzXPk~YcV6je2ebGD1m5jqmuKBIR0Ct1XinZ7uMT6dHE76n2mKEZCr2hFuSIhasD3otaSq30gw2Zmg5kLgN5oHGS-sdU54bZdyR5DXZC5BrA~9JpjVgQ2U9kfdg53LOv~MfT-Gi00~JVTi3-HF848XUq9vPPHl8q4yaJsDpNnVDlXWfkqf8YsNS5blI6wf48TyCuHdHgoBv3FgjXDYjGote4dANYed5ijgG4mc5GXJqBFghg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Catawba County Board of Education at its Sept. 22, 2025 meeting unanimously adopted the district budget for fiscal year 2025–26, accepted the 2024–25 final audit and approved a series of contracts, construction changes and grants, board members said during routine motions.

The board voted to adopt the 2025–26 budget resolution presented in the board packet and to accept the district's 2024–25 final audit as presented. The board also approved the 2026 Early Head Start continuation grant as presented at the work session earlier that day.

On district projects and contracts, the board approved a purchasing cooperative contract with Barbizon Lighting for auditorium lighting repairs and upgrades at Maiden High School totaling $133,174.36; the board accepted warranty terms presented during the meeting (five-year fixture warranty, 10-year LED-array warranty and two-year warranty on specified relay modules). Members approved a construction change directive for the Claremont Elementary School HVAC project reflecting a lump-sum decrease of $460,584.24 and a resulting final contract sum of $608,415.76. The board also approved a proposed sawmill building contract at Fred T. Ford High School with Neil Construction in the amount of $224,276 plus a $7,500 general contingency.

The board approved an increase to the activity-reimbursement mileage rate for district staff from $1.50 to $1.85 per mile effective Jan. 1, 2026, and approved the naming request to dedicate the press box at Bunker Hill High School. Board members also approved the district's voting delegates for the North Carolina School Boards Association 2025 delegate assembly and accepted personnel recommendations and a personnel addendum as presented.

The board approved an agreement addressing school assignments for students impacted by a recent boundary update between Catawba and Lincoln counties; the board noted that students affected remain with Lincoln County and that payment for those students to Catawba County Schools will not begin until the next school year.

All motions noted in the meeting record passed with no recorded opposition in the meeting transcript.","At its Sept. 22, 2025 meeting the Catawba County Board of Education unanimously adopted the 2025–26 budget, accepted the 2024–25 audit, approved district contracts and construction actions, and approved an intercounty school-assignment agreement with Lincoln County.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Former teacher details crash injuries and accuses district of deception and poor treatment

Speaker urges board to appoint Rhonda Pollock to fill Dr. Barnett's seat

Organizer warns loss of CVCC sponsorship could end Science Olympiad site in Catawba County

Public commenter who funds school meal debt urges families to apply for assistance, pays tribute to Dr. Leslie Barnett

Catawba County Board of Education adopts 2025–26 budget, accepts audit and approves multiple contracts and agreements