Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Privacy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wilkes County Board of Education holds closed session to consider student matter
Summary
At a Feb. 16 special-called meeting, the Wilkes County Board of Education entered a closed session citing FERPA and state statutes to consider a student matter; the board returned to open session and adjourned at 6:11 PM. No student details were released.
The Wilkes County Board of Education met in a special-called session on Feb. 16, 2026, at 5:00 PM in North Wilkesboro and moved into a closed session to consider a student matter, citing federal and state privacy laws.
Chairman Randall “Rudy” Holbrook called the meeting to order. The board recorded the attendance of board members Joan Caudill, Dr. Donna Cotton and Jammie Jolly; Superintendent D. Mark Byrd; Director of Exceptional Children Jennifer Blankenship; and Executive Administrative Assistant Loretta Shumate.
Mrs. Joan Caudill moved to approve the meeting agenda as presented; Mrs. Jammie Jolly seconded and the motion carried. At 5:03 PM, Mrs. Jammie Jolly moved and Dr. Donna Cotton seconded that the board meet in closed session “to prevent the disclosure of information that is privileged or confidential under state or federal law, including but not limited to N.C.G.S. 115C-319, N.C.G.S. 115C-402, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, pursuant to N.C.G.S. 143-318.11(a)(1).” The board voted unanimously to enter closed session.
The board returned to open session at 6:11 PM on a motion by Dr. Donna Cotton, seconded by Mrs. Joan Caudill; that motion also carried unanimously. With no further business, the board adjourned at 6:11 PM on a motion by Mrs. Jammie Jolly, seconded by Dr. Donna Cotton.
The board did not provide details of the student matter in open session. The motion language cited the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and specific North Carolina statutes that permit closed sessions for confidential student information; no substantive student information was disclosed in the transcript of the open meeting.
The special-called meeting record lists attendance and motions but does not indicate any additional votes, public testimony, or further procedural steps. The board did not announce a follow-up public meeting or timetable for further action in the available record.
