A Pitt County, North Carolina middle school principal has been charged with misdemeanor stalking, and the allegations involve a teacher in his district. Keith Neal, who has led Wellcome Middle School since 2022, was charged Wednesday. Warrants say he drove by a woman’s home, appeared uninvited, and attempted to enter her residence even after being told to stop. He posted a $75,000 secured bond the same day.
Pitt County Schools suspended Neal with pay as soon as the charge was filed. He first joined the district in 2018 as an assistant principal at J.H. Rose High School before being promoted to lead Wellcome Middle. The district has not said how long the suspension will last or what happens next as the case moves through the legal process.
The story raises hard questions that apply well beyond North Carolina: how do school districts balance due process for employees with the safety of their staff? Paid suspension is a common first step, but it doesn’t answer the deeper question of what teachers should do when the concern is a supervisor. A charge is not a conviction, and Neal is entitled to his day in court.
What do you think the right move is for a school district when the person accused is the person in charge?
