John Wiggins focuses on teacher pay, recruitment and board transparency

Republican John Wiggins is seeking reelection to the District 2 seat on the Lenoir County Board of Education, with teacher pay, recruitment and compensation for retired teachers serving as long-term substitutes among his priorities.

Wiggins said increasing salaries would require significant additional state and local funding. He also emphasized improving working conditions to attract and retain educators.

“Teacher pay and recruitment go hand in hand,” Wiggins said.

He said the district sometimes struggles to fill unexpected vacancies for months. He supports recruiting retired certified teachers for long-term substitute assignments and paying them a teacher’s salary until a permanent replacement is hired. Wiggins said he believes the structure of state funding prevents that approach, even when the position’s salary is already budgeted, and called addressing that obstacle a priority.

Wiggins said his background includes military service, law enforcement and ministry. After serving in the Air Force, he joined the Goldsboro Police Department and the Air Force Reserves. He said he became a police sergeant supervising investigations, earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and taught homicide investigations and other courses at the N.C. Justice Academy.

He later earned a Master of Divinity at Campbell University and said he has served as pastor of La Grange First Missionary Baptist Church for 10 years. He and his wife have been married for 43 years and raised four sons and a foster son, all of whom attended Lenoir County schools, he said.

Wiggins said his community ties and involvement with schools motivated him to join the board after Keith King moved to a county commissioner position. He said challenges in law enforcement and ministry helped prepare him for public service.

“Both require a great deal of patience, examination, planning, and execution,” he said.

On transparency, Wiggins expressed concern that being in the board’s minority limits the ideas he can bring forward. He said majority votes against hearing proposed amendments can prevent further discussion and leave constituents’ views unheard.

“Transparency depends on the ability to communicate during our open sessions without being stifled,” Wiggins said.

He encouraged residents, particularly parents, to attend board meetings and use public comment opportunities. He said he would continue attending school and community events, in addition to communicating by phone and email, so parents can share concerns and praise.

Wiggins also cited community work involving tutoring, internet access for students during pandemic school closures and food assistance for local schools. His response listed past leadership with Change 4 La Grange and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Frink Middle School, along with coordinating Veterans Day services.

Looking ahead, Wiggins said the school system’s short- and long-term goals are established and administrators are responsible for carrying out board-approved plans. He praised the superintendent and assistant superintendents while emphasizing accountability.

“Collaboration and cooperation for the greater good of our children is a must,” Wiggins said. “The job is about serving.”