The case of a former Wayne County science teacher fired after an incident with a School Resource Officer is in the hands of a Wayne County Superior Court judge. Anthony Williams requested the review after being fired in 2022.

The latest court filing is dated February 27th and is part of a back and forth between Williams and the district. More than 100 pages of filings were obtained by the Goldsboro Daily News. The two parties disagree on key details, including whether or not the district moved to revoke Williams’ teaching license.

Williams was approached by an SRO at a basketball game at Southern Wayne High School February 16, 2022. The incident began when the SRO approached Williams about a knife he had in his pocket — which he said he’d been using to cut cardboard for a school club activity. There was a physical confrontation that included the 14-year teacher being put in a headlock. Some of the incident was caught on video.

Williams’ case was the subject of a 14-hour hearing in August of 2022. Students rallied to Williams’ defense after his firing.

In the latest court filing, the school district has asked a Superior County judge to dismiss William’s petition.

We reached out to William’s attorney but have not heard back. The spokesman for the school district stated that “Mr. Williams was given his full due process rights under the law and was granted a fair hearing by the Board.”