RALEIGH — Moore County Schools’ former communications director is now working for the Office of the State Auditor.
Catherine Nagy left her role with Moore County Schools effective Jan. 9, 2023. She is now apparently the public information officer for State Auditor Beth Wood, who has faced controversy after being charged with leaving the scene of an accident that involved her state-issued car last December. Wood pled guilty to a hit-and-run charge in March.
It is unknown why Nagy made the move, however, emails obtained through a records request show some tension between Nagy and at least one board member, David Hensley, on two occasions in the fall of 2022.
Nagy was questioned about sending a cease-and-desist-style letter about filming on Moore Schools’ property that she sent to Pauline Bruno, who at the time was a candidate for the Moore County School Board.
Hensley responded to Nagy’s letter asking if other candidates received the same treatment and included a file showing images of then-school board candidate Rollie Sampson and former Board Chair Pam Thompson campaigning on district property.
The other incident involved North State Journal’s pursuit of a story about a Moore County middle school.
An email request for comment and information that was placed with Nagy related to violent incidents and student fights occurring at Crain’s Creek Middle School ended up being forwarded to the entire Moore County School Board.
The email forwarded to the board also included Nagy’s responses to the inquiry that prompted a reply from Hensley.
Hensley responded by asking if the board received notices for all other media inquiries, formal or informal, from all other media publications, including the local paper The Pilot. He added that if they do not receive such notices, “why not?”
While Hensley did not mention it in his email to Nagy, the editor of The Pilot is Nagy’s husband, John.
Hensley went on to criticize Nagy’s response regarding claims made by parents contained in North State Journal’s inquiry and reporting.
“Also, I do not appreciate MCS, through Ms. Nagy calling the parent a liar. Calling the parent of a child assault a liar is how one gets sued,” wrote Hensley. “If the parent correctly related what the SRO told her, it is an accurate statement. Also, what the SRO said was true. He is not the one who decides.
“Unless MCS can prove the parent to be lying, I believe Ms. Nagy and MCS owes the parent, the NSJ and the SRO an apology for questing their integrity. Or, to the contrary, Ms. Nagy can explain to the BOE exactly what she meant by that terse statement.”
Hensley went on to write that there was another issue with Nagy’s response.
“Ms. Nagy’s response is not appropriate in either approach or tone. It is almost like Ms. Nagy is adversarial to the victim and family,” wrote Hensley. “How about starting with ‘Our hearts sympathy are with the student, the young substitute teacher, and their families for the horrible incident which occurred.’”
The email records received by North State Journal do not contain a response by Nagy to Hensley’s questions and comments.
