WILSON, N.C. — Sallie B. Howard School for the Arts and Education's

reputation as a school of distinction is now in question. Investigators are looking into "testing irregularities" on last year's end-of-grade tests.

Harry Wilson, attorney for the Department of Public Instruction, will not describe the complaint, but he said it came into DPI a month ago. Parents are anxious about the outcome.

"My son did take the EOG there and I wonder whether or not his scores were what I was told," said one parent, who wished to remain anonymous.

The parent told WRAL that rumors regarding misconduct have circulated for months. She recently took her children out of the school.

The director of the school said she did not know the details of the complaint, but she sent a letter to all of the school's teachers, asking them to cooperate with the investigation.

The parent said any truth to the complaint will have a serious effect on the community and the school's reputation.

"I think it would let a lot of people down. I think that it would hurt and I think the healing would take a very long time," the parent said.

The director of the school feels the situation is an attempt by some people to discredit the school. She told WRAL that she does not expect investigators to find any truth to the rumors. The Department of Public Instruction hired private investigators to look into the situation. They were at the school on Friday and Monday.

The Department of Public Instruction said investigations of this kind are rare, but not unheard of. In the past five years, there have been at least 10 investigations into testing irregularities. In that time, two teachers, one in Orange County and the other in Durham County, had their licenses revoked. A third case involving a teacher's license is in litigation.