2022 marks the first time the Asheville City Board of Education will have elected members. The five-member board, currently appointed by Asheville City Council, will also expand to seven seats, as part of changes made in November by the N.C. General Assembly. Four members will be picked this cycle, with the remaining three chosen in 2024.
Neither of the two appointees whose terms are expiring this year, vice chair Martha Geitner or member Shaunda Sandford, are trying to retain their seat. But the field is crowded nonetheless, with nine hopefuls seeking to guide ACS as the system faces financial challenges and staffing vacancies. Eight candidates will advance to the November general election.
Further raising the stakes is the impending departure of Superintendent Gene Freeman, who announced April 20 that he would retire from ACS at the end of November. The system’s top appointed official will leave a little more than halfway through a four-year contract, which began in July 2020, after a tenure marked by public clashes with Buncombe County leaders, transparency concerns and censure by the state Department of Public Instruction over mismanagement of school nutrition operations.
While the current board will select Freeman’s interim replacement, the members elected this year will help pick a permanent superintendent for the 2023-24 school year and beyond. Whomever they choose will be the system’s fifth superintendent since 2013; by comparison, Superintendent Tony Baldwin has led Buncombe County Schools since 2009.
The name of each candidate is linked to their responses in the post. (Although Sara Shea will appear on the ballot, she told Xpress April 25 that she was withdrawing from the race.)
- Pepi Acebo
- Liza English-Kelly
- Miri Massachi
- Amy Ray
- Rebecca Strimer
- Sarah Thornburg
- Jesse J. Warren
- William (Bill) Young Jr.
Pepi Acebo
Website: Pepi4Asheville.com
Occupation: Small-batch manufacturer of children’s products
Previous candidacy or offices held: President/co-president of the Montford North Star Academy Parent Teacher Organization for three years; vice president/co-vice president of the Isaac Dickson Elementary PTO for four years.
Key endorsements: I was one of three school board applicants to be endorsed last year by the Asheville City Association of Educators and the Buncombe County Association of Educators. I am not actively seeking new endorsements during the primary.
Amount of money raised: I am not actively fundraising for the primary.
Top three donors: I am not actively fundraising for the primary.
What would you bring to the Board of Education that other primary candidates do not? I first got involved when I witnessed [developmentally delayed] EC students being dragged down a kindergarten hallway and advocated for better training and support. As an active parent and PTO leader, I’ve attended almost every regular session, work session and special session of the Asheville City Schools Board of Education over the past eight years, longer than any current board member. I offer continuity, accountability and historical insight into what has worked, what’s broken and how we razed our $8 million surplus.
What recent Board of Education decision do you most disagree with, and what would you have done differently? We have amazing staff and parents, but our leadership is at war with its past, throwing out the babies with the bathwater, including many successful programs like Asheville Primary School’s Public Montessori program, which now has the district’s smallest achievement gap. Our Asheville City Preschool, in the same building, is a model NC Five Star preschool which should be expanded, not cut, so that every family has access to quality pre-K and every child starts school ready to learn.
What specific steps should the Board take to improve the Asheville City Schools system’s financial situation? A balanced budget requires increasing revenue. We simply cannot cut our way to fiscal health while shrinking enrollment. We can work with the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, Asheville City Council, state legislators, staff and families to be a financially healthy, growing district. We have excellent schools in a growing city. We need leaders committed to excellence that lifts up every student and builds trust so we can grow enrollment to better serve the needs of our entire community.
Liza English-Kelly
Website: See Liza English-Kelly for ACS Board of Education on Facebook
Occupation: Teacher
Previous candidacy or offices held: None
Key endorsements: Asheville City Association of Educators
Amount of money raised: Did not answer.
Top three donors: Did not answer.
What would you bring to the Board of Education that other primary candidates do not? I am a former employee of Asheville City Schools and a parent of children who attend schools in-district. I served as an instructional assistant at Asheville Primary School for four years and witnessed firsthand the potential to close opportunity gaps through access to public Montessori and strong teacher/family relationships, beginning in preschool. My focus is on serving the children and families of Asheville and amplifying and centering the voices of people of color in the district.
What recent Board of Education decision do you most disagree with, and what would you have done differently? The decisions to close Asheville Primary School and downsize preschool access were short-sighted, reactionary and emblematic of the way the current Central Office and board operate. Like access to public Montessori, universal pre-K has been proven to close opportunity gaps and disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline. The board and Central Office received plentiful research on these topics in advance of the votes to dismantle successful programs; these decisions were made knowing that closure and downsizing is harmful, particularly for underserved populations.
What specific steps should the Board take to improve the Asheville City Schools system’s financial situation?There must be a commitment to developing a long-term strategic plan and capital improvements plan that is shared with the community, a reduction in Central Office redundancies through a staffing audit, reduced operations costs across the district and a firm commitment to bringing all staff up to a living wage. ACS board members must build strong relationships with the people they serve and develop a culture of transparency to earn the trust of students and families.
Miri Massachi
Website: None
Occupation: Preschool-8th grade movement instructor
Previous candidacy or offices held: None
Key endorsements: Did not answer.
Amount of money raised: Did not answer.
Top three donors: Did not answer.
What would you bring to the Board of Education that other primary candidates do not? I hope to earn my fellow ACS parents’ trust by listening to their priorities and ensuring their voices are heard on the board. That accountability is critical, and I plan to hold myself and fellow board members responsible for upholding it. I bring many years of experience working with kids of all ages, as well as a passion for raising a generation of independent, resilient and purpose-driven kids. Alongside my professional experience, I am a mother of two ACS students.
What recent Board of Education decision do you most disagree with, and what would you have done differently? School boards across the country are deeply divided on a number of issues, and these divisions can be a distraction from ensuring students have all the support and access to opportunity they deserve. This board will inherit choices, good and bad. I’d like us to move forward in a way that allows us to close the opportunity and achievement gaps by creating consensus when possible and highlighting the voices that are most impacted by our decisions; our students and families.
What specific steps should the Board take to improve the Asheville City Schools system’s financial situation? K-12 finances are complicated by competing priorities from federal to state levels and whether those ideas actually address issues in our unique community. Hard decisions will be made moving forward, but if we get input from the community and get clear on our priorities, then we can make truly needed investments first. We need to work with local agencies and partners more to ensure that needs are better met, and I am hoping to help with these ventures.
Amy Ray
Website: AmyforACS.com
Occupation: Attorney
Previous candidacy or offices held: I have never served as a candidate or held office. I have, however, served on the boards of the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville, the Asheville City Schools Foundation and Women at Risk, among other community or nonprofit organizations.
Key endorsements: Asheville City Association of Educators
Amount of money raised: None, so far. My campaign website is currently under development. I hope to have the website up and running and begin collecting campaign donations in the next couple of weeks.
Top three donors: N/A.
What would you bring to the Board of Education that other primary candidates do not? As an assistant United States attorney, I deeply appreciate the tragic consequences that occur when we fail to inspire in our public school students a belief that they are welcome members of our community who can contribute positively. Though not without problems, Asheville City Schools serves many students well, thanks to incredibly dedicated teachers and staff. But it does not serve all students equally, and ACS can and must serve all students as well as it has served my family.
What recent Board of Education decision do you most disagree with, and what would you have done differently? Because divisions over recent ACS decisions are deep and I do not believe it would serve ACS students or staff to add to that division, I will respectfully decline to disagree with a single decision. I can promise that if elected, I will listen to stakeholders, do my own homework, be mindful of the need for financial stewardship and insist on transparency. My ultimate measure will be what is best for the entire ACS community of students, staff and families.
What specific steps should the Board take to improve the Asheville City Schools system’s financial situation? We need a deep dive to understand our financial situation — exactly what it is and why ACS reserve funds have been depleted. We must ensure that the funds entrusted to ACS are carefully and wisely spent, with equity and strong financial management as our guiding principles. We must explore every possible funding source but also appreciate that ACS has significant financial resources available. If we are student and faculty/staff focused, we can achieve equity, excellence and financial health.
Rebecca Strimer
Website: StrimerForACS.com
Occupation: Housing counselor and program coordinator at OnTrack WNC
Previous candidacy or offices held: None
Key endorsements: Asheville City Association of Educators
Amount of money raised: $75
Top three donors: Laura Burke, Robin Payne
What would you bring to the Board of Education that other primary candidates do not? I am a mom to two ACS students and a social work professional with over a decade of experience administering public funds. I have built relationships with a diverse range of community members from my work with groups like the Asheville City Schools Foundation, Read 2 Succeed and Youthful Hand. I have been attending board meetings for three years, educating myself on our challenges and opportunities. I know what is happening in our district and where we need to go.
What recent Board of Education decision do you most disagree with, and what would you have done differently? I disagree with the board’s decision to operate in a piecemeal fashion for too long. This board has been making many decisions, each in isolation from the other, without connecting to an overarching strategic plan. It’s past time for a participatory planning process. ACS sits as one component of a larger community with resources to enhance our students’ educations. We need stakeholders at the table to leverage those resources for student success and well-being.
What specific steps should the Board take to improve the Asheville City Schools system’s financial situation? A school district can say what it values, but the budget tells the real story. I will evaluate where funds go and determine which spending least supports students. The board must build the budget by starting with our values. For me, I value fair pay for teachers, access to preschool and closing the opportunity gap for Black students. I will call for publicly available justifications for all spending decisions because transparency is key to building trust in our district.
Sarah Thornburg
Website: ThornburgForSchoolBoard.com
Occupation: Attorney, McGuire Wood & Bissette
Previous candidacy or offices held: None
Key endorsements: None at this time.
Amount of money raised: $0
Top three donors: None at this time.
What would you bring to the Board of Education that other primary candidates do not? My children attended Asheville City Schools grades K-12, during which time I volunteered in numerous capacities. For 14 years, I have shown up for the Asheville City Schools. I am a former public high school teacher, and I have significant, practical experience serving on boards, working cooperatively toward shared goals. I know how to facilitate meetings, how to listen, how to pull in all voices, how to read a balance sheet and how to budget for critical priorities.
What recent Board of Education decision do you most disagree with, and what would you have done differently? Asheville City Schools is fortunate to have stalwart teachers, administrators and staff; curious and resilient students; and engaged parents. As the school board seeks to serve and guide these stakeholders, improvements could be made in the processes by which decisions are made and the manner in which those decisions are communicated. I believe my experience as a teacher, attorney, parent and board member can be put to use to strengthen the work of the school board.
What specific steps should the Board take to improve the Asheville City Schools system’s financial situation? The focus should be on maximizing school funding to benefit all students. Consideration needs to be given to federal, state and local funding sources. Budget decisions should seek to balance the many needs of the system (fair and equitable teacher and staff compensation, mental health support for students, and facility maintenance, to name just a few) while remaining financially stable.
Jesse J. Warren
Website: Not complete
Occupation: Retired/student at Fayetteville Technical Community College
Previous candidacy or offices held: None
Key endorsements: Asheville City Association of Educators
Amount of money raised: $0
Top three donors: N/A
What would you bring to the Board of Education that other primary candidates do not? I am running beside several candidates with my same commitment to Asheville City Schools. I come to the board as a “global Black educator” who served nearly 16 years connecting our schools to the community. I plan to apply my leadership, encourage and give hope to each student to take that extra step forward toward their aspirations. I plan to support teachers and classrooms to cultivate proper behavior so that students can achieve the quality of learning to be successful.
What recent Board of Education decision do you most disagree with, and what would you have done differently? Even when it is hard to hear or unpopular: Honesty with the facts, all the information to make a proper, correct decision. Wavering when the time came to make a sound decision made it more difficult for parents, staff and students with the decision that the school board close the preschool.
What specific steps should the Board take to improve the Asheville City Schools system’s financial situation? A) Look at Central Office payroll. B) Examine why every time there’s an administration turnover, there’s a new, expensive initiative. C) When programs are implemented, keep them long enough to evaluate them and give them a chance to meet the intended objective.
William (Bill) Young Jr.
Website: N/A
Occupation: Retired
Previous candidacy or offices held: N/A
Key endorsements: Keith Young, former Asheville City Council member
Amount of money raised: Under threshold.
Top three donors: N/A
What would you bring to the Board of Education that other primary candidates do not? As a former school teacher in New Jersey and longtime employee of the Asheville City School system, I’ve served in many different roles that intersect education with community: working with exceptional children, Communities in Schools and even now as a retiree I still substitute. I bring lifelong experience and my different perspectives in the education system as a former teacher. The well-being of all of our children is valued, including that of our most vulnerable kids.
What recent Board of Education decision do you most disagree with, and what would you have done differently? I do not so much disagree with any one action as much as I am disappointed in the inaction to pull our school system’s budget out of financial disrepair, despite having many funding advantages over a majority of North Carolina’s school systems. We have one of the highest-funded systems and largest central offices, all while trying to reverse one of the worst opportunity gaps between Black and white students and needing to expand pre-K.
What specific steps should the Board take to improve the Asheville City Schools system’s financial situation? We continue leaking teachers like a faucet and are unable to fill most positions. We must alleviate the pressure somewhere! We should immediately establish a formal fund balance policy to save our future, if we plan on keeping a city school system at all. I would hate to see the city school system consolidated because of fiscal irresponsibility amidst adequate funding.
Edited at 4:20 p.m. April 25 to note Sara Shea’s withdrawal from the race.
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