The three races to represent the Enka, Erwin and Reynolds districts on the Buncombe County Board of Education will all be listed as nonpartisan on the ballot. But that hasn’t stopped party politics from shaping campaigns for the school board.
Buncombe’s Democratic Party has endorsed incumbent Judy Lewis, Kim Plemmons and Rob Elliot for the Enka, Erwin and Reynolds seats, respectively; all three are party members. Similarly, the county GOP backs Kim Poteat, Greg Parks and Sara Disher Ratliff, the respective Republican hopefuls.
As the contests have worn on, the rhetoric surrounding them has escalated. In a since-deleted Oct. 10 Facebook post, Parks shared a photo of Plemmons surrounded by the mostly Democratic candidates who had been endorsed by the Buncombe County Association of Educators, including Elliot. Parks claimed those candidates hate police, support “LGBTQ agendas in our schools” and back “[critical race theory] and other curriculums that teach and promote hate.”
All residents served by Buncombe County Schools will vote for all three district races, regardless of where they live; those served by Asheville City Schools will not cast ballots in those races. Given the complicated boundaries of local school districts, voters should check their sample ballot at avl.mx/6nq before heading to the polls.
The name of each candidate is linked to their responses in the post below.
Enka District
Erwin District
Reynolds District
Judy Lewis
Lewis did not provide responses in advance of the Xpress deadline.
Kim Poteat
Website: PoteatMK5.Wixsite.com/My-Site
Occupation: Did not respond.
Previous candidacy or offices held: None
Key endorsements: Did not respond.
Amount of money raised: Did not respond.
Top three donors: Did not respond.
What role do you believe parents should play in directing the day-to-day operations of the school district? Parents should know exactly what their children are being taught. When parents have questions, they should be able to get clear answers, with yes-or-no questions answered with yes or no. Parents should be able to see all materials being taught to their children instead of summaries. Parents should also know the safety protocols in place for the protection of their children.
What steps should the board take to address the system’s staffing issues, both in teaching and support roles? Our board should research to find the reason for staffing issues, then find solutions to address those issues so that our county can get back to teaching our children with full staff, teachers and support roles. We should also do all we can to make sure we are paying a living wage to all staff, teachers and support roles while supporting them in other ways as needed.
What resources or programs should schools employ to help students feel more secure in the classroom? There are programs using retired veterans and police officers to help secure our children in their schools and classrooms we should look into. We also should be holding students accountable in the way they treat teachers and other students. Neither students nor teachers should have to deal with bullying. All students and teachers should be treated with respect, and when respect is not given, consequences should be received.
What does a thriving school district mean to you, and what do you see as the district’s biggest current obstacle to achieving that vision? A thriving school district means children are focused on the basics of education: reading, writing, math and true history, leaving moral issues at home. It is a school district where parents are not only heard but listened to and included in solutions when they are experiencing issues. I see the biggest current obstacle as being the lack of voice parents have. Parents I have spoken with believe they are not being heard; this is very apparent at school board meetings.
Greg Parks
Website: Parks4BCS2022.com
Occupation: Quality manager
Previous candidacy or offices held: N/A
Key endorsements: N/A
Amount of money raised: Per G.S. 163-278.10A, my campaign will not expend more than $1,000.
Top three donors: N/A, self-funded.
What role do you believe parents should play in directing the day-to-day operations of the school district? I view the parents and residents of Buncombe County as shareholders in our school system. Their involvement and participation can only strengthen Buncombe County Schools.
What steps should the board take to address the system’s staffing issues, both in teaching and support roles? In today’s environment, every industry is having difficulties in retaining and recruiting staff. However, some are doing great at it, for example, Chick-fil-a. Why is that? They create a culture where associates are respected and rewarded for success while focusing on their customers. The board should explore new practices outside of the educational system to learn and grow. BCS’ mission is “Preparing Students for Their Tomorrow.” To achieve this, we as a board should be looking at tomorrow and evolving.
What resources or programs should schools employ to help students feel more secure in the classroom? Safety must always be at the top of the priority list. I want to see the school system develop security that resembles our airports. We need to eliminate outside concerns, then focus on eliminating risk factors inside our buildings. This is another opportunity to work with other industries outside of the educational system. We should always welcome review from industry leaders.
What does a thriving school district mean to you, and what do you see as the district’s biggest current obstacle to achieving that vision? A thriving school district would be one that is focused on safety, that is respectful, honest and completely transparent. Where the focus is on education. A system that leads by example and sets standards. The biggest obstacle to achieving that is social/political agendas that have no place in the educational system.
Kim Plemmons
Website: Did not respond.
Occupation: Substitute for Buncombe County Schools; retired senior vice president, Wells Fargo
Previous candidacy or offices held: Did not respond.
Key endorsements: Buncombe County Association of Educators, Asheville City Association of Educators, Al Whitesides, Pat Bryant, K. Ray Bailey
Amount of money raised: Did not respond.
Top three donors: Did not respond.
What role do you believe parents should play in directing the day-to-day operations of the school district? I believe parents should be very involved in their children’s education. My goal is to enhance partnerships between the schools, parents and community. I would do that by being in the schools, as well as meeting with parents and community members to solicit feedback on how to improve parent and school relationships. We’ve had a difficult couple of years that have created a lot of frustration. I totally understand and want to help resolve the issue in a positive way.
What steps should the board take to address the system’s staffing issues, both in teaching and support roles? We must develop a plan to retain teachers and support staff. Being a substitute teacher, I have observed how hard they work, and they definitely deserve better salaries. I would strongly advocate that local and state leaders support this for our educators. Regarding recruitment, I would work closely with the Buncombe County Schools Foundation, which has written a grant for funding to improve recruitment. I would also work with the board and county commissioners on our area’s affordable housing crisis.
What resources or programs should schools employ to help students feel more secure in the classroom? I was very pleased to learn about our Sheriff’s Department intelligence system with access to the cameras in every school. I would recommend additional school resource officers, especially in our middle and high schools. We need additional officers for our elementary schools so they are not covering several schools. There are a couple of safety tools I have seen in some of the schools that I would like to have across the system.
What does a thriving school district mean to you, and what do you see as the district’s biggest current obstacle to achieving that vision? A thriving district is when we ensure every student has the ability to be successful. Students should have a safe and great learning experience. Parents should be involved and feel welcome in their schools. Our teachers, administrators and staff should be fairly compensated and enjoy their career in education.
Rob Elliot
Website: ElliotForEducation.org
Occupation: Registered forester
Previous candidacy or offices held: None
Key endorsements: Buncombe County Association of Educators, Asheville City Association of Educators, Asheville-Buncombe Retired School Personnel
Amount of money raised: Did not respond.
Top three donors: Did not respond.
What role do you believe parents should play in directing the day-to-day operations of the school district? I will work to build respectful and constructive family and school partnerships. Parent and family involvement in their child’s education is critical for every child reaching their full potential. Our schools should continue to provide a variety of opportunities for parents to volunteer in the school, serve in advisory roles, give feedback, address concerns and work in a constructive manner with school administration to resolve any issues in a mutually respectful manner.
What steps should the board take to address the system’s staffing issues, both in teaching and support roles? I will help provide a positive work environment for staff by actively advocating for their needs and providing resources needed to successfully perform their job. In addition, I would support the board in continuing to request budgetary support for county supplements to state teacher salaries to help ensure living wages and a fair pay scale. Lastly, I would support the board in advocating for more competitive teacher wages, benefits and incentives to our state elected officials.
What resources or programs should schools employ to help students feel more secure in the classroom? I will work to expand resources for additional social workers, mental health support and school nurses at every school. I will also support our board in promoting social-emotional learning that helps create a bully-free school environment for every child. I support the current initiatives from the board and Sheriff’s Office to provide every school with a dedicated resource officer that can develop a relationship with the community and use new technology to help improve overall security.
What does a thriving school district mean to you, and what do you see as the district’s biggest current obstacle to achieving that vision? A thriving school district is one where all parts of the school community work together collaboratively to provide our schools with the support needed to ensure that each and every child feels safe, cared for and fully supported in meeting their full potential. I believe that improving our family and community partnerships will lead to this vision of a thriving school district.
Sara Disher Ratliff
Website: SDRForACR.com
Occupation: Compliance officer
Previous candidacy or offices held: N/A
Key endorsements: Van Duncan, former Buncombe County sheriff
Amount of money raised: Did not respond
Top three donors: Did not respond
What role do you believe parents should play in directing the day-to-day operations of the school district? All districts should strive to increase parental involvement across all grade levels. Statistics show that attendance, graduation rates and an overall more positive attitude toward learning are affected when parents are actively involved in their child’s education. All schools should increase opportunities for working parents to be involved by offering activities after school. Curriculum information must also be more readily accessible so parents can engage their children throughout the school year as it pertains to what they are learning.
What steps should the board take to address the system’s staffing issues, both in teaching and support roles? Buncombe County has one of the highest costs of living in the entire state. Therefore, it is imperative to offer competitive wages to all teachers and support staff. In a world where you can find a job in fast food making over $40,000 annually, strides must be made to adequately compensate educators. It is also not solely about the money — teachers must be given the support staff and supplies they need!
What resources or programs should schools employ to help students feel more secure in the classroom? Parents in the district send their kids to school daily and have the expectation that they will come home safe and unharmed. This is a reasonable expectation. It is up to the board and the sheriff to implement a plan to meet this expectation every single day. Buncombe County Schools must have a student resource officer, or at the very least a retired officer with SRO training, present at every BCS campus.
What does a thriving school district mean to you, and what do you see as the district’s biggest current obstacle to achieving that vision? A thriving school district displays multiple characteristics. First, active, informed, engaged parents/guardians. Second, adequately prepared, funded and supported staff, from the principal all the way down to the custodians. Kids can sense when their teachers are overwhelmed and overworked. Third, a safe, secure learning environment. Finally, that learning environment needs to be flexible enough to accommodate all students. As for obstacles, the one common denominator is money. Having enough and ensuring that it is allocated/used properly is key.
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