Our children are facing battles they don’t even know about. Year after year, their education gets chipped away by our county and state government. Historic norms are being broken on a national level, and the right to a good education moves further down the line.
I went to North Carolina public schools when education felt like it mattered. Politicians kept it high on their list of priorities and treated it as important. That was 20 years ago. Since then, we have seen a steady decline in valuing and funding our public schools.
Public education saves lives — literally! Many children would not be able to attend school without it. Public school communities must fight relentlessly for every dollar, and now we’re being forced to fight again. To keep students in public schools, we constantly shift resources and juggle staff levels. Parents must fundraise, act as public relations representatives and convince neighbors to enroll. It’s exhausting.
Our community is already struggling after Hurricane Helene. Our kids have endured so much. Cutting school budgets only adds to the chaos. Our county commissioners went through the same disaster: How can taking away critical funding from our schools be the solution?
To continue retaining kids in public schools, the 2025-26 education budget must ensure no staffing or program cuts. Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools should be reimbursed $4.7 million by July, and the Asheville City Schools special tax rate should be restored to 12 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
Let’s work together to continue building strong public schools that retain kids and celebrate them. Demand county commissioners return this funding now!
— Amanda Wilde
Asheville
