Last night, in a 5-2 vote, our elected Buncombe County Commissioners chose to defund our public schools. They underfunded Asheville City Schools (ACS) and Buncombe County Schools (BCS) requested budgets by approximately $14 million. In prepared statements, they lauded the hard work of county staff for presenting a balanced budget, praised their fellow commissioners for working so well together, and stated how proud they were of the constituents of Buncombe County. 

Rightfully so, the main part of each of the prepared statements centered around what our community went through in the wake of Hurricane Helene. But what was glaringly missing from those comments? The fact that our kids, teachers, and staff are Helene survivors as well. 

Disappointingly, but not surprisingly, the majority of the commissioners placed their main concerns in defense of our business owners. They focused on their recovery. Their struggle. What the commissioners missed was the fact that small business owners also have kids who attend those same public schools that they voted to underfund. Five of our registered Democrat commissioners voted to follow the lead of our state and federal government in dismantling public education by underfunding it. We still say – not here, not in Buncombe County.

And yet, teachers, staff, and parents watched our commissioners put the future of their jobs, their schools, their students, their coworkers, and their community in jeopardy. With tears in their eyes, anger in their voices, they still showed up today in their classrooms. They drove the buses and fed our kids. They will wipe away the snot  from our kids’ faces and teach them addition. They will provide calming strategies to a dysregulated child, even when they themselves are dysregulated. 

As Commissioners Edwards, Wells, Ball, Horton, and Whitesides expressed relief over coming to the end of the most difficult budget season they have experienced, our teachers and staff now carry the weight, like they always do, to care for the most vulnerable residents of Buncombe County: our kids. And now with less than what our district leadership said was the minimum needed. 

Thank you Commissioner Moore and Commissioner Sloan for your leadership, insight, and courage in voting against defunding our schools. Thank you for standing alongside your community, even when it’s hard, and for not following along with the majority of the Commission. Thank you for aligning your values with your vote when it mattered the most. 

As parents, caregivers, and community members, we took the charge and stood up for our public schools this year. After the Commission voted in early 2025 to claw back millions of dollars from the public schools budget in the wake of Helene, we had no choice. 

We recognized that the fight is not just on the shoulders of school staff. It is our fight. It is our kids. And we showed up. We learned how our schools are funded. We attended County Commission meetings, school board meetings, and rallies. We came together 400 strong at an historic town hall to tell our commissioners that we are a community that loves our public schools, and that we will fight for them. More than 250 of us marched through the streets of downtown Asheville, shoulder to shoulder with our teachers, staff, and kids before the budget vote.

The county’s budget funds ACS at $17.3 million ($3.1 million less than what was asked). The county – as of last night – proposed amending the supplemental tax from 10.62 cents to 11 cents. This was not in their original proposal nor was it publicly posted anytime before the presentation. The county provided no explanation as to why they agreed to a slight increase but not to a full restoration of the 12 cents supplemental tax. (Reference our “Asheville City Schools need your two cents” campaign.) This increase will provide around $400,000, rather than the $1.5 million needed. This move – albeit small – towards restoring the supplemental tax was due to how we all have shown up and turned out. Make no mistake –- we made our voices heard.

To "make up" for these cuts, the Commission voted to divert $4.1 million from our capital fund (earmarked for school facility maintenance and improvements) to operations, but only if the North Carolina General Assembly passes legislation to allow it. This would mean taking funds away from our public school buildings intended to keep them safe, accessible, and comfortable. It is a dangerous compromise and a move we need to watch carefully. 

And yet, our work has only just begun. The fight isn’t over. There is no finish line when it comes to our kid’s education and future. As parents and community members, we must wipe away the tears, let anger be our resolve, and continue to celebrate and defend our schools. We must use our voices to make sure our friends and neighbors see the beauty and necessity of our public schools. To choose them. To support them. To show up for them.

Although last night’s decision underfunds our schools by millions of dollars, we will not give up, or bury our heads in the sand. We will not be silent when it comes to ensuring our public schools are what our students and community deserve.

What’s next? ACS Superintendent Dr. Maggie Fehrman will present options to the ACS Board of Education about the proposed cuts that ACS will need to make as they determine how to staff and support our schools with the county’s limited funding. 

What can you do? Keep paying attention. The ACS Board of Education meets on Monday, June 9th at 5pm to discuss what cuts will need to be made. Subscribe to the Families of Asheville City Schools (FACS) newsletter on our website, 2centsavl.com, to keep up to date and plugged in. And most importantly, look for ways to get involved and make sure our voices and votes for elected officials are heard loud and clear about what we want for our public schools and our kids here in Buncombe County. 

In community and solidarity, 

FACS

Families of Asheville City School