Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Employees Deliver Petition to Board of Education

Educators demand restoration of cuts, more staffing, and a seat at the table ahead of budget talks.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Hundreds of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools employees gathered to deliver a petition to the Board of Education, demanding the restoration of 63 exceptional children's positions and 94 EC teacher assistants that were cut in 2025, as well as additional staffing in areas like child nutrition, transportation, and custodial services. The petition, signed by over 3,400 employees, outlines five key demands the Forsyth County Association of Educators is making ahead of upcoming budget discussions.

Why it matters

The cuts made in 2025 were considered the most painful for parents and students, especially those in the exceptional children's program. The district is now facing pressure from a majority of its employees to not only restore those positions, but also add more staff across various departments to better support students and school operations.

The details

In 2025, the WS/FCS Board of Education voted to cut 63 exceptional children's positions and 94 EC teacher assistants. Now, the Forsyth County Association of Educators is demanding those positions be restored, along with the addition of 62 more EC teachers, 97 EC teacher assistants, 30 family/bilingual support assistants, and 150 full-time classified positions in areas like child nutrition, transportation, custodial services, and clerical staff. The petition also calls for paying all staff for all work they do, providing real planning time, and giving school workers a seat at the table.

  • In 2025, the board voted to cut 63 exceptional children's positions and 94 EC teacher assistants.
  • Budget workshops for the next fiscal year are scheduled into April 2026.

The players

Forsyth County Association of Educators

The local teachers' union representing educators in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school district.

Deanna Kaplan

Chair of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education.

Heather Morgan

A first-grade teacher who spoke at the petition delivery event.

Cafeteria Manager

A cafeteria manager who spoke at the petition delivery event about the impact of staffing cuts on their department.

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What they’re saying

“We know what we need to work with these kids every day and give them the very best. We know that we need no further cuts. We know that we need to restore staffing, especially for our EC kids.”

— Heather Morgan, First-grade teacher (myfox8.com)

“I can almost break down. These were their people. They're gone. That was their support. That was what gave them stability. They knew when they arrived at school, it was going to be OK.”

— Mother (myfox8.com)

“I know my cafeteria inside out. I know my students. I see them daily, and I understand their needs. I am tired of decisions being made who don't understand what my job entails … Nothing will change until we, the cafeteria workers, the bus drivers, the teachers, counselors and people who do the work, stand up for what is right.”

— Cafeteria Manager (myfox8.com)

What’s next

Budget workshops for the next fiscal year are scheduled into April 2026, where the Board of Education will consider the demands outlined in the employee petition.

The takeaway

This petition highlights the deep frustration among Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools employees over staffing cuts, especially in the exceptional children's program, and their determination to have a stronger voice in the district's budget and decision-making process moving forward.