Winston-Salem Democrats vie for WS/FCS Board of Education seats

Candidates discuss plans to fix finances and rebuild community trust

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Six Democratic candidates are running for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools' Board of Education District 1, which covers most of the city of Winston-Salem. The candidates, including two incumbents and four newcomers, shared their ideas for addressing the district's budget crisis and restoring community trust.

Why it matters

The WS/FCS school board plays a crucial role in managing the district's finances and setting policies that impact students, teachers, and the broader community. The outcome of this primary race will determine which two Democrats will advance to the general election, where they will face off against a single Republican candidate.

The details

The six Democratic candidates are Alex Bohannon and Trevonia Brown-Gaither, the two incumbent board members, as well as newcomers Howard Claggett, Chenita Johnson, Daryl Napper, and Tremona Purvis. The candidates discussed various strategies for addressing the district's budget crisis, including hiring a trustworthy chief financial officer, planning for unexpected events, and ensuring that every decision is child-centered. They also shared ideas for rebuilding community trust, such as increasing teacher pay, openly discussing financial issues with the public, and facilitating community dialogues.

  • The primary election for the WS/FCS Board of Education District 1 will be held on May 17, 2026.
  • The general election is scheduled for November 5, 2026.

The players

Alex Bohannon

Incumbent member of the WS/FCS Board of Education.

Trevonia Brown-Gaither

Incumbent member of the WS/FCS Board of Education.

Howard Claggett

Former employee in the WS/FCS operations department, now seeking a board member role.

Chenita Barber Johnson

Community advocate running for the WS/FCS Board of Education.

Daryl Napper

Pastor and former educator running for the WS/FCS Board of Education.

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What they’re saying

“I feel that the board needs to be more active. Need to ask more questions. I don't think they ask enough questions, and that's one of my strong suits. I ask questions.”

— Howard Claggett (wxii12.com)

“If you just feel that looking at the numbers and looking at what you're being told, that it's not true, then that's when you bring the CFO in and have a conversation about these numbers.”

— Chenita Barber Johnson, Community advocate (wxii12.com)

“People don't plan to fail; they actually fail to plan. And I think we missed planning to help our students because when we were relieved from our COVID funding, we had no plan after that.”

— Daryl Napper, Pastor and former educator (wxii12.com)

“Being on top of everything and just make sure that every decision that is put on the table, it has to be child-centered. There's no other way. We've always got to put the children first.”

— Tremona Purvis, Kindergarten teacher (wxii12.com)

What’s next

The primary election for the WS/FCS Board of Education District 1 will be held on May 17, 2026, where the two Democratic candidates who advance will face off against a single Republican candidate in the general election on November 5, 2026.

The takeaway

The race for the WS/FCS Board of Education District 1 highlights the importance of strong financial management and community trust in public education. The candidates' proposals to address the district's budget crisis and rebuild relationships with stakeholders will be closely watched as they compete to shape the future of the school system.