During this local election season, 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro spoke with candidates running for seats on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board Of Education. Each answered the same set of questions regarding their decision to run for elected office, their thoughts on pressing community issues and what they wish for residents to think of when voting this fall. Their answers (lightly edited for clarity and brevity) are shared here, as well as links to their respective campaign websites or pages. If a candidate did not respond or chose not to speak with 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro, it will be designated with no audio. The order of candidates below is in the alphabetical order of their last names.
The 2025 race for seats on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education appears to be straightforward — especially compared to the 2023 cycle where at one point two dozen candidates filed to run for four seats. Both incumbents George Griffin and Riza Jenkins are poised to serve second four-year terms for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district, while first-time candidate Melinda Manning will likely take the seat of the outgoing Mike Sharp.
Despite it being an unopposed election, each candidate joined 97.9 The Hill to sit down and discuss key issues surrounding the school district and their campaigns. The station asked these questions, which are reflected in the recorded responses:
Why were you inspired to join this race?
What are the top three issues your campaign is built on?
CHCCS is recognized as a top district in the state, but inequities certainly exist within the student population. What policies do you support in addressing those inequities?
The district continues to face a financial crunch from limited state funding, federal funding cuts and its annual spending. Cuts were made within the last year to several positions. Moving forward, how do you plan on balancing CHCCS’ quality of education and services with fiscal responsibility?
The district passed a bond last year to help address significant infrastructure needs. What is your philosophy around approaching the challenges and opportunities these renewal and replacement projects present to CHCCS?
When voters see your name on the ballot, what do you want them to think of?
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education (3 Seats)
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
