Brian Edwards, an Orange County resident and former detention corporal with the Orange County Sheriff’s office, is one of six candidates running for a seat on the Orange County Schools Board of Education.
Edwards described his primary motivation for running as a desire to improve mental health resources for both students and staff.
“I was a senior at Orange High School on August 20th, 2006, when Alvaro Castillo attempted a mass shooting,” he said to Chapelboro, referencing a 2006 shooting at the school which injured two students. “Experiencing that first hand, combined with my work in public safety and the criminal justice system, and the fact that around 50% of mental illnesses show up before the age of 14, showed me how critical it is to provide proper mental health support and safe learning environments for students.”
He said he believes there are a number of ways in which the school board could improve these resources.
“I want students to have access to trained staff, counseling services, and early intervention programs before issues escalate,” Edwards said. “I also want to support teachers with training and resources so they can identify warning signs and connect students with the help they need.”
According to his campaign website, other key issues the Orange High graduate aims to address are supporting and retaining educators, bolstering school safety through prevention, and to establish a teachers’ “bill of rights.” The document includes six rights, which are “the right to professional respect,” “the right to safe, supportive classrooms,” “the right to have their time respected,” “the right to fair and competitive compensation,” “the right to be treated like human beings,” and “the right to stability in a changing district.”
Edwards said his experience working in the corrections system would make him a good leader for Orange County Schools.
“I would describe my leadership style as collaborative, and hands-on,” he said. “I believe in listening carefully, engaging with the community, and taking action when necessary. My background in public safety and community service has taught me how to stay calm under pressure, communicate clearly, and balance multiple priorities.”
Edwards earned some online notoriety last fall after the X account “LibsofTikTok” posted screenshots of social media posts he made regarding President Donald Trump and his supporters. One post read “it may even be time to bring back the guillotine,” while another featured an image of a guitar with the text “this machine kills fascists,” a likely nod to anti-fascist folk singer Woody Guthrie. Edwards was fired from his position with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in September. Per his campaign website, he is now “working shifts at Walmart, walking my dog Nikki, and advocating for our community.”
“I’m excited to learn directly from the community,” Edwards told Chapelboro. “I want to hear what students, parents, and educators feel are the challenges they face, and I want to hear about the solutions they believe will make a difference in the Orange County School system.”
The Orange County Schools Board of Education race is a non-partisan election, but will be on voters’ ballots alongside the primary races in March. Edwards is joined by challenger candidates Saru Salvi and Lori Russell in vying for four seats, alongside incumbents Will Atherton, Anne Purcell and Sarah Smylie. One seat is open as single-term Board of Education member André Richmond will depart the board after four years in the role. Winners of the election in March will be sworn into the Board of Education over the summer ahead of the new academic year that starts in July.
Voter registration for those participating in the 2026 election cycle is underway and runs through Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. in North Carolina. Early voting for the primary and non-partisan Board of Education election begins on Feb. 12 and runs through Feb. 28, with Primary Election Day set for Tuesday, Mar. 3. More details about key dates and deadlines for voters can be found on the North Carolina Board of Elections website.
Featured image via Edwards for Orange County.
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