The recent audit of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) is jarring, but not surprising. With over 311 budget overrides, $75 million in bonuses, and $332 million sitting unresolved in suspense accounts, the district now faces a $46 million deficit.
Of course, the district’s financial crisis isn’t occurring in a vacuum. Like many school systems across the country, WS/FCS is grappling with falling enrollment. Our child population has declined, and more families are exercising school choice — whether through private, charter, magnet, or homeschool alternatives. Two-thirds of schools nationwide now operate in a competitive educational landscape. Fewer students mean less state and federal funding, yet the district failed to make corresponding reductions in staffing and expenditures.
Hundreds of job cuts are expected. Financial mismanagement on this scale would be damning in any city.
But here in Winston-Salem, it’s the latest chapter in a deepening story — one about lack of imagination, stagnant leadership, and an overall civic structure with no sense of urgency.
Recently, I wrote an op-ed calling for a significant restructuring of our City Council. That piece focused on the erosion of vision and accountability through an antiquated voting ward system that’s out of step with our urban neighbors. But today, I’m broadening the scope. What’s unfolding at WS/FCS reveals a much larger issue — we are witnessing breakdowns across multiple layers of public leadership, from school administration to city and county governance.
We can’t correct the course in Winston-Salem by voting out one or two elected officials. Residents need a deeper, citywide reexamination of who holds power, how decisions get made, and why our government institutions have become so comfortable operating without public scrutiny. That includes asking hard questions about how budget decisions are reviewed, who is responsible for oversight, and why no one — not one elected official — has called for outside law enforcement to investigate the school system’s financial collapse. The SBI has confirmed: they have not been asked to step in.
In most cities, this would have sparked a wave of resignations. Here, we get press statements and silence. The school administrators at fault were allowed to resign with full benefits.
Let’s not pretend this is just an education issue. WS/FCS is one of the largest employers in the county. The impact of cutting 350 jobs will hit working-class neighborhoods already stretched thin. Families will feel this pain. Local businesses will feel it. And the message this sends to companies considering Winston-Salem for investment is clear: proceed with caution.
When a city’s school system becomes a national headline for dysfunction — especially one struggling with talent recruitment and job creation — it undercuts every pitch we make to employers, developers, and entrepreneurs. Education is economic infrastructure. If ours is broken, our economy doesn’t grow.
And Winston-Salem’s economic growth has already stalled. In previous pieces, I’ve written about the decline in corporate investment, the closure of longtime employers, and the commercial vacancies spreading across our corridors. Wages aren’t keeping up with inflation. Our workforce is aging, and young professionals are choosing to build their lives elsewhere. Add to that a school system in chaos, and you’ve got the makings of an economic identity crisis.
But there is a way forward — if we’re willing to admit that business as usual has failed us.
We must begin with accountability. Not in the vague, buzzword sense. Real accountability means public town halls. Independent investigations. Transparent timelines. And ultimately, a willingness for those in power to step aside when trust has been broken. The public deserves answers — and they deserve to see consequences.
Second, we must start the hard work of civic restructuring. That includes reforming City Council — as I’ve previously called for — but it must go further. We need to reconsider how our school board is elected, how the county prioritizes oversight, and how city-county communication breaks down when crises emerge. The current system allows too many people to point fingers without taking responsibility. We need more cross-agency collaboration and fewer silos.
Finally, we need ordinary residents to fall back in love with Winston-Salem again. Because the truth is, the best way to fix broken leadership is to grow new leaders. Our city won’t be saved by one mayor or one superintendent — it’ll be saved when everyday people decide they’ve seen enough and choose to get involved. Whether that means running for office, joining a board, serving on a committee, or simply showing up to public meetings — we need fresh energy. Diverse perspectives. People who love this city enough to challenge it to be better.
We have incredible talent in this community — entrepreneurs, educators, organizers, students, retirees. What we lack is community infrastructure to convert that talent into civic impact. And the longer we wait, the harder it will become to convince future generations that this city is worth their time, talent, and treasure.
Winston-Salem has a long history of resilience. But resilience is not the same as progress. At some point, we have to move from surviving the moment to shaping the future. This audit — as damning as it is — should motivate us to seize that opportunity.
So no, this isn’t just about schools. This is about how we lead. Who we trust. And whether we’re still willing to do the work of building a city that works for all of us.
The time to act is now — before the next crisis forces us to.
