Cumberland County Board of Education District 6: Nathan Warfel

Name as it appears on the ballot: Nathan Warfel

Party affiliation: Republican (Note: This is a nonpartisan race.)

Previous elected offices held: Cumberland County Board of Education member, 2020-present

Age as of Election Day: 38

Immediate family members: Wife, Kelly Warfel; four children, Chloe, Conner, Hannah and Mason

Occupation (employer, where you work, what you do): Assistant public defender, Cumberland County Public Defender Office

Website and campaign social media: electwarfel@gmail.com; nathanwarfel.com; Facebook ElectNathanWarfel

1. The “Parents’ Bill of Rights” legislation has incorporated changes regarding education on health, gender identity and sexuality into state law. This year’s state superintendent race features a candidate who has discussed implementing additional measures that some critics call extreme. What’s your assessment of the state of public education in North Carolina?

Since my election to the board in 2020, our state’s legislature has passed several pieces of polarizing legislation aimed at having a direct and prolonged impact on the state of public education in North Carolina. The “Parents’ Bill of Rights” legislation, on its face, is supposed to give parents of children in public schools more control and oversight in their child’s education when it comes to sensitive topics such as sex, medical/mental health and student data collection surveys on similar subjects. However, many believe that this legislation, and most others enacted by the conservative majority, is an attack on public education in our state. The “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” for example, does little to support the institutions it purports to be partnering with. The “School Voucher” legislation is designed to cut funds from school districts to incentivize their reinvestment by families outside of the public schools’ budget with little to no accountability measures regarding how the success of voucher-educated students will be determined (without any required standardized testing metrics, like those required of public schools), or how voucher funds may be used by the student (there are no meaningful restrictions on use). Despite these concerns, I believe our public schools will prove themselves to be the better option for families, especially in CCS.

2. If you solely controlled the purse strings of Cumberland County and for the county’s school district, what changes would you implement to both help preserve your fund balance and best serve teachers and students?

If I controlled both CSS’s and the county’s budget, allocate more of the county’s budget to boost salaries for our teachers and support staff. I’d fund events aimed at raising funds for and awareness of issues affecting at-risk communities and families in Cumberland County. For example, an annual concert series, held on county property, employing local artists along with an inspirational headliner that would capture a child’s curiosity about the arts and create memories for everyone who participates. A NYC-style art exhibit, displaying art by student artists from each of our 86 campuses, able to be purchased as prints. Students could be in charge of the development and implementation of the events, which would provide them with invaluable experience in a fun industry. I’d do my best to spend money in a way that inspires our future leaders, pays our CCS professionals, and shows our current county leadership why making funding public education a higher priority will directly impact the future we all hope to see in our county.

3. This community has long discussed constructing a new campus for E.E. Smith High School. What’s your solution for E.E. Smith High School?

As a South View High School alumnus, with an impressive alumni base of our own, I understand the importance of, and prioritization for, finding a new home for the Golden Bulls. The current campus isn’t sufficient to meet the needs of the forward-looking, technologically inspired student of the 21st century. Several options were discussed by the current board of education, including 9 different potential sites for new construction and an option to restore the current building. According to a motion, which I supported, the board decided the most cost-effective solution would be to build a new E.E. Smith on a plot of land capable of supporting the school that would be a tribute to the tradition of E.E. Smith with a design that resembles that of a new advanced institution of higher learning. The board’s suggestion was forwarded to our county commissioners for review earlier this year and we await their response.

4. Declining enrollment and increasing absenteeism are both significant challenges for Cumberland County Schools. What’s your fix for both?

New policy measures have been implemented by the current board to implement stricter attendance requirements for students and enhanced consequences for students and their parents for non-compliance. I support these policy measures and am optimistic that we will begin to see positive results. Additionally, our amazing social workers and community outreach team are stepping up their efforts within CCS communities that are struggling the most with absenteeism in hopes of partnering those families with the resource providers in our county to help them get their children to school.

5. Cumberland County Sheriff Ennis Wright surprised officials this spring when he suddenly announced plans to pull school resource officers and traffic control officers from most public schools. What’s your take on his decision, and how would you approach a relationship with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office moving forward? And has the SRO issue been resolved to your satisfaction?

This announcement was a huge surprise to me and could have been divulged and discussed with county leadership in a timelier manner. However, in my professional capacity as an assistant public defender for 11 years, I have seen the effects caused by the hiring shortages in our sheriff’s office, which has helped me to understand why the CCSO made this decision. Since then, the Hope Mills and Fayetteville Police Departments have embraced the opportunity to take on the responsibilities thrust upon them. We are two weeks into the 2024-25 school year and the transition has been smooth. I’d expect each department to continue building upon the relationships they’re forming with our schools and continue to have positive impacts on the families in the communities they serve.