The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School district has secured land to use as the new building site for Ashley Elementary. While the district has allotted money for the design phase of construction, they have not begun planning or announced where the money will come from to build the school. Without this allocation of funds, a new Ashley cannot be built.

The Board of Education must begin the planning process and reallocate funding for construction of a new Ashley NOW! Use the template below to write your Board of Education Member and tell them you support immediate action to build a new Ashley.

WHY are we fighting for Ashley?

For years, staff and students at Ashley Academy experienced illness and symptoms associated with mold exposure and indoor air quality problems due to the school’s poor facility conditions. In August 2017, a group of teachers complained to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School (WSFCS) officials about the situation. After months of pressure by teachers, parents, and community members, WSFCS finally released a report in April 2018 that revealed evidence of “extensive visible mold growth” in the school.

Effects of Mold and Poor Air Quality on Students:

• Headaches, fatigue, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs

• Allergies, respiratory infections, and exacerbation of chronic asthma

• Diminished concentration, attendance, and academic performance

HOW are we fighting for Ashley?

After the 2018 report, WSFCS agreed to make some changes, but refused to consider a new building or major renovations to address the underlying issue. In response, the #Action4Ashley Coalition filed a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. The complaint, filed in August 2018, alleges that WSFCS violated federal anti-discrimination laws by failing to ensure that students at Ashley, who are almost all Black and Brown students, have the same access to safe and appropriate school buildings as White students in the district. In December 2018, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a formal investigation into whether WSFCS discriminated against students at Ashley.