MARSHALL - Early voting begins Oct. 15, and in Madison County, two candidates, Republican John Bratz and Democrat Craig Goforth, will square off for chair of the Madison County Board of Education.
With early voting under way, The News-Record interviewed the candidates on six questions/topics:
- What made you decide to run for school board chair. Why is education important to you?
- What do you feel are the 3 most important issues facing Madison County Schools right now, in 2026? What are the issues/topics you plan to focus on if you're elected chair?
- The new superintendent has expressed a desire to be more transparent with parents and community members. How important is transparency to you in this role?
- Private school voucher expansion and public school funding strain - including what Education NC reports the state facing $15 million in debt in its school nutrition programs - are probably the two most central topics in the elections throughout the state. What are your thoughts on these topics.
- What goals or ideas have you identified for the school board in your prospective first 4 years in the term?
- What community experience do you have, including serving on local boards here?
To allow the candidates to address the questions in more detail, The News-Record split the interview into two stories.
This is Part Two of the two-part interview. Their emailed responses to the questions are included below:
Private school voucher expansion and public school funding strain - including what Education NC reports the state facing $15 million in debt in its school nutrition programs - are probably the two most central topics in the elections throughout
the state. What are your thoughts on these topics?
Bratz: I can see both sides of the school voucher debate. I believe parents should have choices when it comes to their children's education, and I also believe that families who pay taxes should have a fair opportunity to benefit from those tax dollars, regardless of their income. However, with taxpayer funding comes responsibility. Any school receiving public money should be held to appropriate standards of accountability, financial oversight, and transparency. We cannot have a system where public schools are expected to meet certain standards while other institutions receiving the same taxpayer dollars operate without comparable accountability.
My biggest concern is making sure that expanding school choice doesn't come at the expense of the students who remain in our public schools, which the majority of our students attend. Rural districts like Madison County already face financial challenges, and we need to ensure our schools have the resources necessary to provide a quality education.As for school nutrition, I strongly support continuing free breakfast and lunch for every student in Madison County Schools.
Some argue that free or reduced-price meals for qualifying families are enough, but I believe there's more to consider. Under the previous system, schools still faced unpaid meal balances that ultimately had to be covered. Whether that financial burden comes before or after a meal is served, someone still has to pay for it. We need a sustainable funding solution that protects both our students and our school system. There's also a social side to this that I think gets overlooked. Especially in middle and high school, students can feel embarrassed or singled out because their family can't afford lunch. Some may choose not to eat rather than have their friends know they're struggling. No child should have to experience that.
I've also seen what some children bring from home, and it raises concerns about whether they're getting the nutrition they need. Making meals available to everyone helps ensure that every student has access to something nutritious during the school day. But I don't believe simply providing free meals is enough. We also need to look at the quality, portions, and variety of the food we're serving. Our students deserve healthy, nutritious meals that are filling and that they actually want to eat. I know our school nutrition employees work hard with the resources they're given. I want to make sure we're supporting them with the funding, equipment, and resources necessary to provide our students with better variety, appropriate portions, and quality meals. To me, this isn't just about feeding kids. It's about their health, their ability to concentrate and learn, and making sure every child is treated with dignity, regardless of their family's financial situation.
Goforth: The public schools are available for any child living in their district and rely on tax payer funding to survive. The use of private school vouchers directly effects the number of resources available to our public schools. Public schools teach all of the kids in their district that attend, they don’t pick and choose and make it difficult for kids to attend. Nonpublic schools can operate in a much looser environment and choose to offer different programs that the public school may not be able to due to funding. They want public money and private freedom at the same time that effects our public schools. It is a choice, pay for private school but leave the tax monies for the public schools.
What goals or ideas have you identified for the school board in your prospective first 4 years in the term?
Bratz: My goal is to build on the progress we've made while continuing to improve the way our school system operates. Student safety will remain a priority, including improving transportation safety, addressing bullying, and ensuring our facilities are safe and properly maintained.
I want to develop stronger long-term plans for our aging facilities. We've completed several important improvements over the past two years, but there's still work to do. My professional background gives me a good understanding of maintenance planning, project management, and the importance of protecting our investments. I'm also a strong supporter of our CTE, FFA, and STEM programs. Not every student is going to attend a college, and that's perfectly fine. We need to provide opportunities that prepare students for skilled trades, technical careers, agriculture, college, and whatever path they choose.
I would also like to see a renewed emphasis on reading, writing, and foundational learning skills. Technology certainly has its place in education, but I believe we need a healthy balance between technology and traditional learning methods. Another goal is to continue strengthening our relationships with local governments, state representatives, businesses, and community organizations. Those relationships are important when advocating for teacher compensation, school funding, and opportunities for our students.
Finally, I want to improve communication and accountability throughout the district. I believe good leadership means setting clear expectations, supporting people, listening to concerns, and following through. I don't believe one person has all the answers. The chairman is one member of a five-member board, and meaningful progress takes teamwork. My goal is to help bring people together, keep us moving forward, and make sure our kids always come first
Goforth: My original ideas have remained with me for all of my time in public service, make sure every child in Madison County is treated fairly no matter where they live and what their name is. This is the board’s role to ensure that the laws and resources are allocated fairly.
Keep an eye on our graduation rate and provide ways to increase it: CTE programs and extracurricular activities.
Please add around 50 words with your experience serving on local boards here, as I know you've both served on boards in the county.
Bratz: I've served on the Madison County Board of Education for two years and currently Chairman the Transportation Committee.
I also served five years on the Madison County Youth League Baseball Board, including two as president, helping oversee programs serving approximately 280 children across five facilities.
These experiences have strengthened my leadership, budgeting, and community relationships
Goforth: 18 years as a school Board member (I was fortunate enough to serve on boards that brought the ROTC program to Madison County; the new/turf athletic field; the Early College High School; SRO(s), school resource officers in every school; New Band uniforms).
4 Years as a County Commissioner, 1 year as Chair and 1 year as Vice Chair.
30+ years as a youth/Middle school Coach.
Two years as President of the Madison Middle PTA.
Three years as a Dual enrolment Teacher with AB Tech and Teaching Criminal Justice at Madison High School.
Served 6 years on the Department of Social Services Board, three as Vice Chair.
Chair of the Board for My Sisters Place for 20 plus years (current).
Member of BAS, Beyond Animal Sheltering, a 501(c)3 arm designed to assist our animal shelter in fundraising and structure.
Johnny Casey is the Madison County communities reporter for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel. He can be reached at jcasey@newsrecordsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Madison County school board chair candidates speak on vouchers, goals
