Walker Sanders: A legacy of opportunity: Investing in Guilford County Schools

At the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, we are deeply invested in the future of our community. Through our philanthropy, we strive to create a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive — and that starts with ensuring our children have access to a high-quality education.

This November, Guilford County voters have a chance to make a significant investment in our children’s future by voting in support of the fraction of a penny sales tax for educators. This small investment will reap great rewards for our community by helping our local public schools recruit and retain effective teachers and frontline workers.

As a community, we overwhelmingly supported two bond referendums in 2020 and 2022 totaling $2 billion for school construction and improvement projects. This referendum is a critical next step.

Why? Recruiting and retaining talented educators is essential to shaping inspired minds, vibrant schools and successful educational outcomes. The referendum will provide Guilford County Schools with the resources they need to offer competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain the best teachers for area children.

If passed, the referendum will also allow Guilford County Schools to provide competitive compensation to frontline workers who play a vital role in supporting our students and educators. School bus drivers, cafeteria staff and maintenance workers are essential members of our community, and their contributions deserve to be recognized and rewarded.

In June, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution stating that, if the ¼-cent sales tax increase passes, funding will be used to increase wages for teachers and frontline workers. This commitment demonstrates their recognition of the vital role education plays, not only for area students, but also for our region’s workforce and economic development.

Guilford County Schools is no longer considered a low-performing district — nearly 100 of our schools exceeded academic growth last year. Our schools are making significant progress, and this is not the time to take a step back but to take a step forward.

The Community Foundation believes that investing in education is a wise investment in the future of Guilford County. We urge you to learn more about the referendum at salestax4educators.org and vote FOR the sales tax for educators this November.

Together, we can ensure that Guilford County Schools has the facilities, as well as the human resources, to provide a quality education for every child and a more prosperous community for all.

Walker Sanders is president of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.