Citizen Times, 8 candidates are running for 1st-elected Asheville school board. Who should get your vote?

Pepi lives in West Asheville with his family. 

Pepi owned a manufacturing company for children's toys. He is a certified lead preschool teacher. 

Pepi Acebo previously ran for the Asheville City Board of Education in 2022, but did not win.

As of June 4, 2025, Pepi Acebo’s website did not contain information on this issue.

School Curriculum

Candidate website

Believes ACS's plan to expand facilities and manage enrollment led to a significant decrease in student numbers and funding. Said, "ACS shrank by nearly 500 students, sacrificing more than $5+ million in annual funding revenue before COVID hit."

Believes Asheville City School's (ACS) plan to expand facilities and manage enrollment led to a significant decrease in student numbers and funding, saying, "ACS shrank by nearly 500 students, sacrificing more than $5+ million in annual funding revenue before COVID hit."

Believes increasing revenue is essential for a balanced budget and opposes closing schools and cutting staff as solutions.

Supports collaboration with local and state officials to ensure a financially healthy and growing school district, emphasizing the need for leaders committed to educational excellence to build community trust and maintain enrollment.

Believes in providing "accountability, transparency, and historical insight" into school funding and spending to address district issues. Supports effective governance to meet the needs of students, staff, and families.

Believes in providing "accountability, transparency, and historical insight" into school funding and spending to address district issues, and supports effective governance to meet the needs of students, staff, and families.

- Believes Asheville City School's (ACS) plan to expand facilities and manage enrollment led to a significant decrease in student numbers and funding, saying, "ACS shrank by nearly 500 students, sacrificing more than $5+ million in annual funding revenue before COVID hit."
- Believes increasing revenue is essential for a balanced budget and opposes closing schools and cutting staff as solutions.
- Supports collaboration with local and state officials to ensure a financially healthy and growing school district, emphasizing the need for leaders committed to educational excellence to build community trust and maintain enrollment.
- Believes in providing "accountability, transparency, and historical insight" into school funding and spending to address district issues, and supports effective governance to meet the needs of students, staff, and families.

School Facilities & Resources

Student Wellbeing

Believes leadership should not discard successful programs like Asheville Primary School’s Public Montessori program. Supports expanding Asheville City Preschool to ensure every family has access to quality pre-K.

Believes leadership should not discard successful programs like Asheville Primary School’s Public Montessori program, and supports expanding Asheville City Preschool to ensure every family has access to quality pre-K.

Believes rebuilding enrollment and restoring trust are essential for fiscal health and equity in education. Supports addressing enrollment, trust, early childhood education, school district boundaries, and state funding to meet student needs.

Believes rebuilding enrollment and restoring trust are essential for fiscal health and equity in education, and supports addressing enrollment, trust, early childhood education, school district boundaries, and state funding to meet student needs.

Believes in expanding access to early education.

- Believes leadership should not discard successful programs like Asheville Primary School’s Public Montessori program, and supports expanding Asheville City Preschool to ensure every family has access to quality pre-K.
- Believes rebuilding enrollment and restoring trust are essential for fiscal health and equity in education, and supports addressing enrollment, trust, early childhood education, school district boundaries, and state funding to meet student needs.
- Believes in expanding access to early education.

Access to Education

Priotizes better pay and protection from retaliation.

- Priotizes better pay and protection from retaliation.

Teachers

LinkedIn

Pepi Acebo

As of June 14, 2024, George Sieburg did not have a website and did not complete our questionnaire.

School Safety & Discipline

School System Budget

George received his bachelor's degree in English and creative writing from Northeastern University, a master's degree in in curriculum and instruction from Western Maryland College. 

George worked as a Operations Manager at Jordan Peer Recovery and as a Director of Finance at Homeward Bound of WNC. 

George Sieburg is currently City Board of Education Member in City of Asheville. He has been in office since 2021. 

As of June 4, 2025, George Sieburg did not have a website or any information online.

George Sieburg

As of June 14, 2024, Jesse Warren did not have a website and did not complete our questionnaire.

As of June 21, 2024, Jesse Warren did not have a website and did not complete our questionnaire.

Citizen Times, Asheville Council appoints retired Marine, ROTC instructor Jesse Warren to school board

Jess is a retired Asheville City Schools MCJROTC instructor. Jess served in the U.S. marines. 

Jesse Warren was appointed to City Board of Education Member in City of Asheville in 2023.

As of June 4, 2025, Jesse Warren did not have a website or any information online.

Jesse Warren

As of June 14, 2024, William Young did not have a website and did not complete our questionnaire.

Facebook

William is from Asheville and attended Stephens Lee High School as well as Winston-Salem State University. He currently lives in Asheville. 

William works as a substitute teacher. He previously worked as a teacher at Asheville City Schools. 

Ballotpedia, William Young, (Asheville City Schools Board of Education, North Carolina, candidate 2022)

NORTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, OFFICIAL GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS - BUNCOMBE

William Young ran for City Board of Education Member in the City of Asheville in 2022, but did not win. 

As of June 4, 2025, William Young did not have a website or any information online.

William Young

- The Board of Education runs the public school system, and it is entirely independent from the rest of the city government. 
- Board of Education members work together to make school policy, set the budget, and make decisions about the superintendent’s personnel recommendations.
- Members of the board must act as a unit based on majority rule. A member cannot make decisions or act independently.
- Board of Education members are elected to staggered four-year terms in nonpartisan elections.