Families as partners
Better parent–school communication and family resource centers in our schools.
Why Anthony?
Anthony has worked in both Moore County Schools and NC corrections. That experience drives his focus on stepping in early, and he wants to bring it to the board.
- Former Moore County Schools social worker
- Certified school social worker & NC Certified Peer Support Specialist
- Former NC Dept. of Adult Correction employee
- Founder of MALES of Distinction / Ladies of MERIT youth programs
“I refuse to let another generation of Moore County children end up in the corrections system when we have the power to intervene through education, mental health support, and family engagement.”
Anthony McCauley
What he’ll fight for
Back our teachers
Competitive pay, less admin busywork, and recruiting diverse educators from HBCUs and beyond.
Break the pipeline
Restorative practices over punitive discipline, plus wraparound support for kids who need it most.
Aim higher
Moore ranks in NC’s Top 10 districts for grade-level proficiency, and Anthony wants to aim higher: close achievement gaps, grow Career & Technical Ed, and get every kid reading on grade level.source
Mental health matters
A counselor and social worker in every school, trauma-informed teaching, and peer support.
It takes a village
Faith and volunteer mentorship programs, community use of school buildings, and local internships.
Side by side
Four candidates, two at-large seats. Here’s how they stack up on the things moms ask us about.
| Issue | Anthony McCauley | Don Zawlocki | Jim Pedersen | Olivia Oxendine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education experience | Former Moore County Schools social workerSource: 1 | Taught at Pinecrest High for 8 years; moved to a private Christian school in 2024Source: 4 | No professional K–12 education experience identifiedSource: 5 | Former teacher and principal; nearly 20 years on UNC Pembroke faculty; NC State Board of Education memberSource: 8 |
| Teacher pay | Competitive compensation; reduce administrative burdensSource: 1 | In a 2024 Pilot interview, emphasized non-monetary recognitionSource: 4 | Supports “competitive compensation”Source: 5 | “Reward job-performance excellence”Source: 7 |
| Discipline & mental health | Restorative practices; a counselor and social worker in every schoolSource: 1 | Supports an armed officer in every schoolSource: 3 | Supports Sheriff-run school officers; also counselors and social workersSource: 5 | Warned against “relaxing rules”Source: 3 |
| Books & libraries | No position found on current campaign siteSource: 1 | No position found | Filed and appealed a challenge to the book George at two Moore County schools (2022)Source: 10 | Said school materials should not “cross the line of decency”Source: 3 |
| Published priorities | Family engagement, mental health, early interventionSource: 1 | School safety and academicsSource: 3 | Growth and new schools, transparency, fiscal oversight, school safetySource: 5 | Eliminate “critical race theory and gender indoctrination”Source: 7 |
| Local party endorsement (November) | Moore County Democratic PartySource: 2 | Moore County GOPSource: 6Source: 9 | Moore County GOPSource: 6Source: 9 | Not endorsed by the Moore County GOP for November (her site cites an earlier GOP endorsement)Source: 6Source: 8 |
All sources
- McCauley campaign site (accessed Sept. 27, 2026)
- Moore County Democrats: 2026 endorsed candidates
- The Pilot: Top four edge out opponents in school board race (2026)
- The Pilot: Career educators vie for District 5 (2024)
- Sandhills News: Jim Pedersen candidate questionnaire (Dec. 23, 2025)
- Daily Haymaker (conservative commentary): Moore GOP endorsement vote, July 2026
- Olivia Oxendine campaign platform (accessed Sept. 27, 2026)
- Olivia Oxendine campaign bio (accessed Sept. 27, 2026)
- Moore County GOP (Facebook): endorsed candidates
- The Pilot: Schools appoint committee to review challenged book (2022)
Remember one name.
One vote.
You can vote for up to two school board candidates, and you don’t have to use both. IfAnthony is your only choice, leave the second spot blank.
- 1Check your registrationLook yourself up
- 2Vote early: Oct 15 – Oct 31Early voting ends at 3pm on Saturday, Oct 31. Eligible voters can register and vote at the same early-voting visit.Early voting sites
- 3Or vote Tuesday, Nov 3Polls are open 6:30am – 7:30pm. If you’re in line by 7:30, you can vote.
- 4Bring a photo IDNC requires voters to show an acceptable photo ID. If you can’t, you can still vote using the ID Exception Form or a provisional ballot.Accepted IDs