School Board Chair leaving board Dec. 31
Donny Lambeth
Donny Lambeth, the chairman of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education, announced last week that he would resign his seat effective Dec. 31, after 18 years of service on the board.
Lambeth was elected last month to represent District 75 in the N.C. House of Representatives. He has served as chairman of the school board since he was first elected to the board in 1994. He won his fifth consecutive term on the school board in 2010. His successor will be selected by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners.
“My time on the board has been extraordinarily fulfilling,” Lambeth said. “I will leave the board with great sadness, but I believe my experience will make me a valuable part of the General Assembly.”
Under Lambeth’s leadership, Forsyth County voters approved three bond referendums that raised almost $500 million for school construction. As a result, the school system built 19 new schools, eight replacement schools and renovated and added to numerous others. The school board also implemented a controversial student assignment plan in the mid-1990s. While supporters say the plan allows parents to choose among schools in their residential zones, critics point to the fact that the plan has re-segregated the school system.
Lambeth retired from Wake Forest Baptist Health earlier this year as president of Lexington Medical Center and Davie Hospital. He also served as the president of North Carolina Baptist Hospital. Lambeth will be honored by the board at a reception on Dec. 19.
