Cynthia Stone

Cynthia Stone is a member-elect of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education in North Carolina, representing District 5. She assumes office on December 9, 2025.

Stone ran for election to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education to represent District 5 in North Carolina. She won in the general election on November 4, 2025.

Stone completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Cynthia Stone was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. She earned a high school diploma from the West Charlotte and Irmo. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina Greensboro in 1976 and a graduate degree from Lander University in 2009. Her career experience includes working as an elementary school teacher, in recruiting, and in corporate tech implementation, training, end-user design flow, and internal help desk management. Stone has been affiliated with the American Montessori Society and the North Carolina Association of Educators.^[1]

Elections

2025

General election

General election for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education District 5

Cynthia Stone defeated incumbent Lisa Cline in the general election for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education District 5 on November 4, 2025.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Cynthia Stone (Nonpartisan)	56.8	22,368
	Lisa Cline (Nonpartisan)	42.5	16,728
	Other/Write-in votes	0.7	286

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Source	Total votes: 39,382
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Stone received the following endorsements.

State Rep. Julia Greenfield (D)
Mecklenburg County Commissioner Laura Meier (D)
Juan Diego Mazuera Arias (D) - Charlotte City Councilor cand.
Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C., Association of Educators
Everytown for Gun Safety
LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
Moms Demand Action
New North Carolina Project Action First
Red Wine and Blue
The Charlotte Observer Editorial Board

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

Cynthia Stone completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Stone's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

As a Charlotte native, I've seen all sides of CMS - a student, a parent and a 20 year recently retired elementary school teacher. I've had the privilege of teaching and learning along with students, colleagues and parents and know first hand the challenges facing our youngest students and those teaching them. I chose to teach this level because foundational skills in the early years are critical for students. Ensuring long term academic and life success depends on knowing how to read!

As a classroom teacher, I recognized the importance of family engagement and creatively sought ways to involve families, particularly those with scheduling challenges. I taught before Covid, during Covid and post Covid. I'm keenly aware of the learning loss and mental health issues our students continue to face because of this experience. As a district, we must continue to work diligently to address both types of losses.

As a board member, I will continue working with families to engage with their schools and the school board to ensure their voices are heard in decision making and program implementation. We are, as a society, obligated to educate our children to prepare them to step into the adult roles that await them. Our state constitution guarantees our children an equitable and free education. As a board member, I will strive to ensure we meet that obligation in CMS.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Collaborating with county commissioners and local law enforcement, I will work to ensure our diverse campuses are equipped with safety protocols that meet their unique needs.
Early identification and appropriate interventions for students struggling with mental health issues is critical to prevent the tragic later consequences so many of our students and families face. To do so, we must increase the number of school based counselors. Their time should be protected to ensure students, parents and teachers are fully supported as they work to help children develop the resiliency and skill set needed to face the challenges before them.
Recruiting and respecting teachers is crucial for retaining our classroom teachers. I am proud to advocate for teachers because they are on the front line to providing students with a quality education. They deserve our gratitude and support. As a board member I will work with county commissioners to seek creative ways to ensure all teachers are appropriately compensated within the constraints established by the state salary structure. As a recent retiree, I am quite familiar with how board decisions impact classroom teachers and their students. I will be a voice for teachers and students representing their needs when decisions are made by the board.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally committed to social justice which is fundamental to the mission of public education. Schools must be spaces where fairness, equity, and respect guide how we serve every child.

Every student should be valued for who they are and provided with the resources and support they need to succeed.
Policies and practices must be equitable, addressing disparities across race, income, language, and ability.

Curriculum and instruction reflect diversity, giving students both the pride of seeing themselves represented and the perspective of understanding others.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

While many historical figures inspire me with their selfless dedication to social causes, it is a personal acquaintance whose fundamental humanity I strive to emulate. Born before the Great Depression, my aunt lived through three wars and numerous global conflicts, witnessing scientific and technological advancements that transformed daily life. She outlived most of her friends and family, including her husband, her only sibling (my father), and two of her three adult children—one lost to long battle with cancer, the other to heatstroke after his retirement.
Her life was characterized by unfailing kindness and respect for everyone; I never heard her utter an unkind word about anyone. She faced her profound losses with remarkable bravery, remaining gentle and never succumbing to bitterness. She was also funny, an amazing baker, a wonderfully loving parent and aunt, and always a good listener. Although her life might be considered unremarkable, these qualities make her a profound role model for me. She demonstrated that treating each other with humanity is what truly makes the world a better place.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

For me, personal integrity is the foundation of public service. Integrity goes beyond simply following the law—it means acting with honesty, accountability, and ethical responsibility in every decision.

I believe that honesty builds trust, accountability ensures transparency, and ethical behavior guides us to do what is right, even when it is difficult. As a school board member, I will hold myself to the highest standards by being open with the community, taking responsibility for decisions, and ensuring that our policies reflect both fairness and respect for those we serve.

Public trust is earned through consistent actions, not words alone. My commitment is to lead with integrity so that every student, family, and educator knows their voices matter and their school system is governed with fairness and care.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility of any school board member is to provide students with a quality and equitable education. A school board member is accountable to the citizens of Mecklenburg County. The board must provide opportunities for the public to participate in the development and implementation of policies. The board must collaborate with other local governing entities to ensure resource allocation and policy development support all students, ensuring the equitable access to education opportunities.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to be remembered as someone who helped people live their best lives by celebrating cultural differences, standing up for social justice and ensuring that the least of us are valued and supported.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I vividly remember the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was in 3rd grade.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I babysat and provided full childcare for working parents during summers. I began this at age 11 and continued this, in addition to retail employment through high school.

What is your favorite book? Why?

There is no single favorite. I read a wide range of fiction and enjoy reading non-fictional history books. Favorite fiction authors include John Steinbeck, Kristen Hannah, Jodi Picoult, Barbara Kingsolver, Celeste Ng, Dashiell Hammet, David Balducci, Taylor Jenkins Ried, John Meacham, Doris Kearns Goodwin

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I was raised in a dysfunctional home but I was determined to be a teacher. This determination was what motivated me to improve my life through education, becoming the first person in my family to go to college.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

Their key responsibility is to ensure students are provided with a quality and equitable education. To do so, the school board is responsible for oversight of the school district including budget development, policy establishment, review and implementation, student assignment decisions and hiring/supervising the Superintendent.

Who are your constituents?

School board decisions impact all students, staff and the public collectively, therefore, the entire county is every board member's constituent. District members are elected to provide a direct connection to the board and should be a visible presence in their district.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

Equitable educational support for students, their families, communities, and CMS staff is paramount. To achieve this, a comprehensive understanding of specific needs is essential, accomplished through:

1) Stakeholder Engagement: Meetings with stakeholders to hear their concerns/ideas to identify needs and develop corresponding resources.
2) Data Analysis: Detailed examination of individual and overall student performance data and staff feedback data to pinpoint achievement gaps and related needs. This may require the acquisition of additional data through surveys, focus groups, etc.
3) Facility Review: Individual review of school facilities to identify gaps in support services, available technology, and other factors impacting student outcomes and teacher/staff satisfaction.

Based on these findings, specific, detailed plans with clear success criteria, measurable achievement goals, and allocated resources can be developed, shared with constituents, and implemented to address identified needs in tangible and meaningful ways.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

There are a variety of organizations and groups that engage and support our schools. District 5 includes faith communities, Cities in Schools, various Charlotte business partners by area (Southpark City Partners), specific Rotary Clubs, neighborhood associations, organizations that connect directly to underserved populations and organizations that provide volunteer tutoring supports such as the Augustine Literary Project and HeartMath.

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

Effective Teaching Practices:

Fostering a Positive Learning Environment: Teachers should cultivate an inclusive classroom where students actively participate in establishing norms, ensuring a positive social and learning experience for everyone.

Building Parent-Caregiver Partnerships: Regular communication and conferences with parents and caregivers are crucial for supporting student success.

Setting High Academic Expectations: Teachers should encourage and maintain rigorous academic standards for all students.

Differentiated Instruction: Curriculum delivery should be varied to cater to diverse student learning styles.

Promoting Student Interests: Provide opportunities for students to explore and pursue their individual learning passions.

Mastery of Foundational Skills: Utilize a range of assessment and observational tools to ensure students grasp core skills and curriculum and demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge and skills in more demanding learning opportunities.

Subject Matter Expertise and Continuous Improvement: Teachers should possess a strong understanding of their subject matter and continually seek out and evaluate new tools and materials to enhance learning.
Respect and Inclusivity: Demonstrate respect for all students and their families.
Embracing Innovation: Continuously strive to learn and implement new tools to improve student learning.

Measuring Effectiveness:

Teacher and material effectiveness can be assessed through a combination of student observation, direct assessment of specific skills and comprehension using various tools that provide a comprehensive view of student progress, and student feedback.

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

I will continue to raise public awareness of the need to adequately fund our schools. This can be done through sharing data regarding current funding levels and demonstrating the improvements to be gained by increasing funding.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

All students and staff deserve to be safe in their schools. Humans perform best when they feel safe in their environment and it is incumbent upon schools districts and communities to ensure safety protocols meet the individual needs of each school facility.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

Teens are dealing with significant mental health challenges and too frequently, elect drastic solutions to resolve their issues. I will advocate for early identification and interventions of mental health concerns for younger students to teach them coping mechanisms and strategies that will enable them to respond to issues in positive and healthy ways. This will involve lowering the student to counselor ratios, protecting counselor time allowing them to focus efforts on student and family needs. Allowing mental health days as excused sick days can provide teachers and staff opportunities to practice self care and access to the professional support systems provided by the district.

What existing district policies would you like to change, or what new policies would you like to implement?

We must carefully consider alternative consequences to suspension and expulsion as ways to manage student behavior. It is essential to implement consequences that improve behavior, keep students in school, and foster the students’ ability to self-regulate. These consequences should include implementing positive alternatives that are supported by frequent check-ins with appropriate staff. Such check-ins would provide students with opportunities to reflect and identify strategies to improve their ability to handle frustrations and circumstances that led to poor behavior choices.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg; NC State Representative Julia Greenfield; Mecklenburg County Commissioner Laura Meiers; Juan Diego "JD" Mauera Arias - City Council D4 representative elect; Moms Demand Action-Gun Sense Candidate; LGBTQ+ Excellent Rating

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

A supportive educational environment should cultivate a community where students collaborate to achieve their individual academic goals as well as encouraging communal efforts to meet individual, group and school goals. Students should be involved in efforts to establish a peaceful and respectful learning atmosphere that values diversity and actively seeks ways to positively contribute to the wider school community. Extended learning opportunities should include engagement with out of school resources via field trips, classroom visitors and projects that expose students to business, cultural and social support entities. Such an environment should also offer individualized learning opportunities to help students meet their educational objectives.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

Accessibility is key. Parents and school PTO/PTA organizations must be kept informed as well as solicited for their input on anything related to their students' educational experience. I will be an active presence in D5 schools, establish regular area parent meetings and seek opportunities to connect with parents in ways that meet their scheduling needs. I will provide personal contact information and continue to adhere to the 24 hour response policy required of CMS teachers and staff.

What are your preferred strategies for faculty, staff, and administration recruitment?

As a corporate staffing specialist, I developed and managed a college recruitment program that included identifying, developing and maintaining relationships with post-secondary schools that offered programs that met our desired hiring profiles; providing intern experiences throughout the company, and developing a hiring pool for our field offices. Recruitment efforts should include connecting to college students through placement offices and fraternal organizations to encourage the pursuit of careers in education and supporting students' efforts to obtain state licensure and other hiring criteria. We should review the application, transfer and hiring processes for all potential staff to ensure the processes are simple, direct and equitable as well as consistently followed.

Are there any areas of school curriculum you would like to see changed?

Performance standards should be reviewed to ensure alliance to developmental and sequential learning guidelines. Appropriate elementary reading and math curriculum should reflect these standards.

What role should artificial intelligence have in your school district?

Understanding and appropriate use of technology should begin at a developmentally appropriate age. It is incumbent that schools provide guidance and instructions on the use of AI as well as other technical tools.

Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?

I've heard many memorable stories. I'm honored that people feel safe and want to share their stories with me.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

I know that in my career and personal experiences, I helped many children in countless ways. My work with young children eclipses everything else I've ever done except parenting.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 5, 2025

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 5, 2025

[1]

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Cynthia Stone

Contents

Biography

Elections

2025

General election

General election for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education District 5

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

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