Khem Irby

Khem Irby (Democratic Party) is a member of the Guilford County Schools school board in North Carolina, representing District 6. She assumed office in 2018. Her current term ends in 2026.

Irby (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the Guilford County Schools school board to represent District 6 in North Carolina. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. She advanced from the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.

Biography

Khem Irby was born in Brooklyn,New York, New York. She served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and earned a bachelor's degree from Barclay College in 2018. Her career experience includes working as an activist, secretary, and after-school teacher.

Irby has been affiliated with the following organizations:^[1]

High Point NAACP
NC Black Leadership & Organizing Collective
PTA
Parents Across America
Cedar Grove Tabernacle of Praise in Greensboro
Greater New Hope Baptist Church in High Point

Elections

2026

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

General election for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Incumbent Khem Irby (D) and Maritza Gomez (R) are running in the general election for Guilford County Schools, District 6 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Khem Irby (D)
		Maritza Gomez (R)

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Democratic primary

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

Democratic primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Incumbent Khem Irby (D) defeated Chris Gillespie (D) in the Democratic primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Khem Irby	65.2	3,918
	Submit photo	Chris Gillespie	34.8	2,094

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Source	Total votes: 6,012
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary

The Republican primary scheduled for March 3, 2026, was canceled. Maritza Gomez (R) advanced from the Republican primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6 without appearing on the ballot.

Endorsements

Irby received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

Guilford County Association of Educators

2022

General election

General election for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Incumbent Khem Irby defeated Tim Andrew in the general election for Guilford County Schools, District 6 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Khem Irby (D)	52.6	13,142
	Tim Andrew (R)	47.4	11,825

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 24,967
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Khem Irby advanced from the Democratic primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Tim Andrew defeated Matthew R. Kuennen in the Republican primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6 on May 17, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Tim Andrew	63.7	2,399
	Matthew R. Kuennen	36.3	1,365

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,764
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: Guilford County Schools elections (2018)

General election

General election for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Khem Irby defeated incumbent Wes Cashwell in the general election for Guilford County Schools, District 6 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Khem Irby (D)	51.0	14,434
	Submit photo	Wes Cashwell (R)	49.0	13,849

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 28,283 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Khem Irby defeated Chris Hocker in the Democratic primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6 on May 8, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Khem Irby	56.7	1,528
	Submit photo	Chris Hocker	43.3	1,167

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 2,695
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Irby received an endorsement from the Network for Public Education Action.^[2]

2016

Guilford County Schools, District 6 General Election, 2-year term, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Wes Cashwell	54.66%	18,036
	Democrat	Khem Irby	45.34%	14,960
Total Votes (100)				32,996
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Official General Election Results-Guilford," accessed December 5, 2016

Funding

Irby did not file a campaign finance report with the Guilford County Board of Elections as of November 3, 2016.^[3]

See also: List of school board campaign finance deadlines in 2016

School board candidates in North Carolina were required to file campaign finance reports to their county's board of elections unless the candidate:

(1) Did not receive more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) in contributions, and

(2) Did not receive more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) in loans, and

(3) Did not spend more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).^[4]

The third quarter campaign finance deadline was October 31, 2016, and the fourth quarter deadline was January 11, 2017.^[5]

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

Khem Irby has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Khem Irby asking her to fill out the survey. If you are Khem Irby, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

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You can ask Khem Irby to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing khem4district6@gmail.com.

Campaign website

Irby's campaign website stated the following:

WHY I AM RUNNING
I am running for re-election to represent District 6 on the Guilford County Board of Education because I still believe every child deserves a high-quality education. Our community is stronger when our children are doing well.

MY TOP PRIORITIES
Improving learning outcomes for ever
Recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers and staff
Investing in school safety and mental health programs
Addressing our critical facility needs

— Khem Irby's campaign website (March 12, 2026)

Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

2022

Khem Irby completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Irby's responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

In 2018 Khem D. Irby became the servant-leader for the Guilford County Board of Education upsetting the incumbent of District 6. Khem is married and mother of six children. Recently, Khem was appointed to the national PTA sub-committee for the School of Excellence program. Khem has a 10-year history volunteering in the NYC public school system by serving on various school leadership teams. She was elected as president of the Community Education Council for the largest diverse district in Brooklyn serving over 35 schools. Khem's work for public education has been extensive in collaboration with parents, principals, teachers, superintendents and other elected officials advocating for smaller class sizes, teacher quality and closing opportunity gaps for all learners,. Khem has served on various non-profit boards with a focus on public education. Khem is a proud co-founder of The Mothers' Agenda of NY. Upon moving to Guilford County Khem immediately became involved with the schools and her church. She has not missed a beat in this transition. Four of her children successfully graduated from Guilford County Schools in High Point and Greensboro. Khem is the Co-chair of the Education Committee of the High Point NAACP. As an alumni parent of Penn-Griffin School for the Arts in High Point, she continues to build parent engagement and serve on the leadership team. Khem believes that you must be close to those that you want to serve in order to represent with integrity.

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?

Public education is important to our community. High quality education comes from highly trained educators. Teachers and principals must be retained and given the latitude to lead in education.
School board members are effective when they trust their leader to develop a budget that will keep us on the path of meeting our goals and following a strong strategic plan. Our budget will reflect those priorities.
We must ensure that students are educated with a global lens, know how to think critically about any information they are presented. Parents are respected partners in the educating of their children.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about being able to provide the best possible education with the resources that are given to us. I am committed to working with and advocating along side my colleagues for a greater investment for public good of education. Our policies must show children that we want them to be successful and that we respect and support educators for being the experts in a successful educational system. Policies will show the community that we care about the future of Guilford County, safety in schools, the overall well-being of our staff, educators and students, and ending the pipeline to prison which plagues many school systems around the country. I believe that education is the responsibility of the entire village and it will be successful in this light as we continue to build relationships and invite new partners to the table to share their ideas. I see Guilford County as an up and coming model for families to build a future for success and wealth for those who have been marginalized.

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

I always look to my grandparents for inspiration. My grandparents migrated from the south to New York. My grandfather was a licensed welder and worked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard during the depression. My grandmother worked in a factory operating knitting machines. They both retired, paid off the mortgage of the family house and welcomed anyone who needed help. My grandparents were very active in our church growing up. I was fortunate to live with them growing up, so whatever they were involved in, I was involved in. They were missionaries to those that were sick. I believe I learned how to read because of attending Sunday School and reading the Bible.

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

It is important for an elected official to know that they are accountable to the community for every vote that they make. We should be able to explain why we voted the way we did and what we are thinking about when we vote. We must be available to the community that we serve and if we do not know something we must be resourceful in finding out the answer to questions that our constituents may have. It is not acceptable to say, "I do not know" without saying "But, I will find out and get back to you." We must provide reliable information.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Comer trained consensus decision maker created by Dr. James Comer of Yale University, excellent listener, outgoing, friendly, creative thinker, public speaker

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

My core responsibilities are supporting the superintendent so that he/she can meet our expectations for students. We must make the time to be prepared to handle the business of the district with integrity and honesty. I am an education justice advocate growing into abolitionary work to transform education from a system that was not working for the masses. We must be bold in our reimagination and bold to speak to the powers that may try to hind the transformation of public education.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I hope to serve leaving a legacy that showed the importance of public education and be able to pass it on to the next district leader so that it will continue. I hope that I have been example to my own children in speaking up and caring for those that may be less fortunate. My legacy will show that I am a life-long learner.

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

I can remember Shirley Chisholm's run for the nomination of president. I was eight years old. We read the Daily News in social studies class to keep up with this historical event. She represented the community that I lived in. She was a role model. She planted the seed for many Black children who wanted to be president when they grew up.

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

My first job was in the public sector for the Health and Hospitals system as an office aide in the Dietary Food Department for one of the largest hospitals in NYC. I worked there for two years as my first job two weeks out of high school graduation. I worked as the assistant to the head of the department. The department employed over one hundred employees. It was a union job and I was hired because of the skills I had acquired from high school. The work environment was supportive of me attending college and moving into a career. We were a family. I was the youngest employee at that time to work in that department.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

When We Move, Common
What's Going On - Marvin Gaye

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

It has been a struggle trying to read for enjoyment, exercising every day, and growing nutritious food.

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

As a veteran school board member, I recognize that in order to be effective it requires more than knowing the law of the role. It is important to have a track record of commitment of always pursuing a high quality public education for all children in North Carolina. We make decisions about budgets, superintendent, strategic plans, district goals and policies that are student-centered. We represent a whole community and not one constituent group, we can be honest in our views while always looking to listen to others more carefully. I am always looking to build consensus as much as possible when making board decisions. This means everyone should feel welcomed into the conversation. No one board member can make a decision for the board or direct the superintendent. When the board majority make a decision then it is the will of the entre board.

Who are your constituents?

The constituents of District 6 consist of diverse families, students, parents, immigrants, educators, faith-based organizations, LGBTQIA representing, married, single, taxpayers, divorced, seniors, youth, college students, business owners, other elected officials, non-profits and various voters who are passionate about education and their community. Every student may be represented by one or more of the above groups. I represent the entire District 6. I cannot eliminate anyone.

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

I support the diverse needs of our district by being available via phone, e-mail or in-person. It is important for me to participate in various school and community events that involve families. I support diverse communities by ensuring we are collecting data from them directly. Guilford County is comprised of magnet programs, CTE Signature Academies, Exceptional Children programs/schools, middle colleges, early colleges, and now one virtual school. These choices require educational talent with various degrees of background in areas of expertise in order to be successful in these programs. I support diverse communities by attending community meetings to listen to the concerns that are then conveyed to the superintendent to address. I am a member of the NCPTA Advocacy Committee which allows me to hear about the struggles and best practices of other urban, rural and suburban school communities.

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

As a board member, I have had the opportunity to serve on the Council of Urban Boards of Education which is a sub-committee of the National School Board Association. Our district is also a member of the Council of Great City Schools which represents all of the largest school districts in the United States. I am committed to meeting with anyone who wants to develop solutions, and build on our excellence and innovation. We continue to work with the business chambers, faith organizations and other education mission-minded organizations. Everyone who is a part of the Guilford Community is a target for expanding opportunities to our students.

Do you believe it is important to intentionally recruit with the aim of diversifying the district’s faculty, staff, and administration? If so, what would be your policy to achieve this?

Research has stated that the impact of one educator that can identify with a student's ethnicity is proven to encourage excellence and success in that student's educational experience. Our goals include investing in the developing of our educators through feedback, development, recognition, responsibility, and/or advancement. We continue to advocate for high teacher salaries from the state and increases in teacher supplements from the local government. We are hiring diverse teachers and supporting them in the classroom with mentors. We are creating attractive career pathways that show educators they can move out of the classroom into leadership. When funding allows us to offer pay incentives, we make them available. Since we do not have taxing authority but we advocate for our staff to be given at least the national average as a goal.

What issues get in the way of quality education? How would you address these obstacles?

The entire nation is struggling with learning loss due to the pandemic. It is my hope that if our funding bodies, want to see the full recovery for our children, they will continue to invest in our schools. One of the biggest obstacles is not having taxing authority in our state. We must continue to look for opportunities to fund educational experiences that are not funded by our state allocation. We continue to work with our county commissioners in joint efforts for funding. Our community has been very supportive by passing the largest capital bond in the state to remodel and build new schools. We are addressing capital needs for schools that are over 50 plus years old.

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

Good teaching is measured by the relationships that teachers build with their students. Good teachers are engaging students with what they bring to the conversation and their prior knowledge about a subject or what they may feel or think about a particular subject. Teachers have many tools to use and are willing to learn from their students and families. Teachers recognize that parents are their child's first teachers and that they are natural allies in educating their student. Principals observe teachers and use a proven method in evaluating teachers in the classroom as well as through assessments designed by the teacher and the state. New teachers have licensed experienced teachers for mentors to use as coaches and collaborators. We have created an opportunity for teachers to advance their careers to becoming curriculum facilitators, assistant principals and principals through attending leadership programs with our local universities.

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

We continue to grow apprenticeship programs for students. The business community has expanded these opportunities with our Guilford Apprenticeship Program. We have virtual company tours in the Fall and the Winter for students and parents to see the menu of companies that are offering these programs. The apprenticeship programs help students in their certifications and show students the possibilities in careers. Students are made aware that being college and career ready is a reality.

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

As the Legislative Chair we prioritize the needs of our district. We meet with our Guilford delegation of legislators at least once a year, we meet with other legislators in Raleigh as needed. We also advocate through the North Carolina School Board Association with setting a state wide legislative agenda.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

It is important for us to upgrade our schools so that we can install the needed safety equipment to help keep everyone safe. We must also continue collaborating with out local law enforcement and city councils to build safer communities.

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

There is also a shortage of highly qualified mental health professionals around the country. We have contracted virtual services for our staff and student to access. We were able to use our American Rescue and ESSER Funds to create these opportunities. We will continue to work with our local and state funding bodies to continue offering these services.

What role do you imagine technology playing in (and outside) the classroom in the future? How would you prepare the district for this?

Our district has been proactive with ensuring that we are a true 1-to-1 device district. When we need to be virtual, every student has access to their instruction. We are also working with our university partners to help expand our broadband in the county to our rural areas. During the pandemic we provided Hot Spot Buses. We are building new schools that will have the 21st technology preparing students early for 21st Century careers in technology such as Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. We are creating these programs for our elementary school students.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district? What plans do you have to be inclusive of parental involvement?

Our parent academy is presently being redesigned to meet the needs of parents. I am an active member of PTA on all levels. As we become more post-pandmic it is my desire to have more community chats around District 6 to build relationships with parents. I am also actively sharing important parent engagement information with principals to be shared with their local parent organizations. It is a goal to develop more parent advocates to help with lifting our concerns to the federal, state and local legislators.

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.

External links

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Candidate

Guilford County Schools, District 6

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 11, 2022
↑ Network for Public Education Action, "Khem Irby for District 6, Guilford County School Board," April 4 2018
↑ Guilford County Board of Elections, "Candidate Finance Report Search," accessed November 3, 2016
↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "Chapter 163: Elections And Election Laws, Article 22A - Regulating Contributions and Expenditures in Political Campaigns," accessed February 11, 2016
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Reporting Schedules," accessed October 11, 2016

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 11, 2022

[2] Network for Public Education Action, "Khem Irby for District 6, Guilford County School Board," April 4 2018

[3] Guilford County Board of Elections, "Candidate Finance Report Search," accessed November 3, 2016

[4] General Assembly of North Carolina, "Chapter 163: Elections And Election Laws, Article 22A - Regulating Contributions and Expenditures in Political Campaigns," accessed February 11, 2016

[5] North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Reporting Schedules," accessed October 11, 2016

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Khem Irby

Biography

Elections

2026

General election

General election for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Republican primary

Endorsements

2022

General election

General election for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Democratic primary election

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6

2018

General election

General election for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Guilford County Schools, District 6

Endorsements

2016

Funding

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

Campaign website

WHY I AM RUNNING

I am running for re-election to represent District 6 on the Guilford County Board of Education because I still believe every child deserves a high-quality education. Our community is stronger when our children are doing well.

MY TOP PRIORITIES

2022

See also

External links

Footnotes

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