Kelvin Washington is ending his campaign for the Ward C seat on the Waynesboro School Board, amid revelations of actions on the part of supporters to advance false accusations against his opponent, the incumbent in Ward C, Debra Freeman.
“As I reflect on this week’s events, I’ve come to learn much about what has taken place, and I am deeply saddened by conversations, actions, and decisions made by many this week,” Washington said in a statement that he sent to AFP Saturday morning.
“Personally, I desire to see a clean campaign, one which does not involve dirty politics and what took place this week,” Washington said in the statement, which we will reproduce in its entirety along with this story.
“There have been false allegations, misinformation, and conversations that have caused real harm. As a leader, I think it’s important to take responsibility when anything happens within your jurisdiction and proximity of your campaign,” Washington said.
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This is fallout from an online video posted, and since deleted, by a now-former Washington supporter, Dewan Bellamy, a local political activist, in which Bellamy asserted that Freeman had left her job as the director of a local homeless shelter over an embezzlement allegation, which the chair of the board of the homeless shelter, Brian Edwards, emphatically asserted in a Facebook post on behalf of the organization, Waynesboro Area Refuge Ministry, was not true.
Bellamy told AFP that he had been fed the accusation involving Freeman by Chanda McGuffin-Tucker, a political ally of Washington and the head of a local social justice nonprofit, RISE, and provided evidence to that effect through screenshots of digital conversations between the two.
When confronted with that evidence, McGuffin-Tucker acknowledged that Bellamy “made comments based on his and my conversation,” and that Washington had nothing to do with the matter.
Washington, for his part, told us on Friday that going forward, McGuffin-Tucker would “not have any affiliation” with his campaign.
By Saturday, Washington had decided to end his campaign altogether.
“As new information came to me this week, like many others, I learned more about what took place and how it impacted real decisions, conversations, and caused chaos. That’s unacceptable and Waynesboro, our students, and community leaders deserve better,” he said in his statement.
“At this juncture, I am formally announcing that I am ending my campaign for Waynesboro City School Board for Ward C. While my name will remain on the ballot, even if elected, I will not accept the position,” Washington said.
“I’m sorry for anyone who has been hurt by this campaign. I believe campaigns should build trust and confidence in the community, and right now, I believe the best decision is to put our children first and omit any distractions from the conversation, because they deserve better. I have no desire to participate in a campaign involved in this week’s tragedy, and I personally believe it’s best to remove myself from the School Board race.”
Full statement
In May 2026, I made the decision to run for Waynesboro City School Board, as a citizen with a desire to make an impact in our city and help improve the educational landscape of our great city. During this campaign, we’ve had the opportunity to speak with citizens and leaders about the opportunity of creating better learning environments for our students. As the campaign has gone on, we’ve made an impact and encouraged citizens to get involved and participate in conversations about our local schools. I’m truly proud of that effort made to advocate for our students, teachers, and the greater Waynesboro community.
As I reflect on this week’s events, I’ve come to learn much about what has taken place, and I am deeply saddened by conversations, actions, and decisions made by many this week. Personally, I desire to see a clean campaign, one which does not involve dirty politics and what took place this week. There have been false allegations, misinformation, and conversations that have caused real harm. As a leader, I think it’s important to take responsibility when anything happens within your jurisdiction and proximity of your campaign.
As new information came to me this week, like many others, I learned more about what took place and how it impacted real decisions, conversations, and caused chaos. That’s unacceptable and Waynesboro, our students, and community leaders deserve better.
First, I’d like to say that my opponent, Ms. Debra Freeman, deserves better than the treatment she received this week. I’ve sat down with Ms. Freeman on multiple occasions and believe she desires to be a faithful community advocate and her service shows her intent to do what is best for the children of our community. I’m sorry the race got to such a low point this week where your reputation and record of service were publicly questioned. You deserve better. I am sorry for any mistreatment you’ve received because of decisions made in affiliation with my campaign.
Second, I’d like to address Mr. Bellamy. I agree a person’s reputation means much. The conversations you’ve shared details how you received information that falsely gave you confidence in making the video content. I’m frustrated that my campaign played a role in the reception of information and for that, I’m sorry. Although I did not give a directive, I’ll take responsibility for any misinformation that has come from my campaign. In my statement to AFP on Mr. Bellamy, I did not have details on the conversations that took place, nor was I aware of the sourcing of the information. It seems that Mr. Bellamy acted based on the information given to him or observed elsewhere; his intent was not to be libelous. I hope anyone will own any false accusations made against Mr. Bellamy throughout this entire process, because prior to his first video, his reputation was publicly questioned, which played a role in, but does not excuse, the series of events afterwards. Mr. Bellamy deserves that respect. I’m sorry for your need to defend your name based on this week’s events. You deserve better, too.
Third, I’d like to apologize to the entire Waynesboro community. Waynesboro deserves leadership who owns mistakes and takes responsibility when things under their jurisdiction are mishandled. I want Waynesboro to be a better place with everyone but that begins with leadership that takes responsibility and addresses situations when they take place. I’ve run my campaign on a platform about leadership and responsibility because its paramount to any institution, and with leadership there comes accountability.
At this juncture, I am formally announcing that I am ending my campaign for Waynesboro City School Board for Ward C. While my name will remain on the ballot, even if elected, I will not accept the position. I’m sorry for anyone who has been hurt by this campaign. I believe campaigns should build trust and confidence in the community, and right now, I believe the best decision is to put our children first and omit any distractions from the conversation, because they deserve better. I have no desire to participate in a campaign involved in this week’s tragedy, and I personally believe it’s best to remove myself from the School Board race.
As a leader, I always want to be true to my convictions and principles and what has taken place this week does not align with them. I’d like to thank the community members and leaders who have supported this campaign. I know some might disagree with my decision, but this decision is about leadership and principle. I have no desire to participate in political games. People are important, and their lives should not be played with. We truly need a Giant standard. I wish Ms. Freeman the best as she continues to lead during a critical moment in the history of Waynesboro Public Schools.
Dr. Kelvin Washington
Statement from Debra Freeman
I acknowledge Dr. Washington’s decision to step away from the race and appreciate his apology for the hurt this week has caused. As we agreed, I wish the focus had stayed on the issues and our community’s future, rather than on one another.
I hope we can move forward in the spirit of “Hospitality in the Valley” and “Where Good Nature Comes Naturally,” values I grew up knowing in Waynesboro.
I was saddened to see both WARM and the Boys & Girls Club referenced this past week. WARM was especially affected by the events. Both organizations have served our community for many years and continue to do important work. As WARM prepares for winter shelter season and continues providing vital temporary housing to local families, it deserves our community’s support. Once my final campaign expenses are covered, I plan to donate any eligible funds left to WARM. I also encourage Dr. Washington to consider donating any eligible surplus from his campaign to WARM.
I’ll be holding a couple of meet-and-greets to hear from neighbors as we move forward. I’m finalizing the dates, times, and locations now, so please check back here and at VoteDebra2026.com for details. I remain open to Dr. Washington’s concerns and ideas, and to working with him and others who care about our schools as we move the division forward together.
There’s progress worth building on, and there are still improvements to make. I’m looking forward to continuing that work with our community.
Debra Freeman
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Chris Graham
