Pamela Zanni
District 81
Davidson County

WHY I'M RUNNING Entering politics was never part of my retirement plan. But with my husband and friends still in the classroom, and my granddaughter preparing to start kindergarten, I knew I couldn’t sit this out. After 31 years in North Carolina public schools, I have lived through every so-called “reform,” every budget cut, every increase in teacher accountability — and I have watched a once-respected education system be pushed to the bottom. Teachers’ voices are ignored. The profession has been devalued. I kept waiting for someone to stand up for our schools, our teachers, and our students. When that didn’t happen, I realized I had to be that person. This election is about my family, my former colleagues, and every child in North Carolina. MY CAREER IN EDUCATION I taught for 31 years, from 1994 to 2025, serving students in grades 6–12 across two school systems. Most of my career was spent teaching middle school English Language Arts and science, with several years teaching high school English and journalism. Middle school has always been my happy place. People told me I was crazy to love it — but thousands of educators like me choose those years because that’s where students need steady, committed adults the most. I was proud to be one of them. MY ROOTS IN DAVIDSON COUNTY I spent my career in Davidson and Guilford Counties, and Davidson County is home. I may not have been born here, but this is where my heart is. I taught at Brown Middle School early in my career and returned years later to Ledford Middle School, where I retired. Every student I ever taught mattered to me — and once you’re my student, you’re my student for life. This community raised my family and shaped my career, and I carry that responsibility with me. WHAT I WILL BRING TO THE NC HOUSE: If elected, I will be a voice for my community — and I will be heard. Davidson County families deserve a representative who listens, responds, and stands up for them, not one who ignores constituents to satisfy party leadership. I will vote with the Constitution as my guide and with the real needs of my district front and center. I speak my mind, I ask hard questions, and I don’t shy away from discomfort when something is wrong. This work is about my grandchildren, our schools, and restoring North Carolina’s commitment to public education. We can — and must — do better.