NC college trustee resigns following Facebook post on race calling for ‘purge’
A Stanly Community College board member has resigned following controversy about his comments on race posted to Facebook last week.
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In the post, Kelly Lowder complained of “double standards” for white and Black people when it comes to saying racial slurs and warned of “really, really, really bad” outcomes if white people “lose” in the U.S., comparing it to several Black-majority countries.
He also called for a worldwide “purge.” In a follow-up comment, he clarified “a lot of dumb people” mistook what he meant. Lowder later made the post private.
Lowder submitted his resignation to the board Thursday after The Charlotte Observer first reported on the post Tuesday afternoon.
“In a called meeting this afternoon, the Stanly Community College Board of Trustees accepted Trustee Kelly Lowder’s resignation from the Board,” Stanly Community College Board of Trustees told the Observer in an emailed statement Thursday evening. “We thank Trustee Lowder for his service and will now work with the North Carolina General Assembly as it follows policy and procedures to select a new Board member.”
The North Carolina General Assembly appointed Lowder to the board of trustees in 2024, with a term ending in 2028. As of Friday morning, Lowder had been removed from the college’s website as a listed trustee.
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Dexter Townsend sits on the Albemarle City Council and is a member of Stanly County’s NAACP. He’s also an alumnus of Stanly Community College.
Townsend previously told the Observer he felt the post was “inappropriate” from a board member meant to represent the institution and uphold its mission of serving all students.
He sent a letter to the Stanly Community College President John Enamait calling for Lowder’s resignation and requested it be forwarded to the Board Chair Lisa Burris, Townsend told the Observer Friday. However, Townsend said he doesn’t know what impact that had on Lowder’s decision to resign.
Enamait notified staff of Lowder’s resignation in an email Thursday afternoon, which a recipient shared with the Observer.
“I want to acknowledge the value that each of you brings to this college, our students and the community we represent,” it stated. “I commend you for your efforts in creating a welcoming environment for all who step foot on our campus.”
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This story was originally published July 31, 2026 at 9:44 AM.
