Let me be abundantly clear: partisan politics don’t belong on our school board. The state of TN has seen to it that our local elections can be partisan. In fact, we’re one of 7 states that allow that. Ridiculous.

So why not run as an independent? Four years ago, my opponent ran a simple campaign:

“I = Democrat”

So if I ran as an independent I’d be labeled as a Democrat anyway. I might as well embrace it.

But also, we’re in this because the Wilson County Republican Party has requested primaries. That’s the trigger for partisan elections since they aren’t mandatory. A political party has to declare a primary. So here we are.

In life we’re presented with a variety of options, and who’s to say where I’d be if different choices were made. After high school I knew I wanted to do education - and part of waffling of majors was deciding what I wanted to teach.

It began as Theater. Then shifted to History. Then for a brief semester, Pre-Med… until a professor failed his entire chemistry lab and I lost my spot in Organic Chemistry.

I wound up graduating with degrees in Accounting & Finance. But the one thing that has stayed was my desire to teach. I tutored, volunteered in my community, and helped student achieve during my entire time in school.

After graduating I wound up in Cyber Security where I continued to approach my customer conversations from an educational perspective. I’d prepare briefings and demos based on industry trends. I’d discuss latest research findings. I’d educate them to make the best decisions possible.

So it feels natural that my entire collegiate and professional career has routed me to this moment where I can take Wilson County to a greater level of educational excellence than it has ever seen.

Right now: I need input, perspective, and opposing viewpoints. Discussions on how we can change policy, how we can better support our teachers, and how we can better support our parents.

The easiest way right now would be through email: Michael@Michael4TN.com