07/17/2026
For most of my twelve years on the Williamson County School Board, our elections were nonpartisan. Today they are partisan, and I understand why many voters begin by looking at the "R" or the "D" beside a candidate's name. But local government is different: national and state politics shape broad policy, while school board members are elected to exercise independent judgment on behalf of students, parents, teachers, and taxpayers. A party label can tell you something about a candidate's philosophy. It should never replace evaluating that person's record.
Once local school board elections became partisan, I decided to apply the same standard to supporting candidates that I apply to governing: judgment and accountability, put to use on behalf of Williamson County Schools, its students, and its families, not party loyalty for its own sake. It's why I cannot support Donna Clements' re-election, and it's why I'm endorsing both Kimberly Calcote in District 6 and Cory Martin in District 8.
After serving alongside Donna, I've reached my conclusion about her re-election. Not because of a personal disagreement, and not because we've voted differently on every issue. We've agreed many times over the years. But leadership is measured by the willingness to make difficult decisions and accept responsibility for them, and on the most consequential decision of this term, Donna did not.
In June, the board took up whether to extend Superintendent Jason Golden's contract. Donna made the case against extension herself, citing fairness to the incoming board and flat evaluation scores. When a motion came up to simply defer the decision, she abstained. Then, when the board voted on the extension itself, she abstained again. She offered no explanation in the room either time.
That was more than a procedural choice, and it happened twice, not once. If you believe a contract should be extended, vote for it. If you don't, vote against it. Advocating for a position and then declining to be counted on it, on both the deferral and the substantive vote, is not caution. It's avoiding accountability for a position already taken publicly.
Her own stated reasoning doesn't hold up, either. Flat evaluation scores are a reason to vote no on extension, not a reason to defer the decision, and certainly not a reason to abstain. She gave the board a substantive case against extension, then seconded a motion that reasoning didn't support, then declined to vote on either the motion or the extension itself. Afterward, she gave the Williamson Herald a different explanation for her position, a procedural concern about the vote's timing relative to the election, that wasn't part of what she said in the room. Neither explanation answers for declining to vote.
I generally believe Republicans should support Republican candidates. But for local school board races, I'd ask voters to apply one additional test: does this candidate have the best interests of our schools and our students at heart, ahead of any other agenda? On that test, I believe Cory Martin is the better choice for District 8. Williamson County Schools deserves board members whose day-to-day stake in this district matches the seat they're asking to hold, and whose votes match the positions they've stated publicly. I encourage you, District 8, to look closely at both candidates before casting your vote.
That same standard is exactly why I support Kimberly Calcote, the Republican candidate for District 6. Kimberly has fought for our kids, including advocating for K-12 recess at the state level. She's a friend and a fellow conservative, but it's her record on behalf of students that makes her the right choice for District 6. She will say what she means and mean what she says, on behalf of the students and families of WCS. This was never about party, it's about who actually shows up for our students when it counts, and Kimberly has shown up.
To my friends in District 8: don't feel you need to vote strictly along party lines. Do your homework, and if you want to talk it through, reach out to me. I'm happy to discuss this with you in more detail.
To my constituents in District 6: I'm humbled to have had the opportunity to serve you these past twelve years. I hope you'll trust my judgment one more time and support Kimberly Calcote to continue that representation on the school board.
