Holly Mathews has announced her intent to run for Coffee County School Board Seat. Her announcement follows as submitted. 

Dear Friends and Neighbors of Coffee County Districts 1, 3 and 4,

I am running for seat 1 on the Coffee County Board of Education. I am a Coffee County native — a 1998 graduate of Coffee County Central High School, and a 2001 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University where I studied business and technology, obtaining a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Computer Information Systems. I am in my 20^th year of employment with Jacobs Technology in Tullahoma. I am also a parent—the mother of Eliza Karaline, who has been enrolled in Coffee County schools for 8 years & is currently a 7th grader at Coffee County Middle School.

I am seeking this position because I believe in public education, and I believe every child should have safe and equal access to a quality and diverse system that will prepare them for life. The challenges faced by our public education system, and specifically by our local educators, in today’s society are many. I am committed to working with the other members of the Coffee County School Board to ensure that the students, parents, teachers and all who reside in my district are represented.

I want you teachers, you parents, and you grandparents, to have access to me and I want you to know I WILL listen, I WILL be your voice & I WILL represent you with absolutely NO personal agenda, but with transparency and accountability. Parents, I want to keep you informed and I want to see you at board meetings, speaking without obstacles before you.

 Safety in our schools should be our highest priority. Nothing comes ahead of actively protecting our children and our teachers. I want to see our system be vigilant in this and proactive rather than reactive. Furthermore, I realize our students’ well-being, along with their emotional and mental health needs, is a critical piece of the solution to our success. It is no secret that our schools have issues with student bullying and school violence. I am committed to navigating the barriers and working with our administrators, our counselors and looking at other systems around the country so that we can defeat this system-wide crisis.

With passion, experience, and conservative values, I hope to earn your vote in the Republican Primary on March 5, 2024. I do not take this commitment lightly, and I am dedicated, if elected, to remaining accessible and transparent to the people of Coffee County—to working with you, to collaborating with you—to make the future brighter for us all.

Citizens of districts 1, 3 and 4, please join me on this journey. I ask for your vote, and TOGETHER, we will build a stronger, safer, and more equitable school system for all.