“Sign up for Chalkbeat Tennessee’s free newsletter to keep up with statewide education policy and Memphis-Shelby County Schools. Two Democratic candidates will compete for the Memphis school board District 8 nomination in the first district political primary this spring. Ayleem Connolly, a former MSCS teacher and language department chair, and Tanya Frey, who’s spent over 20 years as an employment and nonprofit lawyer, will appear on the May 5 primary ballot. A third independent candidate, MSCS school librarian Leigh Ann Scarbrough, will challenge the Democratic nominee in the Aug. 6 general election. Early voting in the primary begins on April 15. The District 8 seat will be vacated by Amber Huett-Garcia as she makes a bid for county commissioner. The winning candidate will likely face the effects of an impending state takeover led by Tennessee Republican lawmakers to strip the local school board of its main responsibilities. District 8 covers 10 schools , including the White Station and Kate Bond buildings, that serve around 9,500 students. Less than half of those students come from low income families, which is a rarity in Memphis-Shelby County Schools, and less than 60% are Black. The region is split in two, encompassing East Memphis and Shelby Farms along with the Northeast corner of the county above Bartlett and Lakeland. Its schools significantly outperform district averages in reading and math proficiency at around 40% proficient for each. Only one school , the Dexter School, falls below the district proficiency averages by a few percentage points. Use our interactive map to see if you’ll be voting in this district based on your home address. And read full responses from District 8 candidates to a Chalkbeat survey here: Ayleem Connolly Connolly taught in MSCS from 2015 through 2023 as a Spanish teacher in Oakhaven, Trezevant, and East high schools. She served as East High’s language department chair for two years. As someone who grew up in the Dominican Republic before moving to Memphis in 2014, Connolly is passionate about expanding access to postsecondary education, especially for immigrant students and families. “A lot of students approached me as a teacher looking for secondary education, but because they were undocumented, they didn’t have access to it,” she said. Connolly wants to make a comprehensive guide listing scholarships and programs that support immigrant families. She also wants to invest more in student support services, including mental health interventions, and expand paid parental leave for teachers from six to 12 weeks. “It personally affected my family. It put financial constraints,” she said. “You need to use your sick days and disability to cover for the remaining time.” Most important MSCS issue to address: Student well-being “I would focus on serving the children: improving children’s personal well-being, including nutrition, mental health services, and protection from overzealous federal law enforcement. Teachers cannot teach a child who is in distress — and psychological distress is all too common today.” Tanya Frey Frey has worked as a Memphis-based lawyer for 21 years, with time spent at Autozone and ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. She now runs Terra Firma Consulting, an organization that advises nonprofits on leadership decisions. That means she advises boards in her daily role. “And I’m advising CEOs on how to hold members of boards accountable, build their boards to make them better,” she said. “Those are skills that matter when you are serving on a board, particularly of this capacity.” Frey has three sons who went to Richland Elementary school, one of whom is a junior at East High. The eldest graduated from Middle College High School, and the youngest attends a Germantown public school called Houston High. She says it’s important for the school board to set clear academic goals and funnel money into the classroom. “Every decision should come back to one question: Does this lead to better outcomes for students?” Frey said. Most important MSCS issue to address: Board governance “We have strong educators and real progress, but not enough clarity or consistency across the system. The board’s role is to set clear priorities, align resources, and stay focused on what improves results for students.That’s the work I do every day — helping boards stay focused, make clear decisions, and staying accountable to the organizations they serve.” Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.
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