Timothy Stephenson said he was told so many times he'd never amount to anything that he started to believe it himself.
In school he was labeled "dumb" for his difficulty with reading. He remembers getting spanked just about every day at school.
It wasn't until high school that teachers tested him and found out he had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia. One of his teachers took an interest in him and his writing, he said, helping him earn a $2,500 scholarship for college.
"If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be sitting where I am today," he said. "They gave me self worth."
Because he'd like to be a champion for children with similar issues, Mr. Stephenson, 45, is a candidate for the District 9 seat on the Hamilton County Board of Education. Incumbent Chester Bankston is running for the Hamilton County Commission.
"We are not going to win the (education) war if we do not get involved (and) make children feel loved, feel worthy, he said.
Mr. Stephenson worked as a substitute teacher in Hamilton County for seven years while his two children were in school. He said special education and gifted students should not be forced to learn in the same classroom since they are at different ability levels, he said.
"The thought was that (special-ed) kids would be more motivated if they were in with the gifted kids, but I know from experience that doesn't work," he said. "You can't force change on an autistic child. I think we need to get back to some of the old-school way we did things."
Students also should be sorted into college preparatory or vocational tracks, he said. He said it's a "great disservice" that Hamilton County now offers only the college prep route.
Mr. Stephenson earned a vocational diploma in high school and began a business degree. He hopes to complete it once his children are done with college, he said.
Timothy StephensonAge: 45Family: Wife, Tracy; son, TJ, 20; daughter, Ashleigh, 17Occupation: Service technician for Ashley Furniture
Mr. Stephenson also said he'd like to see specialized magnet programs available at all schools in Hamilton County.
Lisa Thatch, who has been friends with Mr. Stephenson for about 15 years, said he has a passion for all children getting a good education.
"The best skill you can have (as a school board member) is that of being a father," she said. "He looks at it from a parental standpoint, not a political one."
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