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Times Opinion: Republicans should send someone sensible, like Gary Kuehn, to the school board

Staff Photo / Gary Kuehn, of District 9, frames a question during the agenda session. Listening at left is Rhonda Thurman, of District 1. This was the first meeting of the new Hamilton County School Board with 11 members. The meeting took place at the Hamilton County Schools Central Office's meeting room on the Hickory Valley Road campus on September 15, 2022.
Staff Photo / Gary Kuehn, of District 9, frames a question during the agenda session. Listening at left is Rhonda Thurman, of District 1. This was the first meeting of the new Hamilton County School Board with 11 members. The meeting took place at the Hamilton County Schools Central Office's meeting room on the Hickory Valley Road campus on September 15, 2022. Staff Photo / Gary Kuehn, of District 9, frames a question during the agenda session. Listening at left is Rhonda Thurman, of District 1. This was the first meeting of the new Hamilton County School Board with 11 members. The meeting took place at the Hamilton County Schools Central Office's meeting room on the Hickory Valley Road campus on September 15, 2022.

By Ben Sessoms 1 min read

There are many points of disagreement the Chattanooga Times has with incumbent board member Gary Kuehn, a Republican.

He’s opposed to a tax increase, wanting to make room with current funding to pay teachers more without it — a notion we find hard to believe will pan out.

Kuehn also initially voted against the Centerstone contract, but is happy to keep them in place now that there are faith-based options — an unsatisfactory compromise, but acceptable.

Our reason for endorsement is Kuehn’s opponent, James Walker. Like Sabrina Daniel and Sterling DuPré in the Republican primary for District 8, Walker possesses an ignorance that should be nowhere near the school board.

Like DuPré, Walker didn’t seem to understand the district’s DEI policy, believing it runs counter to meritocracy, to “hiring the best people for the job regardless of anything,” Walker told the Times.