Five candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination for the Memphis-Shelby County School Board District 9 seat in Tuesday’s state and county primary.¶
That includes the current incumbent, Joyce Dorse-Coleman.¶
The Tennessee Firefly has put together a breakdown of their qualifications, experience, and goals if elected. No Republican candidate qualified to be on the ballot for the seat, so Tuesday’s winner will represent District 9.¶
Joyce Dorse Coleman
Joyce Dorse Coleman is running for re-election on a platform focused on safety, equity, and strong school communities, and as a “proven advocate” for students, according to her Facebook page. She hopes to offer consistency at a time when the future of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) is uncertain due to state intervention.¶
“As the District 9 School Board Member, I am proud of the many ways we have come together as a community to help our children thrive,” Dorse-Coleman said in a Facebook post. “From supporting our schools and uplifting our educators, to showing up for families and creating opportunities for student success, this work has always been bigger than one person; (it) takes all of us.”¶
Coleman is leaning on her experience as the current District 9 representative and her “proven leadership,” commitment to progress, and her pledge to fight back against state intervention efforts.¶
“When a community stands together, our children benefit,” Dorse-Coleman said. “They see love, support, leadership, and commitment in action. I am grateful for every parent, teacher, staff member, community partner, volunteer, and neighbor who continues to pour into District 9. Together, we are helping shape brighter futures, stronger schools, and greater opportunities for every child.”¶
Dr. Tamara Jordan
Dr. Tamara Jordan has been a teacher, instructional coach, dean, assistant principal, and principal throughout her career, and she emphasizes that hands-on experience makes her qualified to represent District 9.¶
“My passion for investing in our inner-city youth led me to establish an educational nonprofit that provides guidance, support, and opportunities for Memphis communities, in response to the growing needs in our city,” Jordan said in a post on her campaign website.¶
Jordan earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Memphis, a master’s degree in education-Leadership from Christian Brothers University, an MBA from the University of Phoenix, and a Doctor of Education from Freed-Hardeman University. She is also the president of Memphis Women Aiming High Incorporated (MWAH).¶
“As your Shelby County School Board member, I am committed to working with educational stakeholders to ensure students have the resources they need to succeed, while amplifying community voices—because without your voices, we are not a community,” Jordan continued in the post.¶
Jonathan Carroll
Jonathan Carroll moved to Memphis more than 30 years ago and “fell in love with the city,” according to a post on his Facebook page. He is a volunteer with Leadership and Educational Equity, an organization that advocates for equal access and opportunities for students. He was formerly the Legislative Affairs and Resolutions Chair for the Tennessee PTA.¶
He prides himself on being a product of public schools and is running on a platform that champions his ability to work well in a group setting and emphasizes collective efforts to right the ship at MSCS and subvert possible state intervention, rather than focusing on how he can help as an individual.¶
“Jon is running to lead a stronger MSCS for every student,” A post on his campaign website reads. “He knows that none of us is as smart as all of us, and that we must come together and work to make a better District 9 together. He'll prioritize streamlining the budget, increasing funding for pre-K, and improving teacher recruitment and retention.”¶
Louis M. Morganfield III
Louis M. Morganfield III is currently the building engineer at Ida B. Wells Academy and advocates for small class sizes across the district to mirror the system in place there. Part of his campaign involves taking Joyce Dorse-Coleman head-on on her experience as the MSCS District 9 incumbent. He is focusing on “vision from the bottom up,” according to one of his Facebook posts.¶
“I believe every child deserves a great education, every parent deserves a voice, and every teacher deserves support,” Morganfield said in a post on his Facebook page. “For too long, families have been left out of the conversation. I'm running to change that - with vision from the bottom up, not politics from the top down.”¶
Morganfield also refers to the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) 2023 intervention into the Houston Independent School District (HISD) as “a warning” and states that Memphis will be at serious risk of teachers leaving the district in droves. He also pointed out his belief that the state’s intervention efforts harken back to the Jim Crow era of the Deep South.¶
“Since Reconstruction, Jim Crow, (and the Civil Rights movement), people of color have always had to deal with race in politics,” Morganfield said in a Facebook post. “And the Nashville Republicans will continue to do it with the (gerrymandering) of Shelby County.”¶
Damon Curry Morris
Damon Curry Morris stands out as the only MSCS District 9 candidate in favor of possible state intervention, and he regularly attends school board meetings to offer commentary on decisions. In 1999, he began working as a substitute teacher in Memphis City Schools and served as a behavioral specialist for 12 years at Treadwell Middle School.¶
Morris was arrested last August outside a school board meeting for violating a restraining order against him by MSCS board member Stephanie Love, though he called it a “ploy” to keep him from running for election. He is concerned about the district's uncertainty as it moves forward amid looming state intervention.¶
“We don’t know how our district is going to look like moving forward,” Morris said in an interview for the YouTube show Real Talk with Tamara. “It really is a fundamental change that is coming to this county. Now, does the change need to happen with us? Yes. I'm still standing (for) access for all partnerships with the district (and) a local governance, all-hands approach to education.”¶
