Nashville school board members endorse Berthena Nabaa-McKinney over incumbent in District 4 race

Meghan Mangrum, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read

Six Metro Nashville school board members are endorsing current board member John Little's opponent in this year's District 4 race.

Board chair Christiane Buggs and five of her colleagues announced their support for Democratic candidate Berthena Nabaa-McKinney Tuesday ahead of the May 3 county primary.

"As current school board members, we know firsthand the importance of having board colleagues who understand the unique strengths and opportunities for MNPS," the board members wrote in a statement. "We previously worked with Dr. B when she last served on the board and in her time there, she was a fierce advocate for the Donelson, Hermitage, and Old Hickory communities."

Berthena Nabaa-Mckinney, candidate for Nashville School Board, District 4
Berthena Nabaa-Mckinney, candidate for Nashville School Board, District 4

Vice chair Rachael Anne Elrod and board members Sharon Gentry, Emily Masters, Gini Pupo-Walker and Abigail Tylor also signed off on the endorsement.

Meet the District 4 candidates: Incumbent John Little faces advocate, former appointed member in school board District 4 primary

Nabaa-McKinney, a former Metro Nashville Public Schools educator and current Parent Advisory Council member, served on the board for three months in 2020 after the Metro Council temporarily appointed her to fill the seat left vacant by the unexpected death of Anna Shepherd in June 2020.

District 4 school board incumbent John Little speaks during a listening session at the Hermitage Branch Nashville Public Library in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 21, 2022.
District 4 school board incumbent John Little speaks during a listening session at the Hermitage Branch Nashville Public Library in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 21, 2022.

Little was elected to the board during a special election in November 2020 and has since often served as a voice of opposition when it comes to charter schools or even siding with parent protesters compared to his colleagues.

At least 16 Metro Council members and the Metro Nashville Education Association's political action committee also have endorsed Nabaa-McKinney.

The board's full endorsement statement of Nabaa-Mckinney:

"As current school board members, we know firsthand the importance of having board colleagues who understand the unique strengths and opportunities for MNPS. This is why we are proud to announce our support for Dr. Berthena Nabaa-McKinney for School Board in District 4. We previously worked with Dr. B when she last served on the board and in her time there, she was a fierce advocate for the Donelson, Hermitage, and Old Hickory communities. Dr. B is a longtime MNPS educator with deep ties to the community. Her experience as well as her personal background as a mom and guardian of 6 children, all of whom either attended or currently attend MNPS schools, show her dedication to this district that we all love. This is why we are supporting Dr. B for School Board in District 4!"

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Meghan Mangrum covers education for the USA TODAY Network — Tennessee. Contact her at mmangrum@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville school board members endorse District 4 incumbent's opponent