Image Credit: Activate Hamilton & Canva
Chattanooga, TN — Activate Hamilton, the grassroots conservative organization founded to amplify the voice of the Conservative side of the Republican party in Hamilton County, has announced its endorsement of four candidates for the Hamilton County School Board: Ashley Dillon (District 3), Cindy Fain (District 6), Sterling DuPré (District 8), and James B. Walker (District 9).
Early voting begins Wednesday, April 15 and runs through Thursday, April 30, with Election Day on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
The endorsements reflect Activate Hamilton’s core mission of empowering grassroots leadership, building a bold and accessible conservative movement, and fostering a family-friendly, values-driven culture across Hamilton County.
Activate Hamilton believes that each of the four endorsed candidates will carry that grassroots-up philosophy into the Hamilton County Department of Education (HCDE).
Meet the Endorsed Candidates:
Ashley Dillon — District 3 (Big Ridge, Dupont, Hixson Elementary, Hixson Middle, Hixson High, Loftis Middle, McConnell, and Middle Valley Elementary)
Dillon is running on a back-to-basics education platform focused on academic excellence. She is calling for math proficiency requirements comparable to current reading standards, a return to traditional teaching methods that have worked for generations, a significant reduction in classroom electronic devices, and a renewed emphasis on critical thinking. Dillon also champions parental liberty and transparency, including broader parental access to curriculum, discipline practices, individual school budgets, and support services, and has made classroom safety a priority through consistent, predictable behavior management and clear, posted discipline guidelines in every classroom.
Cindy Fain — District 6 (Alpine Crest Elementary, Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts, Normal Park Lower and Upper, Red Bank High, Red Bank Middle, and Rivermont Elementary)
Fain is campaigning to remove Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum from Hamilton County classrooms, arguing that teaching children how to process emotions and develop identity is the job of parents, not schools, and that SEL displaces time that should be spent on academics. She is also calling for budget transparency, the elimination of DEI programs at HCDE, and cuts at the central office so that more funding can be redirected to teachers and classrooms. Fain supports localized, school-by-school decision-making rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, along with deeper collaboration between parents and schools.
Sterling DuPré — District 8 (East Ridge Elementary, East Ridge Middle, East Ridge High, and Spring Creek Elementary)
DuPré’s platform centers on fiscal responsibility, including cutting DEI programs and reducing overhead at the HCDE central office. He is pushing for proactive parental engagement with the curriculum so parents know exactly what their children are being assigned to read, and he is calling for the removal of inappropriate and sexually explicit materials from school assignments and libraries. DuPré has also made classroom discipline a central issue, arguing that current mental health initiatives are not producing the results students and teachers need.
James B. Walker — District 9 (Brown Middle, Central High, Harrison Bay Future Ready, Harrison Elementary, Hunter Middle, Snow Hill Elementary, and Wallace A. Smith Elementary)
Walker is running on transparency for parents, fiscal responsibility, and school safety. He points out that while only 8% of the HCDE workforce sits in the central office, that group accounts for more than 30% of total payroll, a mismatch he intends to address by redirecting resources toward teachers and student-facing employees. On safety, Walker argues that while schools are well-protected from outside dangers, they need stronger protection from internal threats, and he supports the consistent removal of students who pose a safety threat or materially disrupt the learning environment.
A Shared Vision Rooted in Activate Hamilton’s Mission
While each candidate represents a distinct district with its own community and schools, the four endorsed candidates share a common philosophy that mirrors Activate Hamilton’s founding principles: academics before ideology, parents before bureaucracy, and classrooms before central office overhead. Every candidate on the slate has committed to greater budget transparency, stronger parental engagement, a renewed focus on discipline and classroom safety, and a reduction in programs and spending that pull resources away from teachers and students.
Key Voting Information
- Early Voting: Wednesday, April 15 – Thursday, April 30, 2026
- Election Day: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
- Districts on the Ballot: 3, 6, 8, and 9
Hamilton County voters are encouraged to verify their district, confirm their polling location, and review each candidate’s full platform before casting their ballot. More information about Activate Hamilton and its endorsed candidates is available at www.activatehamilton.com.
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About Activate Hamilton
Activate Hamilton is a grassroots conservative organization in Hamilton County, Tennessee, committed to empowering everyday Republicans, amplifying the people’s voice, and fostering a family-friendly, values-driven culture. What began as a slate for the Hamilton County GOP convention has grown into an ongoing hub for conservatives across the county to connect, organize, and take action on the issues that matter most to their families and communities.
One Response
I wish them the best.