Image Credit: Larry Tomlinson / Facebook & Google Earth
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A former member of the Wilson County Board of Education, who has the support of local Democrats, may be appointed to fill the empty spot on the board following the recent resignation of the Republican who was voted in to represent Zone 5 in 2024.
Larry Tomlinson chose not to run for re-election in 2024, saying that it was time to step down, but leaders of the local Republican party say that Tomlinson did not want to declare his political affiliation as a Democrat which would likely have lost him the race in a red county.
Tomlinson says he would be willing to return to the board solely as an interim replacement for Donnie Self who submitted his resignation after multiple charges of indecent exposure last month and that he has no plans to run for re-election in 2026.
The decision for who will replace Self lies with the county commission who will make the appointment at their January 20th meeting. The interim board member will have to receive 13 of the commission’s total 25 votes in order to step into the role.
Tomlinson, who has also served on the commission, has the support of both the previous Director of Schools Donna Wright, and the current director Jeff Luttrell.
As the previous Zone 5 representative, Tomlinson voted to keep inappropriate books on library shelves of Wilson County Schools.
On social media last week, Tomlinson wrote that he has had calls, text messages, and face-to-face conversations with several people asking him if he would be interested in returning to the board and that they convinced him that it was the logical thing to do.
Wilson County Republican Party Chair Brad Lytle says that it is important that a Republican be appointed as voters in Zone 5 voted for a Republican in the last school board election, sending a clear message that the community favors Republican values.
On December 16th, Self was charged after turning himself in to the Lebanon Police Department and later released on a $1,500 bond.
Two days later, Self surrendered himself again on new charges and Wilson County Jail records show he was again released but with a $4,000 bond. It was after the second rebound of charges that Self announced his resignation.
Self’s attorney mentioned “personal issues” in a public statement following Self’s decision to step down while also highlighting Self’s three decades of service to his community.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Yup, figgers.