Jonathan Martin announces candidacy for Blackberry District seat on Henry County School Board

Jonathan Martin announced his candidacy for the Blackberry District seat on the Henry County School Board during the meeting’s public-comment period, saying he lives in the Blackberry District and is running in the upcoming election.

Martin told the board and members of the community he is “not a politician” but a parent with a child currently enrolled in Henry County Public Schools. “What makes me different is that I am the only school board candidate in the entire county with all districts considered who has a child currently enrolled in Henry County Public Schools,” Martin said. He said that perspective matters because “the decisions made here affect families like mine every single day.”

Martin described his campaign as motivated by his daughter’s experience with bullying in first grade. He said that experience convinced him to get involved and that his priorities include student safety, support for teachers and encouraging parental involvement. “Teachers should be able to teach, and students should be able to learn in a safe, focused environment,” he said.

Martin thanked outgoing board member Tom Hall for his service and also thanked Sherry (identified in remarks as the school nurse coordinator) for her more than 30 years of service to Henry County Public Schools. He said he will not run negative ads about opponents and described his approach as one of listening and collaboration.

The remarks were made during the board’s public-comment procedure, which the chair said is intended for comment only and not for back-and-forth questioning.

No formal action was taken on Martin’s announcement; public comment is a non-decisional portion of the meeting.