A Daughter of Memphis: An Interview with Ms. Hailey Marie Thomas - MSCS School Board - District 1 Candidate

Local & National News | December 17, 2025 | 8:45 p.m. CST

Written by: Gilbert Barnes Carter III

I knew that Ms. Hailey Marie Thomas would become a phenomenon after I listened to and watched her on TikTok for the very first time. The experience in its raw form was nothing short of a younger Black politico's fantasy female amalgamation of Abby Phillip (...the intelligence and the poise...), AOC (...the passion...), and Jasmine Crockett (...the passion and the shade...). I immediately became a fan of "KingHailey1922", and I am better off as a result.

Ms. Thomas has decided to make a serious bid to be elected to serve as the Memphis-Shelby County Schools School Board - District 1 representative. She was raised in Raleigh in the zip code area of 38128. She attended Tennessee State University and graduated from the University of Memphis. She is now a caring and veteran public school teacher with five years of professional experience.

She has the aspiration of transforming the public education system in Memphis. Her conviction of education being the best option to eliminate poverty is profound in our city. It is more profound when I give consideration to the number of residents that are information deficient and have low levels of formal education. Her campaign action plan is just one indication of her brilliance and commitment to our children across the entire district.

"We can create better outcomes for Memphis as a whole with more education-based solutions. For Memphis to flourish, we must rectify certain issues within the educational system because our children truly are our future. I have three key actions to complete as the representative for District 1." - Ms. Hailey Marie Thomas

"My first action is to improve the educational outcomes of our students. I want to accomplish that by separating children into classes based on their current and respective learning abilities. The smaller and specific classes will be much more suitable for teachers and teacher assistants to work from to address educational needs and incorporate technology to assist children in regrouping academically."

"My next action is to address students' behavioral needs. There is not much learning that can take place in classrooms where students frequently display negative and severe behaviors. It is imperative for students, teachers, and parents to have a representative who will finally identify the variables that are directly associated with this long standing issue. As my campaign starts, I will elaborate on my plans to reduce the negative and severe behaviors we often observe in MSCS schools."

"My last action is to ensure that the education teams at all schools are receiving equitable funding based on students' needs. There are too many schools where our children lack crucial resources. From staff members with extensive experience to supplemental education materials, students need to have unlimited access to them all in order to have much more success. The funding would be utilized for the following: improving students' sensory-based learning environments, increasing the average base salary to $60,000 to recruit qualified teachers more effectively, and ensuring that every education team has support and resources."

Ms. Thomas can receive support in the forms of campaign donations via her ActBlue account.

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hailey-thomas-1

Photo Credits:

Header Photo by: Ms. Hailey Marie Thomas

Gilbert Barnes Carter III is a Memphis-based author, child welfare advocate, community organizer, emerging farmer, gardener, journalist, and social justice advocate. He began his social justice advocacy and work by serving as a Shelby County Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Board volunteer in 2005. He has worked since then to effectuate change for low-wage, immigrant, and migrant workers as a Temporary Workers Campaign Manager with Workers Interfaith Network; an advocate for Teamsters Local 667 sanitation workers; and a community / field organizer to uphold blight reduction, efficient public mass transit, environmental justice, food access, food justice, food security, narrative change, and public safety.