Neighbors Are Talking

The people who stand with him are the people who know him.

Every name on this page knows Theodore by his first name. Most of them have known him for a decade or more. Some have known him since he was teaching their parents.

From the campaign On who is on this page 2 min read Updated May 2026

Endorsements on this page were collected in person, on the porch, at church, and at the Hamilton County Education Association hall. Nobody bought a name. Nobody traded a position for one. If a teacher, parent, pastor, or neighbor knows Theodore well enough to sign on, their full name and the school or block they live on appears below.

If you want to add your name, write to endorse@aldridgeforschools.org or come by the porch on Tuesdays at 6.

I have known Theodore Aldridge since 1989. I have watched him pastor a church, raise two children, teach a thousand students, and never once make it about himself. He is the school board member my grandchildren deserve.

Bishop Kevin L. Adams, Sr.
Senior Pastor, Olivet Baptist Church · Chattanooga

When Hamilton County tried to close the East Lake library branch in 2017, Rev. Aldridge organized 400 neighbors to show up in seven days. The library is still open. I checked out a book there last Saturday.

Yolanda Beasley
Retired Hamilton County librarian, 36 years

Hamilton County's teachers union has not endorsed a school board candidate before this cycle in 19 years. We are endorsing Theodore Aldridge because he has been one of us, and he has never forgotten it.

Camille Doss
President, Hamilton County Education Association
Elected Officials

Twelve who have signed on.

  • Sen. Heidi Campbell TN State Senate, District 20
  • Rep. Yusuf Hakeem TN State House, District 28 (Chattanooga)
  • Rep. Greg Vital TN State House, District 29 (Hamilton County)
  • Coppinger, Demetrus Chattanooga City Council, District 9
  • Ken Smith Chattanooga City Council, District 3
  • Dr. Carol Berz Chattanooga City Council, At-Large
  • Warren Mackey Hamilton County Commission, District 4
  • David Sharpe Hamilton County Commission, District 6
  • Mayor Tim Kelly City of Chattanooga
  • Tiffanie Robinson Former Hamilton County School Board, District 4
  • Rev. Andraé McGary Former Chattanooga City Council, District 8
  • Vicki Anderson Hamilton County School Board, District 3
Organizations

Twelve organizations that show up.

Hamilton County Education Association

8,400 educators across HCDE

AFT Tennessee

American Federation of Teachers, state affiliate

Chattanooga Branch NAACP

Branch 5070

TN AFL-CIO Chattanooga Area Labor Council

32,000 members

Sunrise Movement Chattanooga

Youth climate justice

La Paz Chattanooga

Latino community advocacy

Bethlehem Center of Chattanooga

Settlement house, founded 1923

Reading is Fundamental Tennessee

Childhood literacy

Stand for Children Tennessee

Education advocacy

SEIU Local 205

Service workers union

Tennessee Citizen Action

Statewide progressive advocacy

Chattanooga Pride

LGBTQ+ community organization

National Voices

Six who have weighed in from outside the county.

  • LaTosha Brown
    Co-founder, Black Voters Matter
  • Dr. Bettina Love
    Author, We Want to Do More Than Survive
  • Randi Weingarten
    President, American Federation of Teachers
  • Bishop William J. Barber II
    Co-Chair, Poor People's Campaign
  • Heather McGhee
    Author, The Sum of Us
  • Dr. Pedro Noguera
    Dean, USC Rossier School of Education
Want to add your name?

Endorse at the porch level.

Tell us a sentence about why you're with Theodore. We'll post it. We're not afraid of long lists.

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