Live from Music Row Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. –  host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed MNPS District Six school board member Fran Bush to the studio to discuss her experience and what motivated her to run for the MNPS Board of Education.
Leahy: We are delighted to have in the studio as our guest, a member of the Metro Nashville Public School Board of Education Fran Bush. Good morning Fran.
Bush: Good morning. Thank you for having me. Good morning.
Leahy: Well, we are delighted to have you here Fran. And it’s been very interesting tracking what’s going on with Metro Nashville Public Schools. Now just to set this up. There are nine members of the board of education. Is that right?
Bush: Correct.
Leahy: And the Board of Education sets policy and hires the director of schools, right?
Bush: Yes.
Leahy: How often do you meet?
Bush: We meet twice a month every twice a month on the second Tuesday and fourth Tuesday of the month.
Leahy: Why did you decide Fran with all the other things you have going on in your life, (Bush chuckles) why did you decide oh, I think I’m going to spend all this time to try and get elected and then work on this? What motivated you?
Bush: Well, you know, I have always had a passion for children and education. I have five boys of my own.
Leahy: Five boys?
Bush: Five boys. And they all went through Metro Nashville Public Schools. And they’re still there. I have three that are in college. I have two that are left in high school at Hillsborough High School. One is a senior and one is a freshman. And I am a community leader. I’ve always done a lot of great things in our community. I’m a volunteer so for so many different committees and boards so we can move our students forward in the right direction with their education. I’ve just had a passion. And I also have a childcare academy.
Leahy: You have a childcare academy yourself?
Bush: Yes.
Leahy: Tell me about that.
Bush: So I educate the smallest of our students starting with six weeks to five years old. So we are geared up at Model Kids Learning Academy.
Leahy: To make sure that so this is model Kids Learning Academy. Where is this located?
Bush: It is located in the heart of the Antioch Priest Lake area and we’ve been operating for three years.
Leahy: How many kids do you have?
Bush: Right now we have a total of 23. And I am going to be expanding next year to another part of the land where we’re going to be educating our preschoolers.
Leahy: So you really are all into education for kids.
Bush: Absolutely. It’s my passion.
Leahy: I mean it’s a daunting task to decide to run for political office these days. And as I understand it there are nine districts, right?
Bush: Yes.
Leahy: Separate geographic districts. And what prompted you to decide oh, I think it’s time for Fran Bush to run for the Board of Education?
Bush: Well, you know over the past year 25 years I’ve had my students and my own kids in Metro Nashville Public Schools. And I’ve been a part of the PTA. I’ve been a part of volunteering. I’ve been a part of every outlet of Education when it comes to Metro schools. And so I saw a lot of things that I could help change or be a part of so that we can move our district forward.
And I had a lot of great ideas. And I just felt like that there were some pieces of the puzzles that I felt they were missing. And so therefore it was time. It was time. As you know, it’s always been about you see something say something. If you want to be a part of something a part of change then then then do it. So you know, I want to put my experience my skills and my passion and my drive into education. And this was the next best thing.
Leahy: What’s it like running for office? I mean you had to, did you have competition? And so I mean, what did you do? What did you spend your days doing? How long did you prepare? You were elected in 2019?
Bush: This is my second year. 2018. And it was really hard. It was a lot of as we know when you’re running for these types of positions and pail and politics You have to have a lot of money right? I did not have a whole lot of money. What I did was I strategize on how I was going to run my campaign. I ran against three other people, and also ran against an incumbent. This is first time I’ve ever done it.
And I did not know what my chances were going to be like, but I knew that I’ve been in the community so long and I’ve embedded my expertise in my knowledge and being involved. So I knew that my name was there. It was just about being more involved with the constituents and hearing from me. Seeing what I do. And absolutely the drive and the passion that I have for kids.
Leahy: So how much of your day did you spend campaigning? What sort of things did you do to campaign and win?
Bush:Â I got to work and I had a great staff. I put on my t-shirt. I had volunteers that helped me get out and campaign. And they were able to help me get my message out there. And my children helped. It was a family affair. You know, I had some great friends. And I said help. And we just worked really hard every single day.
Leahy: What was the final tally on election day?
Bush: Well, I was really surprised. I got if I remember it was over, gosh, 60 percent of the vote was for me. And I beat out my incumbent.
Leahy: 60 percent?
Bush: Yeah it was.
Leahy: That’s a stomping.
Listen to the full third hour here:
– – –
Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Photo “Fran Bush” by Metro Nashville Public Schools. Background Photo “Classroom” by USAG- Humphreys CC BY 2.0.Â
