{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n- Democratic candidate for **Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board, District 9**, in the May 5, 2026 primary. One of five Democrats in the race; no Republicans filed. ([Chalkbeat TN voter guide](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-9/), [Chalkbeat TN, Feb 2026](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/02/23/memphis-2026-partisan-primary-draws-no-republican-candidates/))\n- Only District 9 candidate supporting **state intervention / takeover of MSCS**; has met with Republican lawmakers in Nashville sponsoring such efforts. ([Chalkbeat TN voter guide](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-9/))\n\n- Restoring public trust, accountability and transparency, student-centered focus, competitive salaries for all education roles, adequate CTE / vocational classroom materials. Cites 75\u201376% of MSCS students reading below grade level as a central concern. ([JustMyMemphis](https://www.justmymemphis.com/view-post/3776))\n\n- *\"I was heavily involved in it, and no other candidate can say that. My strength is diplomacy.\"* ([Chalkbeat TN voter guide](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-9/))\n- *\"Education is in my bones. My family has spent over 40 years in pre-K.\"* ([JustMyMemphis](https://www.justmymemphis.com/view-post/3776))\n\n---\n\n*Compiled from publicly available web sources on 2026-04-18. Campaign-reported biographical details (Teen Town graduation rate, multi-generational family teaching legacy) are self-reported and not independently verified.*\n\n## Background and education\n- Bachelor's degree, LeMoyne-Owen College; Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP). ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Damon_Curry_Morris))\n\n## Career\n- Substitute teacher in Memphis City Schools beginning 1999; behavioral specialist at Treadwell Middle School for 12 years beginning in 2005; currently home-schools and tutors students. ([Chalkbeat TN voter guide](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-9/))\n- Leads the (unchartered) Teen Town University; reports a 96.7% graduation rate. ([JustMyMemphis](https://www.justmymemphis.com/view-post/3776))\n\n## Office history\n- 2014: Ran for the then-new Shelby County Schools District 9 seat; finished third with 13% behind Mike Kernell (48%) and Roshun Austin (39%). ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shelby_County_Schools_elections_(2014)))\n- 2023: Ran for Memphis City Council Super District 8, Position 3; finished last of seven candidates with 829 votes. ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/City_elections_in_Memphis,_Tennessee_(2023)))\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n- One of the \"School Board Five\" (with LJ Abraham, Tikeila Rucker, Amber Sherman, Rachael Spriggs) who were banned from MSCS property after a May 9, 2023 board meeting. The group filed a federal First Amendment lawsuit on June 13, 2023. ([Chalkbeat TN](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2023/6/13/23760212/memphis-shelby-county-schools-banned-activists-federal-lawsuit/))\n- The group reached a $200,000 settlement with MSCS, announced December 2024. ([WREG](https://wreg.com/news/school-board-five-reaches-200k-settlement-with-mscs/))\n- Arrested August 26, 2025, outside MSCS headquarters on a misdemeanor charge of violating an order of protection obtained by MSCS board member Stephanie Love. Morris has called the arrest a \"ploy\" to keep him from running. ([Daily Memphian](https://dailymemphian.com/article/54564/memphis-shelby-county-schools-mscs-school-board-stephanie-love), [Chalkbeat TN voter guide](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-9/))\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n- **2026** \u2014 [School Board (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=MORRIS&id=61866&f=199826&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n\n*Source: [Tennessee Ethics Commission Statement of Interest Search](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/search.htm). Scraped 2026-04-25.*\n","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board_district_9","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County School Board District 9"},{"contest":"memphis_city_council_super_district_8_position_3","county":"Shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 05 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 3"}],"cf_filings":[{"county":"shelby","displayname":"Morris, Damon","documents":[{"datesubmitted":"01/31/24","documentid":"44330626-D028-444D-8150-2140156A9339","documentname":"Morris, Damon - CFD 4th Quarter 2023","documentnameid":["44330626-D028-444D-8150-2140156A9339","Morris, Damon - CFD 4th Quarter 2023"],"documenttype":"2023 CFD","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"10/09/23","documentid":"6CB475C0-4321-41C5-B099-CF591931F012","documentname":"Morris, Damon - CFD 3rd Quarter 2023l","documentnameid":["6CB475C0-4321-41C5-B099-CF591931F012","Morris, Damon - CFD 3rd Quarter 2023l"],"documenttype":"2023 CFD","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"09/27/23","documentid":"DCF4F56A-C521-4178-ADBA-0DF3A28413AB","documentname":"Damon Curry Morris Financial Disclosure Pre-General 2023","documentnameid":["DCF4F56A-C521-4178-ADBA-0DF3A28413AB","Damon Curry Morris Financial Disclosure Pre-General 2023"],"documenttype":"Campaign Financial Disclosure","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"07/06/23","documentid":"3C19FF82-2EDF-4D20-AD1E-3BBD4A5EF1DD","documentname":"Damon Curry Morris CFD 2nd Quarter Memphis City Council 8-3","documentnameid":["3C19FF82-2EDF-4D20-AD1E-3BBD4A5EF1DD","Damon Curry Morris CFD 2nd Quarter Memphis City Council 8-3"],"documenttype":"Campaign Financial Disclosure","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"05/30/23","documentid":"BD92B0DC-1E13-486D-B3F5-1B428CEC9673","documentname":"Morris, Damon Curry - Appointment of Treasurer 2023.pdf","documentnameid":["BD92B0DC-1E13-486D-B3F5-1B428CEC9673","Morris, Damon Curry - Appointment of Treasurer 2023.pdf"],"documenttype":"Appointment of Treasurer","electionname":null}],"filertype":"Candidate","officename":"Memphis City Council, Dist. 8, Pos. 3","source_customer_id":"EE6EBC62-7B7C-432F-869E-4DE111271E07","source_filer_id":"9D1D5AE7-C434-43E0-B6E8-C74484FEAA9F","source_system":"easyvote","state":"TN","status":"Inactive"},{"county":"shelby","displayname":"Morris, Damon","documents":[{"datesubmitted":"04/08/26","documentid":"0141B687-70AC-4CD5-B3AC-54F1A7B08F13","documentname":"Morris, Damon - CFD 1st Quarter 2026.pdf","documentnameid":["0141B687-70AC-4CD5-B3AC-54F1A7B08F13","Morris, Damon - CFD 1st Quarter 2026.pdf"],"documenttype":"2026 CFD","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"02/17/26","documentid":"A01DD857-6024-4FB4-91E1-088EBA3DEBF8","documentname":"Morris, Damon Curry -  CFD Year-End 2025.pdf","documentnameid":["A01DD857-6024-4FB4-91E1-088EBA3DEBF8","Morris, Damon Curry -  CFD Year-End 2025.pdf"],"documenttype":"2025 CFD","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"12/29/25","documentid":"0F43D593-DED8-46C7-860C-F4322C3AD42C","documentname":"Morris, Damon Curry - Appointment of Treasurer 2026.pdf","documentnameid":["0F43D593-DED8-46C7-860C-F4322C3AD42C","Morris, Damon Curry - Appointment of Treasurer 2026.pdf"],"documenttype":"Appointment of Treasurer","electionname":null}],"filertype":"Candidate","officename":"County School Bd., Dist. 9","source_customer_id":"EE6EBC62-7B7C-432F-869E-4DE111271E07","source_filer_id":"CED73766-6B94-464A-BE81-811D28158D20","source_system":"easyvote","state":"TN","status":"Active"}],"firstname":"Damon","fullname":"Damon Curry Morris","lastname":"Morris","middlename":"Curry","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board_district_9","contest_title":"County School Board District 9","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-05-05","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"county_school_board_division_9","office_title":"County School Board Division 9","party":"D","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":"shelby","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_school_board_district_9","contest_title":"County School Board District 9","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-05-05","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"county_school_board_division_9","office_title":"County School Board Division 9","party":"D","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"D","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_school_board_division_9","office_title":"County School Board Division 9","state":"TN","terms":[]},{"campaigns":[{"contest":"memphis_city_council_super_district_8_position_3","contest_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 3","county":"Shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2023-10-05","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_3","office_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 3","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":"shelby","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"memphis_city_council_super_district_8_position_3","contest_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 3","county":"Shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2023-10-05","office_county":"shelby","office_key":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_3","office_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 3","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2023}],"office_key":"city_council_district_super_district_8_position_3","office_title":"Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 3","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Damon Curry Morris is a public figure who is currently running for the position of Memphis City Council Super District 8 Position 3 in Shelby County, Tennessee. He is a graduate of Hamilton High School and LeMoyne Owen College, where he achieved Summa Cum Laude honors. The information provided does not mention any previous offices held or employment history, community involvement, or negative information about the candidate.","terms":[],"token":"OaRIKgfhAP"}