{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nStephen \"Steve\" Triplett is the Republican incumbent for Knox County Board of Education District 7, seeking re-election in the August 6, 2026 general election against Democrat Amy Fenner [1][3]. His stated priorities are academic achievement, parental partnership and accountability; he cites improvements in Math, ELA, Science and Social Studies proficiency over the past four years and notes the district invested over $40 million in teacher compensation with fewer than ten teaching vacancies at the start of the 2025-2026 school year [3]. His platform emphasizes \"strong families, moral clarity, and supportive communities\" and faith [3]. Triplett did not participate in the Knox News voter's-guide interview or complete the online questionnaire [1].\n\n## Background and education\nTriplett, 47, assumed office on the board September 1, 2022 [2].\n\n## Career\nHe is the general manager of Chick-fil-A Fountain City and has also worked as an educator, principal and minister [4][2].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\nTriplett resigned as principal of Heritage Christian School in Ohio in the fall of 2013 over financial improprieties [4]. On his campaign Facebook page he acknowledged: \"While serving as principal, I chose to misuse funds for personal benefit and when confronted I repaid the school for any and all expenditures and resigned.\" [4] According to WBIR, the school's financial office discovered the issue and Triplett was \"essentially going to be fired,\" but the pastor at the time allowed him to resign; he restored all of the funds and was never charged [4].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Knox County Board of Education District 7 voter's guide (Knox News)](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/knox-county-board-education-district-063228066.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Steve Triplett (Ballotpedia)](https://ballotpedia.org/Steve_Triplett) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Meet KC School Board candidates: Districts 1, 4, and 7 (Knox TN Today)](https://www.knoxtntoday.com/meet-kc-school-board-candidates-districts-1-4-and-7/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[4] [Knox Co. School Board candidate misused funds at his job as principal of a Christian school (WBIR)](https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/knox-county-schools-candidate-misused-funds-as-a-principal/51-269dce6e-93df-4e96-a929-6876cbd8de65) - accessed 2026-07-23\n\n## Further candidate material (not accessible for this profile)\n- [Knox Co. School Board candidate misused funds as a principal - WBIR](https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/knox-county-schools-candidate-misused-funds-as-a-principal/51-269dce6e-93df-4e96-a929-6876cbd8de65) (page did not load in full during research; the facts above are drawn from its reporting and Triplett's own public statement, which were verifiable in summary)","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board_district_7","county":"Knox","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"Board Of Education District 7"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Steve","fullname":"Steve Triplett","lastname":"Triplett","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board_district_7","contest_title":"Board Of Education District 7","county":"Knox","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":"knox","office_key":"county_school_board_district_7","office_title":"Knox County Schools Board District 7","party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":"knox","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_school_board_district_7","contest_title":"Board Of Education District 7","county":"Knox","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":"knox","office_key":"county_school_board_district_7","office_title":"Knox County Schools Board District 7","party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"R","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026},{"general":null,"party":null,"primary":null,"term":{"county":"knox","electiondate":"2022-08-04","office_county":"knox","office_key":"county_school_board_district_7","office_title":"Knox County Schools Board District 7","party":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2026-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01"},"year":2022}],"office_key":"county_school_board_district_7","office_title":"Knox County Schools Board District 7","state":"TN","terms":[{"county":"knox","electiondate":"2022-08-04","office_county":"knox","office_key":"county_school_board_district_7","office_title":"Knox County Schools Board District 7","party":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2026-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01"}]}],"summary":"Republican incumbent for Knox County school board District 7; a Chick-fil-A general manager and former educator running on academics, parental partnership and accountability.","terms":[{"county":"knox","electiondate":"2022-08-04","office":"county_school_board_district_7","state":"TN","term_end":"2026-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01","title":"Knox County Schools Board District 7"}],"token":"OpL41OxqRv"}