{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Scott Benjamin","chatgptsummary":"Scott Benjamin's twenty-year public sector career and current pastoral role demonstrate experience in constituent relations and community engagement relevant to the Arlington School Board. His family's twelve years of children in local schools provide direct insight into curriculum and teaching styles. The biography shows no disciplinary record or controversy. Bio does not indicate budget literacy or superintendent hiring experience.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nScott Benjamin holds a B.S. degree in Marketing from Mississippi State University. After 20 years of working in the public sector, he now serves as Teaching Pastor at the Refuge Church. He feels that a school board should have a diverse group of people serving the needs and planning the direction of our schools and district. Scott believes that his family\u2019s 12 years of having four children in the public school system (with approximately 6 more years to go) has given him a unique and comprehensive view into a wide range of school curriculum, activities, and teaching styles.\n\nAs a pastor in a local church and an active volunteer in the community, Scott intentionally interacts with Arlington residents on a regular basis. He feels that these experiences give him numerous opportunities to hear from and listen to people about the things they like, dislike, and celebrate, as well as the concerns they have in our town as it relates to our schools.\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=BENJAMIN&id=74852&f=192262&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n- **2025** \u2014 [School Board (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=BENJAMIN&id=74852&f=182012&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n- **2025** \u2014 [School Board (SS-8005 (Amended))](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=BENJAMIN&id=74852&f=182012&v=2) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n- **2024** \u2014 [School Board (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=BENJAMIN&id=74852&f=173526&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","firstname":"Scott","lastname":"Benjamin","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"ez29BZ9l9j"},"token":"scott_benjamin"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"arlington","districtgroup":"municipality","districtgroupname":"Municipality","districtname":"Arlington","job_type":"school_board","o.office":"arlington_school_board_position_1","office":"arlington_school_board_position_1","officedescription":"Members of the Arlington Community Schools school board govern the Arlington Community Schools municipal school district, separate from Memphis-Shelby County Schools. Five members are elected to staggered four-year terms. The board hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts district policies, approves the budget, sets district goals, and oversees compliance with federal and state education law. Members are required to complete seven hours of training annually through the Tennessee School Boards Association School Board Academy.\n\n**Compensation:** stipend set locally; state law requires a minimum of $4/day ([T.C.A. \u00a7 49-2-202](https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-49/chapter-2/part-2/section-49-2-202/)).","officequalities":"- Policy judgment on a small suburban district within Shelby County \u2014 Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland, or Millington \u2014 typically several thousand students across a single elementary/middle/high feeder pattern.\n- Budget literacy for both operating and capital budgets, in coordination with the suburban municipality (which provides matching local funds in some configurations).\n- Ability to hire, evaluate, and when necessary replace the superintendent.\n- Constituent relations with parents, teachers, and community members across an actively engaged small district.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required seven hours of annual training through the Tennessee School Boards Association School Board Academy.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"Arlington School Board Position 1","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-16","title":"Shelby County Election Commission \u2014 2026-08-06 Sample Ballot (General)","url":"https://www.electionsshelbytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-State-and-Federal-Primary-and-State-County-with-Sample-GEN-7.6.26.pdf"},"title":"Arlington School Board Position 1"}