Facing the voters: Brandon Bridges - School Board

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent

Brandon Bridges

Brandon Bridges, 36, is running for school board. I sat across the table from him at a café, as he explained why he was running for the Cleveland County Board of Education.

“I think I can make a difference,” he said as he chowed down on some French fries, relaxed, personable, answering any question thrown at him. It may not be the answer you agree with, but he didn’t hesitate in having a response.

(Since two candidates have the last name Bridges, Brandon Bridges will be referred to by his first name, as the customary way of referring to the subject of a print interview is to use their last name).

“I know I can make a difference, Brandon said, again, this time more confidently.

He continued, “We’re all from Cleveland County – we’re all Cleveland County residents. The kids of this county are our future, whether we’ve considered it or not. We are going to be working with them, living next to them, and one day they will be making decisions as the leaders of the county – and state – and it’s important that we invest in Cleveland County’s future now, so that we know it is in good hands in the future.”

So, who is Brandon Bridges? Well for starters, he’s a candidate for the school board, who is a newbie to running for office, but has paid attention to the school board for several years as the man behind the local news Facebook page: Cleveland County News.

If you know Brandon, then you’re fully aware that he can be hilarious at times, but sincere when expected and sometimes a little controversial – all on purpose.

Born and raised in Shelby, he’s been a lifelong resident of Cleveland County and said he plans to live here for the rest of his life. He is a 2009 graduate of Burns High School and graduated from Cleveland Community College in 2012, earning two degrees in Computer Networking and Computer Security.

Brandon insisted that if elected to the school board that he won’t pick a team just to pick a team, as the school board currently seems to be divided on many issues, for a one-party school board. “I won’t be politicking,” he said. “I’ll be working for the betterment of the education system and that of our future.”

Brandon has long been an advocate for better food in school cafeterias. In 2022, he said someone reached out to him about the lack of quality of the food that students were being served. It piqued his interests, so he visited a school system across the border in South Carolina, hitching a ride with two other board members to get a better understanding of having a healthy fulfilling lunch and still staying within a reasonable budget to make it happen.

They went to Greenville, South Carolina, to a school system allegedly known for some of the best food options for students across the Carolinas. What he witnessed and was told by Greenville school officials made him realize that CCS had a long way to go to reach such a level.

“Since then, Cleveland County Schools has hired a new nutrition director and made improvements in the school lunch program,” he noted, but also adding there are probably still improvements that could be made.

Brandon is a realist, an independent thinker. He knows that one person on the board alone can’t vote or make things happen, and with a board that has been divided as much as this one, he says he only expects to do what he can and hope that others might be persuaded by his wish to see school lunches improve across the county.

When asked what the most pressing issue is facing the school system, his answer was simply: “The school board. The school board, itself.”

“It seemed like there’s been a lot of “us” versus “them,” lately,” Brandon said, stating the citizens vs the school board seem to be an issue as much as the school board infighting. “It seems like there are a lot of things that the school board does that are intended for them –  or against other members they don’t like – instead of what is actually best for CCS as a whole; for the students, teachers, all employees and even the parents.”

He believes that a board can’t move forward with an agenda if they’re constantly fighting amongst themselves. “You have to fix the school board and the rest will follow,” he added.

Brandon explained that the school board is the root of all growth and expansion in Cleveland County. Before a company comes to Cleveland, bringing possibly hundreds of jobs, they first have to do their research and if they see drama on the school board it could possibly turn them away, taking those jobs to another part of the state, or a neighboring county, and that’s something Cleveland County can’t afford.

“The board needs to be more cohesive,” Brandon said. “As much as I hate to say this, I feel like some possibly go with, or against, the grain just to do a favor or out of fear of not being liked or not reelected.

That’s why he claims that he will stand apart and make decisions based on what is best for Cleveland County Schools and not just because other board members are voting for – or against – something. Brandon said that he won’t let any feelings toward another board member affect his voting, if elected to the school board. He also clearly stated that he won’t make any promises that he can’t deliver.

(Brandon Bridges continued below...)

“As a board of nine, no one person on the Board of Education has the individual ability to promise that anything will change if elected. The only thing that I can promise you is that if I’m elected, my feelings in regard to other board members will not impact the decisions I make for what is best for the students, teachers, and staff in Cleveland County Schools.”

He continued, “I plan to make decisions on a case-by-case basis and leave my personal feelings at home, and that's what I will do. Bringing a clean slate to the school board is a benefit to both me and the community - I'm not on anybody's ‘team’.”

“I’m a blank slate,” Brandon said. “having never served on the board and not having children in the school system, yet, helps me make rational choices that won’t be influenced by personal needs and therefore I’ll be able to make the hard choices based on the facts and what the people want and what is best for the system all together without letting family affect my decision.”

Brandon concluded, by stating, "I believe that voters in a midterm election do their due diligence before voting for the candidates they believe will do what’s best for our community, and if you believe that's – I would appreciate your vote in the upcoming Republican Primary on March 3, 2026, for the Board of Education."

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Chuck Thompson is a reporter and columnist for The Shelby Independent. 

The Shelby Independent.