Candidate Profile: Richard Tatem

BRADENTON – Colonel Richard Tatem (USAF/Ret) is one of three candidates running for the Manatee School Board District 5 seat currently held by James Golden. The non-partisan race will be on August's primary ballot.

The Ohio native graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1988 before going on to serve a distinguished career as a National Strategy for Aviation Security Coordinator at NORAD/NORTHCOM. Tatem went on to become a commercial airline pilot.

Tatem's platform is based on an acronym he calls TAPP, which stands for Transparency, Accountability, Participation, and Patriotism. On those themes, he says the school board must "rebuild trust with the community by maximizing the transparency of school system operations and finances"; "hold itself and the school system to the highest standards of financial and professional accountability"; "do a better job of providing opportunities for all stakeholders in the community"; and "encourage an ethos of a healthy amount of patriotism to permeate our school system, from the board to the employees to the curriculum."

Tatem says he is for parental rights and involvement in instructional materials selection, senior leader selection, etc, as well as "protecting girls' sports."

He says he is against Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI); age-inappropriate instructional material; and mask mandates.

Tatem is endorsed by Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells.

"I have observed that Richard Tatem, a retired Air Force Colonel, has a high level of maturity, experience, integrity, and excellence," said Wells in his endorsement. "These qualities are exactly what is needed for a school board member, and I heartily endorse his candidacy."

In addition to Golden, Tatem faces Chantel Wilford. Hehas raisedjust over $15,000 as of the last reporting deadline, second to Golden, who has raised nearly $25,000.School board races are conducted on the August ballot.If no candidate receives a simple majority (50% + 1) of votes in the August race, the top two vote-getters go to a runoff election on the November ballot.