Last December, at just 32 years old, Tyler Swanson became the youngest school board chair in the history of Wake County (WCPSS), North Carolina’s largest school system. He was originally elected to the school board in 2022, earning over 55% of the vote to represent Wake County’s 9th district. The district is located in western Wake County and takes up a majority of Cary, Morrisville, and Apex.
Swanson, who taught at Enloe between 2018 and 2021, credits some of his success to his experiences at the school. “[My time at Enloe] really shaped my perspective. It helped me to understand what students’ needs are in order to be successful. That is a background that I hold till this day as I’m making decisions for Wake County public schools.” At Enloe, Swanson taught special education. He also served as an in-class resource teacher for regular classes including biology (which he taught with Ms. Solomon) and English III (which he taught with Ms. Price O’Neil), assisting students with specific needs in the classroom.
“Mr. Swanson is someone who really cares about all his students,” commented Price. “He cares about ensuring that each student has an equal opportunity to learn.” “He pushes for all students to be represented, no matter what their background is, and that makes him valuable to our school board.”
Swanson was motivated to pursue his role on the school board during the COVID-19 pandemic. “In 2022, when I ran for the school board, education was in a pivotal moment,” noted Swanson. As schools across the country started to reopen after the pandemic, the return to in-person learning needed to be managed with care and caution.
“I thought the perspective of a classroom teacher was needed on the board to reimagine the possibilities of public education,” said Swanson, who was the only former Wake County teacher on the board when he was elected. “The challenger at the time shared some views I thought were dangerous to public education, and that is what sparked me to actually do something. Not just talk about what needs to be done, but actually do the work.”
Even though Swanson is the youngest school board chair in Wake County history, getting there wasn’t instant. For two years prior, he served as vice chair behind Enloe alum Chris Heagarty. It was only after Heagarty served the maximum two one-year terms as chair that Swanson vied for the role. He was unanimously elected by his eight peers.
As school board chair, Swanson doesn’t create curriculums. He also doesn’t oversee the day-to-day operations of WCPSS. Decisions like determining cancellations for weather belong to the school superintendent, who Swanson described as “the CEO of the district.” Instead, Swanson chalked up his job as serving three major duties: passing a budget, setting policy, and hiring a superintendent.
All of these roles are uniquely important. Swanson noted that “unlike the federal government, boards of education cannot pass continuous resolutions or continue with a negative balance,” making a well-constructed budget crucial. Policies passed by the school board must also be managed carefully, ensuring they “strengthen the school system,” and aren’t “inconsistent with state or federal government” regulations.
School board members also act as champions for their district. For Swanson, this means several things: “Going to the General Assembly to advocate for Wake County public schools, and meeting with the federal delegation, the state senate, [and] the U.S. senators, to talk about the needs and the challenges the school districts are facing.”
Through this advocacy, Swanson ensures that the values Wake County maintains are present in its policy. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are the strength and fabric of our country. It’s what ensures everybody has access to equitable outcomes, and it’s a value present in the policies we discuss and the budgets we pass.” For example, in 2024, Swanson and the Wake County School Board passed the CROWN Act, which required schools to protect cultural expression through hairstyles.
Swanson also carries his own values in his work: “I am an advocate for public education. Showing our educators the respect they deserve [is essential], because teachers are the ones who make every career in this country possible.”
As he preaches the importance of advocacy in his own work as a politician, Swanson also maintains that public, especially student, activism is also crucial for pushing toward fairness and equality in education across the United States. “Oftentimes, you’ll hear folks say that the students, the youth, are the generation of the future. I push back and say that [they] are the voice and the generation of today. [Students] are stepping into their power to help shape, guide, and make true, transformative change in this country.”
Swanson, as the youngest school board chair in Wake County history, has been questioned regarding his age. But he deflects these concerns with his mindset: “Never allow anyone to determine who you can be. You show them what you want to be.” Even before being elected, Swanson was an advocate. “When I was in high school,” Swanson noted, “I was class president for three out of four years.”
After high school, Swanson pursued a bachelor’s degree in political science from N.C. A&T. Around this time, Senate Bill 666 was being discussed by North Carolina legislators. Had it been passed, it would have created new restrictions making voting more difficult for college students.
This motivated Swanson to act; “Not just talk about what needs to be done.” He “got involved and advocated [for] voting rights, and volunteered on various campaigns for city council, for county commissioners, for state houses and state senates.”
Advocacy doesn’t look the same for everybody. Swanson recognizes that though it “can be challenging, … a lot of it’s just showing up” and “reaching out.” He also notes that “Enloe itself has a rich history of advocacy.” Just this year, this has been visible through protests over ICE, dress code enforcement, and gun violence.
This November, several crucial offices will be up for election in North Carolina, including senator, state Supreme Court justice, and several ballot measures. “This is an important election that we have,” said Swanson. “And I do not like the narrative that they always say, ‘this is the most important election of your life’ … In 2020, 2022, 2024, ‘this is the most important election of your life.’ I just want folks to know that every election that takes place is the most important election of your life.”
