Mike Parsons, retired Air Force colonel and former Butler High School teacher, announced his candidacy today for the District 8 representative to the Alabama State Board of Education. He hopes to unseat incumbent board member Mary Scott Hunter in the June 3 Republican primary election.

Hunter supports the Common Core State Standards initiative, a states-led effort that established a single set of clear educational standards for kindergarten through 12th grade in English language arts and mathematics that states voluntarily adopt. Parsons does not support the Common Core standards.

The District 8 member of the state school board represents Limestone, Madison, Jackson, DeKalb and Etowah counties.