COLLIERSVILLE, TENNESSEE – A Tennessee school board member, Keri Leigh Blair, has resigned following multiple charges of theft. Blair, previously backed by the far-right organization Moms for Liberty, allegedly engaged in ‘skip-scanning’ at a Collierville Target, stealing merchandise on seven occasions around last year’s holiday season.
‘Skip-scanning’ involves feigning the act of paying for items at self-checkout while actually stealing them. Blair was arrested on January 5 by the Collierville Police Department and briefly detained at the Shelby County Jail, with a bond set at $7,500.
Collierville Schools released a statement on Facebook acknowledging Blair’s resignation, citing “personal, family reasons.” Blair, who was serving her first term, was elected in November 2022.
The incidents began two days after Thanksgiving, with Blair allegedly continuing to ‘skip-scan’ items on November 30, December 3, 6, 13, 18, and 20, according to reports by the Los Angeles Blade and Tennessee NBC affiliate WMC. Police noted that Blair used the same credit card and vehicle for each visit to Target.
The total value of the stolen goods is reported to be $728.61, with individual items ranging from approximately $60 to $140. Blair’s resignation has brought significant attention to both her conduct and the repercussions within the school board and the community.