Independent Neil Templeton, who describes himself as socially liberal and fiscally conservative, will run in the Nov. 4 general election for the open House District 79 seat.

His platform largely consists of one plank — he said he wants to reform the state’s education system with three changes: strengthening the certification exam for teachers, offering higher pay in subjects where more teachers are needed and opening the hiring process to people who hold college degrees in disciplines other than education.

“I’m trying to promote excellence in teaching, especially with regard to the hiring process,” Templeton said in an interview Wednesday.

In a three-way race, Templeton faces Democrat Chuck Hunter and Republican John Forbes. The seat is now held by Rep. Dave Gallik, a Democrat who’s barred from re-election by term limits. The district covers eastern Helena, the South Hills and areas northeast of the city limits.

Templeton, who’s never run for public office, said he chose to run as an Independent in order to separate himself from party politics. He couldn’t wholly agree with either major party’s platform.

“The Republican Party has become so socially conservative, and the Democratic Party is tied to some parts of their economic platform that I don’t necessarily agree with,” he said.

He worked for two years in the state budget office and worked with the state Department of Revenue during the 2007 Legislature, when he was charged with working on fiscal notes for assorted bills.

“I became frustrated with the process,” Templeton said. “I became intrigued by the political process and I wanted to become more involved.”

He now works as a paper carrier for the Independent Record and is a self-employed marketing and timber-analysis consultant.

Though he’s interested in other policy issues, Templeton’s main focus if elected would be education reform.

Templeton wants to open up the profession to people who hold bachelor’s or master’s degrees but didn’t attend an accredited education program.

He suggests primary-level teaching applicants should be subjected to a skills exam and required to have some student-teaching experience. For high school teachers, he wants to add an exam specializing in the subjects those folks would teach.

Templeton wants to make the exam more difficult — resulting in better-qualified applicants and perhaps increasing the prestige of teaching as a profession.

He also wants to offer more pay for potential teachers in disciplines where demand has begun to outstrip supply.

“Make the pay more attractive … make the attainment of a teaching position more prestigious,” he said, “so it’s not just a fall-back option.”

Templeton is married with two children.

Reporter Larry Kline: 447-4075 or larry.kline@helenair.com