State Board of Education - Know Your Candidates

By Gislaine Williams
Statewide Advocacy Coordinator

Did you know that all 15 seats on the State Board of Education (SBOE) are up for election this year?

The SBOE is responsible for establishing curriculum standards and reviewing and approving textbooks for Texas public schools. In the past, the SBOE has used this power to push religious and political agendas, ignoring its basic constitutional responsibility to uphold separation between church and state.

You have the power to change that by electing a board that protects the Constitution and puts children before ideology.

Take the first step by learning more about the candidates running in your district. What would be their answers to these questions?

• What role should religion play in setting curriculum standards?
• What standards do you support for the writing & adoption of TEKS?
• Now that we have state-authorized Bible courses, what other religious traditions should be taught?
• How do you balance your personal faith convictions with your role as a public servant?
• What standards do you support for the writing & adoption of TEKS?
• What, if anything, should be done to protect minority faiths in the classrooms?

Find out your district here.

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June 18, 2012

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District 1
Republican Candidate: Carlos “Charlie” Garza, El Paso. (Incumbent)
Democratic Candidate: Martha M. Dominguez (Facebook), El Paso.
Video: Candidate Forum held at the University of Texas-El Paso

District 2
Republican Candidate: Laurie Turner, Corpus Christi.

Democratic Candidate: July 31st Run-off election between:
Ruben Cortez, Brownsville.
Celeste Zepeda Sanchez, S. Benito.
Video: Candidate Forum hosted by the Corpus Christi American Federation of Teachers and the Del Mal Mar College Department of Social Sciences
Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

District 3
Democratic Candidate: Marisa Perez (Facebook), San Antonio.
Video: May 14 Candidate Forum:

Republican Candidate: David Williams, San Antonio.

District 4
Republican Candidate: Dorothy Olmos, Houston.
Democratic Candidate: Lawrence Allen, Fresno. (Incumbent)
Video: Candidate Statement.

District 5
Republican Candidate: Ken Mercer, San Antonio. (Incumbent)
Video: Republican Candidate Forum.

Democratic Candidate: Rebecca Bell-Metereau

District 6
Republican Candidate: Donna Bahorich, Houston.
Website: http://www.donna4texas.com/
Video: Candidate Statement. http://www.khou.com/news/politics/Donna-Bahorich-148583695.html

Democratic Candidate: Traci Jensen, Houston.
Audio: Candidate Forum 4/26.
Video: Candidate Statement

District 7
Republican Candidate: David Bradley-R, Beaumont. (Incumbent)
Video: Candidate Statement.

District 8
Republican Candidate: Barbara Cargill, The Woodlands. (Incumbent)
Video: Montgomery County Eagle Forum, January 5, 2012
Candidate Statement: http://www.khou.com/news/politics/Barbara-Cargill-148583255.html

Democratic Candidate:
Dexter Smith, Friendswood.
Audio: April 26, 2012 Candidate Forum.
Video: Candidate Statement

District 9
Republican Candidate: Thomas Ratliff, Mt. Pleasant. (Incumbent)
Audio: Grassroots American We the People Forum.

District 10
Democratic Candidate: Judy Jennings, Austin.

Republican Candidate: July 31s t Run-off election between
Tom Maynard, Florence.
Rebecca Osborne, Round Rock.

District 11
Republican Candidate: Patricia Hardy, Weatherford. (Incumbent)

District 12
Democratic Candidate: Lois Parrot, Dallas.

Republican Candidate: Run-off July 31st between:
Gail Spurlock, Richardson.
Video: North Texas Council Vetting
Part 1

Part 2

Geraldine “Tiny” Miller, Dallas.
Video: North Texas Council Vetting
Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

District 13
Democratic Candidate: Mavis Knight (Incumbent)
Republican Candidate: S. T. Russell

District 14
Republican Candidate: Sue Melton, Waco.

District 15
Republican Candidate: Marty Rowley, Amarillo.

Democratic Candidate: Steven Schafersman.
Video: Channel 11 KCBD hosts forum with Republican candidates Annette Carlisle and Marty Rowley and Democratic candidate Steven Schafersman

More information on candidates can be found at:
Texas Freedom Network
Association of Texas Professional Educators “Teach the Vote”