2016 SBOE General Election Voter Guide


The Texas Freedom Network has assembled a nonpartisan voter guide to inform citizens about the positions of candidates for the State Board of Education.

All information reported here was provided directly by each candidate or campaign in response to a questionnaire. 

The guide is divided into two categories: the state board’s authority and process, and education issues that have or may come before the board. Click on one of the categories below to see where candidates stand on that issue. (We have included responses only from candidates who completed the questionnaire.)

*Denotes incumbent

State Board of Education Authority and Process

Question: Teachers and academic scholars should have primary responsibility for writing curriculum standards and textbook requirements for Texas public schools.

DistrictCandidateResponse
SBOE 1
SBOE 1
Georgina Perez (D)
Hugo Noyola Jr. (G)
No Response
No Response
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)
Ken Mercer* (R)
Ricardo Perkins (L)
Agree
No Response
Agree
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
Dakota Carter (D)
Donna Bahorich* (R)
Whitney Bilyeu (L)
Laura Palmer (G)
Agree
No Response
No Response
No Response
SBOE 8 Barbara Cargill* (R) No Response
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
Amanda M. Rudolph (D)
Keven Ellis (R)
Anastasia Wilford (L)
Agree
Agree
No Response
SBOE 10 Judy Jennings (D)
Tom Maynard* (R)
Agree
No Response
SBOE 14 Sue Melton-Malone* (R) No Response
SBOE 15 Mary Rowley* (R) No Response

Question: The State Board of Education should set minimum qualifications for experts involved with the adoption of curriculum standards and textbooks, including teaching experience or academic research in a relevant field of study.

DistrictCandidateResponse
SBOE 1
SBOE 1
Georgina Perez (D)
Hugo Noyola Jr. (G)
No Response
No Response
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)
Ken Mercer* (R)
Ricardo Perkins (L)
Agree
No Response
Agree
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
Dakota Carter (D)
Donna Bahorich* (R)
Whitney Bilyeu (L)
Laura Palmer (G)
Agree
No Response
No Response
No Response
SBOE 8 Barbara Cargill* (R) No Response
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
Amanda M. Rudolph (D)
Keven Ellis (R)
Anastasia Wilford (L)
Agree
Agree
No Response
SBOE 10 Judy Jennings (D)
Tom Maynard* (R)
Agree
No Response
SBOE 14 Sue Melton-Malone* (R) No Response
SBOE 15 Mary Rowley* (R) No Response

Additional responses to questions related to the State Board of Education’s Authority and Process were submitted by:

Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D), SBOE District 5
Keven Ellis (R), SBOE District 9

Education Issues

Question: The Texas State Board of Education should correct or eliminate social studies curriculum standards that distort or suppress aspects of U.S. history dealing with slavery, segregation and struggles for civil rights by women and minorities.

DistrictCandidateResponse
SBOE 1
SBOE 1
Georgina Perez (D)
Hugo Noyola Jr. (G)
No Response
No Response
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)
Ken Mercer* (R)
Ricardo Perkins (L)
Agree
No Response
Agree
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
Dakota Carter (D)
Donna Bahorich* (R)
Whitney Bilyeu (L)
Laura Palmer (G)
Agree
No Response
No Response
No Response
SBOE 8 Barbara Cargill* (R) No Response
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
Amanda M. Rudolph (D)
Keven Ellis (R)
Anastasia Wilford (L)
Agree
Agree
No Response
SBOE 10 Judy Jennings (D)
Tom Maynard* (R)
Agree
No Response
SBOE 14 Sue Melton-Malone* (R) No Response
SBOE 15 Mary Rowley* (R) No Response

Question: Social studies curriculum standards and instructional materials (textbooks) should make clear that the separation of church and state is a key Constitutional principle that protects religious freedom in America by barring government from promoting or disfavoring a particular religion.

DistrictCandidateResponse
SBOE 1
SBOE 1
Georgina Perez (D)
Hugo Noyola Jr. (G)
No Response
No Response
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)
Ken Mercer* (R)
Ricardo Perkins (L)
Agree
No Response
Agree
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
Dakota Carter (D)
Donna Bahorich* (R)
Whitney Bilyeu (L)
Laura Palmer (G)
Agree
No Response
No Response
No Response
SBOE 8 Barbara Cargill* (R) No Response
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
Amanda M. Rudolph (D)
Keven Ellis (R)
Anastasia Wilford (L)
Agree
Disagree
No Response
SBOE 10 Judy Jennings (D)
Tom Maynard* (R)
Agree
No Response
SBOE 14 Sue Melton-Malone* (R) No Response
SBOE 15 Mary Rowley* (R) No Response

Question: The State Board of Education should encourage and support school districts that wish to offer ethnic studies courses, including courses in Mexican-American history.

DistrictCandidateResponse
SBOE 1
SBOE 1
Georgina Perez (D)
Hugo Noyola Jr. (G)
No Response
No Response
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)
Ken Mercer* (R)
Ricardo Perkins (L)
Agree
No Response
Agree
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
Dakota Carter (D)
Donna Bahorich* (R)
Whitney Bilyeu (L)
Laura Palmer (G)
Agree
No Response
No Response
No Response
SBOE 8 Barbara Cargill* (R) No Response
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
Amanda M. Rudolph (D)
Keven Ellis (R)
Anastasia Wilford (L)
Agree
Agree
No Response
SBOE 10 Judy Jennings (D)
Tom Maynard* (R)
Agree
No Response
SBOE 14 Sue Melton-Malone* (R) No Response
SBOE 15 Mary Rowley* (R) No Response

Question: Public school science classes should present the substantial scientific agreement about the occurrence, consequences and causes of climate change, including anthropogenic/human-causal factors.

DistrictCandidateResponse
SBOE 1
SBOE 1
Georgina Perez (D)
Hugo Noyola Jr. (G)
No Response
No Response
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)
Ken Mercer* (R)
Ricardo Perkins (L)
Agree
No Response
Disagree
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
Dakota Carter (D)
Donna Bahorich* (R)
Whitney Bilyeu (L)
Laura Palmer (G)
Agree
No Response
No Response
No Response
SBOE 8 Barbara Cargill* (R) No Response
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
Amanda M. Rudolph (D)
Keven Ellis (R)
Anastasia Wilford (L)
Agree
Disagree
No Response
SBOE 10 Judy Jennings (D)
Tom Maynard* (R)
Agree
No Response
SBOE 14 Sue Melton-Malone* (R) No Response
SBOE 15 Mary Rowley* (R) No Response

Question: Science classes should NOT present creationism and/or “intelligent design” alongside evolution as credible scientific theories.

DistrictCandidateResponse
SBOE 1
SBOE 1
Georgina Perez (D)
Hugo Noyola Jr. (G)
No Response
No Response
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)
Ken Mercer* (R)
Ricardo Perkins (L)
Agree
No Response
Agree
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
Dakota Carter (D)
Donna Bahorich* (R)
Whitney Bilyeu (L)
Laura Palmer (G)
Agree
No Response
No Response
No Response
SBOE 8 Barbara Cargill* (R) No Response
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
Amanda M. Rudolph (D)
Keven Ellis (R)
Anastasia Wilford (L)
Agree
No Position
No Response
SBOE 10 Judy Jennings (D)
Tom Maynard* (R)
Agree
No Response
SBOE 14 Sue Melton-Malone* (R) No Response
SBOE 15 Mary Rowley* (R) No Response

Question: Texas should NOT use taxpayer dollars to fund vouchers, tax credits, opportunity scholarships, or any similar vehicles to subsidize private or religious schools.

DistrictCandidateResponse
SBOE 1
SBOE 1
Georgina Perez (D)
Hugo Noyola Jr. (G)
No Response
No Response
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)
Ken Mercer* (R)
Ricardo Perkins (L)
Agree
No Response
Disagree
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
Dakota Carter (D)
Donna Bahorich* (R)
Whitney Bilyeu (L)
Laura Palmer (G)
Agree
No Response
No Response
No Response
SBOE 8 Barbara Cargill* (R) No Response
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
Amanda M. Rudolph (D)
Keven Ellis (R)
Anastasia Wilford (L)
Agree
Agree
No Response
SBOE 10 Judy Jennings (D)
Tom Maynard* (R)
Agree
No Response
SBOE 14 Sue Melton-Malone* (R) No Response
SBOE 15 Mary Rowley* (R) No Response

Question: High school sex education classes should include medically accurate information about contraception and disease prevention, including information about condoms and other forms of birth control.

DistrictCandidateResponse
SBOE 1
SBOE 1
Georgina Perez (D)
Hugo Noyola Jr. (G)
No Response
No Response
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)
Ken Mercer* (R)
Ricardo Perkins (L)
Agree
No Response
Agree
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
Dakota Carter (D)
Donna Bahorich* (R)
Whitney Bilyeu (L)
Laura Palmer (G)
Agree
No Response
No Response
No Response
SBOE 8 Barbara Cargill* (R) No Response
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
Amanda M. Rudolph (D)
Keven Ellis (R)
Anastasia Wilford (L)
Agree
Agree
No Response
SBOE 10 Judy Jennings (D)
Tom Maynard* (R)
Agree
No Response
SBOE 14 Sue Melton-Malone* (R) No Response
SBOE 15 Mary Rowley* (R) No Response

Question: Curriculum standards and instructional materials should include accurate information about issues pertaining to the LGBT community, and LGBT students should be protected from discrimination in all aspects of public school life.

DistrictCandidateResponse
SBOE 1
SBOE 1
Georgina Perez (D)
Hugo Noyola Jr. (G)
No Response
No Response
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
SBOE 5
Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)
Ken Mercer* (R)
Ricardo Perkins (L)
Agree
No Response
Agree
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
SBOE 6
Dakota Carter (D)
Donna Bahorich* (R)
Whitney Bilyeu (L)
Laura Palmer (G)
Agree
No Response
No Response
No Response
SBOE 8 Barbara Cargill* (R) No Response
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
SBOE 9
Amanda M. Rudolph (D)
Keven Ellis (R)
Anastasia Wilford (L)
Agree
Agree
No Response
SBOE 10 Judy Jennings (D)
Tom Maynard* (R)
Agree
No Response
SBOE 14 Sue Melton-Malone* (R) No Response
SBOE 15 Mary Rowley* (R) No Response

Additional responses to questions related to the State Board of Education’s Authority and Process were submitted by

Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D), SBOE District 5
Ricardo Perkins (L), SBOE District 5

 

(Candidates may contact TFN with any corrections at [email protected].)