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.
| District | Candidate | Response |
|
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.
| District | Candidate | Response |
|
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.
| District | Candidate | Response |
|
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.
| District | Candidate | Response |
|
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.
| District | Candidate | Response |
|
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.
| District | Candidate | Response |
|
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.
| District | Candidate | Response |
|
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.
| District | Candidate | Response |
|
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.
| District | Candidate | Response |
|
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.
| District | Candidate | Response |
|
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 survey@tfn.org.)
