Voting Resources
TexasGOPVote Blogger Endorsements: Red Sonja's Primary Endorsements - SBOE
The Texas State Board of Education members who are elected by the people could be called the ‘watch dogs’ of our children’s education. What an awesome responsibility. It is critical that as conservatives we elect leaders who are able to stand firm in their decisions concerning our children’s schooling. It is not an easy task being an SBOE member as they must have strong personalities in order to assert themselves in a room full of predators when making decisions on policies and rules that will affect close to 5 million schoolchildren in our public school system. Being a SBOE member means being able to meet a very demanding public as he/she will be scrutinized in every way by the Socialists that claim to better serve our children. A board member should also have the ability to listen to the parents and understand the concerns they may have.
Members not only have an enormous responsibility to Texas parents and their children but their vote on policies and guidelines influences outside Texas boundaries. Members decide what goes into the Texas textbooks and in 2010 Social Studies guidelines were adopted after a very controversial battle. Every 10 years a curriculum is adopted by the SBOE for textbooks and in 2010 Conservatives won http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html the debate on party lines.
Texas is the largest buyer of textbooks in the country. So it goes without saying that these members have an impact on our nation’s children. ‘What happens in Texas so goes the nation’ is a familiar cry. I have included an NPR 30 minute audio on the Texas textbooks that you might find interesting. Listen to the Story … http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124737756
You can hear the Liberals view of the Founding Fathers and how we are NOT a Christian nation. It is also amazing that some of these people are actually in the same classroom with our children. This is why as Conservatives we must be ever watchful as to who is in ‘charge’ of our children.
Texas has 1,237 school districts and charter schools with over 8,000 campuses and has approximately 659,000 educators and employees that make up the Texas public school system. According to the Texas Education Agency, the State Board of Education consists of 15 members http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=4214 who are elected to the board from different districts in Texas. The Commissioner of Education oversees the public education system of Texas in accordance with the Texas Education Code.
If you will remember, the SBOE district maps were redrawn at the last Texas legislative session and because of this, all the members are up for reelection this year. The districts have changed and some of our conservatives are going to have a difficult time in November. Please take the time to find out who represents you and support the Conservative in your area.
I personally know Ken Mercer from District 5 and find that he has not changed in the years that I have known him. He still is the conservative we can all depend on. I have had the pleasure of speaking with Charlie Garza from District 1. I can attest to his conservatism as well. We need people who know who they are and who will stand up for our family values and Conservative principles. Not someone who will shy away from controversy, after all being a SBOE member is controversial!
SBOE member KEN MERCER from District 5
Ken Mercer speaking on the Founding Fathers
MEET AND GREET
Rosie and Ken Mercer – Center
Sonja and Bill Harris
Carlyn and Jac Yon
NOTE FROM KEN MERCER:
I was asked recently whether I have any concerns with the Republican Party. True Conservative Republicans have one common “demon” that keeps us awake at night – RINO's – Republicans-in-Name-Only.
During the national elections of 2006 and 2008, too many of our true conservative friends stayed home. These voters complained they were cheated and used by key Republicans who used the term "conservative" during the primaries, but once elected legislated as moderates -- or worse, as liberals.
Can any Republican deny hearing this consistent complaint? Frankly, these RINO's drive true conservatives away from the party of Lincoln. Remember that after the 2008 Presidential election, liberals claimed the “Rising Tide” of conservatism was finally dead. The Far Left formed coalitions with politically ambitious RINO's to pass policies that increased spending and harmed traditional American family values, setting our nation up for a Socialist takeover.
By the grace of God, the TEA Party and other patriot groups brought conservative “values voters” back to the polls in November 2010.
Now the liberal editorial boards, in endorsing RINO's for the 2012 elections, are promoting a new term called “common sense conservatism.” Translated, this must mean viewing conservative values and policies as a "lunch buffet" where they can pick and choose what they will support. That philosophy could critically wound the party of Lincoln that supports an entire platform of conservatism.
I hope that when the elections of 2012 are over, all of us will be able to sleep better at night. Now is the time to draw a “conservative line in the sand” and take back America. Politically speaking, when conservative Republican voters go to the ballot box in 2012, they need to go “RINO hunting.”
SBOE Member CHARLIE GARZA from DISTRICT 1
Listen to his heartwarming story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOy2eiBhVEU
Charlie’s account is a true America Dream. He is one of 19 siblings which that in itself is amazing. His life is an inspiration to all who aspire to achieve. As Charlie says, “Life is about hard work, Life is about sacrifice.” He was the Top Secret Control Officer, in charge of all Top Secret, while he served in the Navy. He went on to serve in the WH under President Ronald Reagan as his Top Secret personal liaison. We have House Representative 9 Wayne Christian to thank for shedding light on Charlie’s incredible success story.
Charlie is making news in his district of El Paso by filing a complaint with the Texas Education Agency concerning a Ysleta Independent School District’s Christmas program. He is alleging that $180,000 spent over the last three years on the Christmas Reindeer Revue program could be better spent for the school children. The Reindeer Revue was implemented by Superintendent Michael Zolkoski and Charlie says that, “It’s waste, fraud and abuse because their fundamental responsibility is to be a steward of taxpayer money.”
It takes courage to do what this SBOE member has accomplished and to this day Charlie wants to ‘make a difference’ and says that anything is possible. I love his success story!
SLATE OF CONSERVATIVES FOR TEXAS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Recommended by Donna Garner (SBOE activist)
(I) Charlie Garza – District 1 – El Paso
(I)*Ken Mercer – District 5 – San Antonio
Donna Bahorich – District 6 – Houston
(I)*David Bradley – District 7 – Beaumont
(I)*Barbara Cargill – District 8 – Woodlands
*Randy Stevenson – District 9 – Tyler
*Jeff Fleece – District 10 – Liberty Hill
*Gail Spurlock – District 12 – Richardson
(I)*Gail Lowe – District 14 – Lampasas
*Marty Rowley – District 15 – Amarillo
(I) Incumbent
* More than one in race
http://candidates.texasgop.org/offices/member-state-board-of-education
TEXTBOOKS IN TEXAS – NPR
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124737756
State Board of Education approves math standards, textbook rules
http://www.kxxv.com/story/17620054/state-board-of-education-approves-mat...
WHO REPRESENTS ME?
http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
Disclaimer: The views of individual TexasGOPVote bloggers do not necessarily reflect those of TexasGOPVote.com.
