A North Texas Republican won an election to keep his seat on the Texas School Board’s 12th District after big-name politicians backed his opponent.
Pam Little, whose district includes parts of Collin, Dallas and Denton counties, won about 51% of the vote in her runoff against Jamie Coleman, according to unofficial final results.
Little, a businessman, was elected to the board in 2018.
Republicans are seeking to strengthen conservative influence on the Texas Public School Board in the November general election, with two GOP seats up for grabs in runoff elections.
The State Board of Education is responsible for setting standards for courses as well as reviewing and adopting textbooks and other instructional materials. Recently, it postponed discussion of a new Native American studies course and approved rules for school libraries amid a fight over inappropriate books.
The group has become more conservative in recent years: 10 of the 15 board members are Republicans.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Midland Republican and businessman Aaron Kinsey to be chairman last year.
Coleman, a real estate agent who previously worked for the influential conservative think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation, had the backing of numerous groups and Republican figures, including Sen. Ted Cruz and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.
Little will face Democrat George King in the Nov. 5 general election.
If re-elected, Little said he would review the state’s math standards, examine what students at each grade level should learn in social studies classes, expand career and technology opportunities and develop guidelines for how to overhaul instructional materials used in schools.
During her time on the board, Little voted against including gender identity in health education materials that did not meet state regulations and also voted against materials that presented a biased view of the fossil fuel industry, according to her website.
On his website, Coleman said he wanted to “eliminate the left-wing material being forced into classrooms” and ensure history was “taught fairly and accurately”.
Coleman wanted to strengthen the school’s Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), which details requirements for all courses and ensures that classroom materials are “consistent with Texas values.” Dallas Morning News Voter’s Guide.
District 10
In Central Texas, incumbent Tom Maynard, a former agricultural science teacher, won the runoff election with about 52% of the vote, according to final unofficial results.
Maynard was elected to the board in 2012 and serves as chair of the committee that oversees the Permanent School Fund. She was endorsed by Abbott.
He defeated opponent Mary Vaughn, a school board member in the Round Rock Independent School District, for the seat representing an area that includes Williamson and Bell counties.
If re-elected, Maynard wants to ensure students are not exposed to inappropriate content in class, and overhauling the social studies TEKS curriculum is one of her priorities, according to her campaign website.
Maynard will face Democrat Raquel Saenz Ortiz, Green Party candidate Daniel Caldwell and Libertarian Party candidate Gerald McAlexander in November.
It’s unclear whether McAlexander’s name will appear on the ballot. He was listed as a candidate on the Texas Secretary of State’s website last week, but a statement said he had not paid his registration fees.
Libertarian and Green Party candidates must submit a registration fee or petition to the Secretary of State’s office or a county judge to be eligible for convention nomination or they may be deemed ineligible to run.
The DMN Education Lab deepens coverage and conversation about pressing education issues critical to the future of North Texas.
The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative supported by Bobby and Lottie Lyle, Texas Community Foundation, Dallas Foundation, Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce, Dee Dee Rose, Garrett and Cecelia Boone, Meadows Foundation, Murrell Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sidney Smith Hicks and The University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of Education Lab journalism.
