Education
I have spoken out before on the decline of our small, rural towns. I know and understand the fears and concerns felt by declining population. I know this because I have talked to constituents about their desire for generational links to continue.
I know you want your children returning home to raise their children. Let’s start working on change a cracked system so they have more reason to do so. Let’s fix education so each community has a strong foundation for youth to return home post university or to stay and run local businesses while they raise our future generations.
If we fail to invest in our children now rural Texas risks losing them permanently.
Education Platform
English and History Curriculum Censorship
Fellow Texans, friends, parents, educators, and neighbors across Texas House District 88 —
Tonight, I am not just as a candidate. I am reaching out to you this evening as a teacher. For years, I have walked into classrooms across our communities carrying lesson plans, stacks of essays, debate cases, history documents and sometimes the emotional weight our students quietly carry through the doors with them every morning. As a teacher, I have spent years encouraging students to read boldly, think critically and ask questions about the world around them. I have watched reluctant readers suddenly discover confidence through literature. I have seen students from small Panhandle towns connect deeply with stories that helped them understand history, hardship, courage, identity and humanity.
That is why I am deeply concerned about the direction Texas is moving with state-controlled reading policies, curriculum mandates and growing book restrictions in our schools.
I have taught students from farming families in places where drought and aquifer decline threaten livelihoods. I have taught students whose parents work long shifts in oil fields, hospitals, classrooms and local businesses just to keep food on the table. I have taught students who dream of becoming doctors, welders, historians, engineers, ranchers, teachers and public servants right here in the Texas Panhandle.
And I can tell you this with absolute certainty:
Our students are not fragile.
They are capable of truth.
They are capable of critical thought.
And they deserve an education built on honesty — not fear.
Texas students deserve an education grounded in honesty, critical thinking, and academic freedom rather than fear, political pressure or censorship. Recent legislation in Texas, particularly Texas House Bill 3979 and Senate Bill 3, has created a chilling effect in both English and history classrooms by restricting how educators discuss race, inequality, historical injustice, gender and current events.
These laws were framed as efforts to prevent political indoctrination; however, in practice they have created confusion among teachers, administrators and librarians over what can safely be taught or discussed. Educators across Texas have reported uncertainty about teaching topics such as slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, the Holocaust, systemic discrimination, immigration, as well as modern social issues because the laws prohibit instruction that could be interpreted as causing “discomfort” related to race or sex.
In District 88, that matters deeply.
Because history matters deeply here.
Our Panhandle communities were built by generations who endured hardship, dust storms, war, segregation, economic collapse, agricultural struggles, and sacrifice. The strength of our region comes from resilience and honesty opposed to pretending difficult moments never happened.
Yet today, teachers are increasingly afraid to discuss complicated historical realities because they worry a lesson could be misinterpreted politically.
In history classrooms, these restrictions undermine the very purpose of historical education. Students cannot fully understand American, Texas, or World History without confronting difficult truths — including slavery, segregation, Indigenous displacement, discrimination and struggles for civil rights. Sanitizing or avoiding these discussions weakens civic literacy and leaves students less prepared to engage thoughtfully in democracy. They become less globally aware in an increasingly globalized world. Historians and educational organizations have warned that these laws risk “whitewashing” history and limiting students’ ability to analyze historical complexity.
The impact extends into English classrooms as well. Literature exists to expose students to diverse perspectives, cultures and human experiences. Restrictive policies and book challenges tied to HB 900 and related efforts have disproportionately targeted books involving race, LGBTQ+ identities, women’s experiences and social inequality. This limits students’ exposure to meaningful literature that builds empathy, analytical thinking and vital communication skills.
These policies also negatively affect teachers. Many educators now fear professional consequences for leading honest classroom discussions, resulting in self-censorship and reduced classroom engagement. Some districts have removed books “out of an abundance of caution,” even when those materials had educational value.
For rural districts across the Texas Panhandle and communities these restrictions can be especially harmful. Rural students already face challenges involving teacher shortages, limited course offering and fewer educational resources. Restricting curriculum further isolates students from broader perspectives and reduces college and workforce readiness. AP, dual-credit, and college-preparatory courses depend on students being able to critically examine controversial issues, historical evidence and complex literature. Educational experts have warned that overreaching curriculum laws may jeopardize the rigor and effectiveness of these programs.
Education should prepare students to think rather than simply memorize approved narratives. Strong schools encourage inquiry, discussion, evidence-based reasoning and respectful debate. When lawmakers dictate which histories are acceptable or which books are too uncomfortable to read, students lose opportunities to develop the analytical and civic skills necessary for leadership in the real world.
Texas students are capable of engaging with difficult history and meaningful literature. Our educators should be trusted to teach with professionalism, context and academic integrity. They should not constrained by politically motivated censorship. Imagine being a history teacher trying to explain the Civil Rights Movement while wondering whether discussing systemic discrimination might trigger complaints. Imagine teaching the Holocaust while worrying about accusations of making students “uncomfortable.” Imagine teaching literature like To Kill a Mockingbird, The Bluest Eye, or works discussing inequality and identity while districts pull books from shelves out of fear.
That is not educational freedom.
That is political intimidation.
As an AP World History teacher and speech and debate coach, I have watched students thrive when they are allowed to ask hard questions, challenge assumptions, evaluate evidence and engage in respectful disagreement.
That is what education is supposed to do.
Speech and debate teaches students how to defend ideas they may not even personally agree with. History teaches students how civilizations succeed and fail. Literature teaches empathy. Together, these subjects create informed citizens capable of participating in democracy.
But when politicians begin deciding which ideas are acceptable and which historical truths are too controversial, we stop educating students how to think and begin teaching them what to avoid thinking about.
And here’s what concerns me most for rural Texas:
District 88 already faces serious educational challenges.
We struggle with teacher shortages.
We struggle with retaining qualified educators in rural communities.
Many schools face budget pressures, staffing shortages and difficulty offering advanced coursework.
Now imagine asking teachers to navigate vague political laws on top of all of that. Some of our best educators are leaving the profession entirely because they feel distrusted and attacked. That hurts every student in the Panhandle.
When teachers leave, class sizes grow.
Advanced programs disappear.
Students lose mentors.
Communities weaken.
And meanwhile, our children still have to compete with students from across the nation for college admissions, scholarships and careers. Students entering universities and modern workplaces must know how to analyze complex information, evaluate multiple viewpoints and understand the realities of both history and modern society.
Shielding students from complexity does not prepare them for the future.
It weakens their ability to succeed in it.
Now let me be clear:
Parents absolutely deserve involvement in education.
Transparency matters.
Age-appropriate instruction matters.
But there is a difference between parental partnership and political censorship.
As your representative, I will fight for strong public schools, local teacher support, academic freedom and honest education grounded in evidence and professionalism rather than through partisan fear campaigns.
I trust our educators.
I trust our students.
And I trust the people of District 88 to recognize that real learning sometimes requires uncomfortable conversations because growth itself is uncomfortable. History is uncomfortable. Democracy is uncomfortable. But avoiding truth has never made a society stronger.
Our students deserve classrooms where curiosity is encouraged, where books are not feared, where teachers are respected and where young people are prepared to lead with wisdom rather than ignorance.
That is the kind of Texas I believe in.
That is the future I am fighting for.
Our Voice. Our Liberty. Our Texas.
Advanced Education -
Advanced Placement, Dual Credit & Gifted Services
Across Texas, legislation such as HB 900, the so-called READER Act, alongside new state controlled curriculum initiatives ( such as proposed mandatory reading lists) are creating an environment where politics increasingly dictates what students are allowed to read and what teachers are allowed to teach.
While these issues affect all youth in Texas, here in District 88, the negative results run much deeper. Rural students deserve the same intellectual opportunities as students anywhere else in Texas - and beyond.
I wrote last night covering concerns with this issue; however, because education is such a significant issue I want to discuss it further. Last night I mentioned to you the concerns associated with both English and history courses. Tonight I want to rally around the causation. The limits that reach beyond time spent k-12 - those realities of imbedded religion, cultural and collegiate set backs, minimization of intellectual growth rather than its maximization, and repercussions in the professional world.
The newest proposed state required reading lists have raised serious concerns ranging from educators and librarians to parents and to constitutional scholars. Critics note that many of these lists lack diversity, overemphasize particular religious perspectives and reduce local educator input in determining what is appropriate and meaningful for students.
I want to be ver clear on a controversial aspect. Teaching about religion in historical or literary context absolutely has educational value. The Bible, like many religious texts, has influenced literature, government, philosophy and history; however, public schools must educate students not promote one belief system over another. We live in a world of diversity that deserves recognition not pushed into compliance in association with a central belief system. When state government begins creating mandatory reading structures heavily centered around one religious perspective, we risk undermining both academic integrity and religious freedom itself. Families in Texas come from many backgrounds, faiths and traditions. Public education must remain open and welcoming to all students.
Beyond religious concerns there is another danger: the growing culture of censorship and fear.
Under HB 900, districts and vendors face vague standards about what books may be considered “sexually relevant” or “explicit.” Even federal courts have criticized portions of the law as confusing and constitutionally problematic. This results in schools overcorrecting. Books are being removed not because they are harmful but because districts fear punishment, controversy or lawsuits. Reports show Texas continues to lead the nation in book bans. Most removals are not tied to direct legal violations only to fear and political pressure.
As a teacher, I can tell you it is our students who are losing.
Students lose access to literature that reflects real human experiences.
Students lose opportunities to develop empathy.
Students lose the ability to analyze difficult ideas and engage with complexity.
Students lose preparation for college, careers and civic life.
True education. Maximized education. Deserved education - these should not shield students from things that make them uncomfortable. Life gets uncomfortable. Learning adaptive and coping mechanisms teach them to navigate life with wisdom, confidence and maturity. In AP classrooms, debate classrooms and English classrooms students learn how to evaluate varied perspectives, interpret evidence and engage thoughtfully with ideas they may not personally agree with. They build the whole person. Frankly, rural students cannot afford to fall behind intellectually while the rest of the country and the world continue advancing rigorous educational standards.
I trust parents to be involved in their children’s education. I support transparency and age-appropriate instruction. I support educators being trusted within their academic fields. Professional judgement matters. I do not support politicians micromanaging classroom libraries from Austin while rural schools struggle. As your representative, I will fight for public education that values literacy, critical thinking, local input and intellectual honesty. I will stand with teachers, parents and students against censorship driven by fear and political theater. I will continue believing what I have always believed as an educator:
A student who learns to think critically becomes harder to manipulate.
A student who reads broadly becomes more compassionate.
And a student trusted with truth becomes stronger not weaker.
Our students still compete against students from Dallas, Houston, Austin and across the nation for university admissions, scholarships, internships, and careers. Some face this same competition internationally. So when Texas passes restrictive laws like HB 3979, Senate Bill 3, HB 900 rural students are the ones who fall furthest behind.
As an AP World History teacher, speech and debate coach, and former Gifted Education Coordinator, I can tell you exactly what gifted and high-achieving students need to succeed at the university level:
They need analytical thinking.
They need exposure to diverse perspectives.
They need rigorous reading.
They need difficult discussions.
They need to learn how to evaluate competing ideas and defend positions using evidence.
That is how universities operate. These skills are a necessity. Texas is creating an educational system which harms all students, but hurts gifted students the most. This is because gifted students are not served by watered-down education. They are not served by memorization without analysis. They are not served by classrooms afraid of complexity. A student from Hockley County, Wheeler County, Hale County, Gray County or Andrews County should have the same intellectual preparation as a student from any elite suburban district in Texas.
Curriculum restrictions are creating an environment where some teachers avoid assigning challenging literature or advanced historical analysis altogether directly impacting college readiness.
The American Historical Association itself warned that Texas curriculum restrictions could negatively affect Advanced Placement and dual-credit instruction because difficult historical discussions are foundational to college level coursework. What does this mean in rural Texas?
Many District 88 students already have fewer opportunities for advanced coursework simply because of district size and staffing limitations.
Some rural schools can only offer a handful of AP or dual-credit courses.
Some students depend heavily on school libraries because families cannot easily access large bookstores, university libraries, or extensive online resources.
Some students are the first in their families to pursue higher education.
Now imagine limiting the very books and discussions that prepare them for that next step. That is not protecting students. That is limiting them. I have taught gifted students who were desperate to discuss world philosophy, constitutional rights, historical injustice, ethics, revolution, religion, literature, propaganda and political systems. Those conversations are not dangerous. They are education. Difficult conversations improve critical thinking skills. They are not evidence of indoctrination. Universities expect students to already know how to engage with those ideas before arriving on campus. When we remove books, narrow curriculum, or discourage critical inquiry we are not making students stronger. We are making them less prepared. The reality is that our students will enter universities where they will encounter every kind of idea imaginable. If we fail to teach them how to think critically now, we fail them later. There is a difference between protecting children and limiting intellectual growth.
I will fight for academic rigor.
I will fight for AP and dual-credit opportunities.
I will fight for every gifted student in District 88 who dreams of attending university, entering leadership or changing the world beyond our county lines. If we do these things properly not only will our children dive into collegiate opportunities prepared to swim instead of sinking they will thrive in the professional world with equally developed skills for their dream jobs. They become competitive. They stay competitive. They begin a generational strength.
Rural Texas students are just as capable, just as intelligent and just as deserving of opportunity as anyone else in this country. We should be expanding their horizons not shrinking them.
Our Voice. Our Liberty. Our Texas.
Gifted Students and Services
Texas has one of the oldest and most developed gifted and talented education frameworks in the country, but recent legislative and policy changes have created growing debate over whether the state is truly supporting advanced learners , especially in rural school districts like those in District 88. In rural Texas, gifted education is not a luxury - it is a lifeline.
Under Texas Education Code §29.121–29.123, Texas law requires public school districts to identify and serve gifted and talented (G/T) students. Since 1987, districts have been legally required to provide services for gifted students at all grade levels. The Texas Education Agency defines gifted students as children who “perform at remarkably high levels of accomplishment” compared to peers and who need differentiated educational services beyond the regular classroom.
Current Texas gifted education law includes several major components: districts must identify gifted students using multiple assessment measures, provide specialized instructional services, teachers serving gifted students must complete specialized G/T training, and districts must comply with the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students.
House Bill 3, passed in 2019, significantly impacted gifted education funding. HB 3 revised the G/T allotment formula and tied accountability more closely to student outcomes and the Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP). However, many educators and advocacy groups argue the funding structure still underfunds gifted education because districts receive weighted funding for only a capped percentage of students despite many districts identifying more students than the allotment covers. This issue is far more serious than most policymakers in Austin realize. While Texas law requires districts to identify and serve gifted students under Texas Education Code §29.121–29.123 the quality and depth of those services vary dramatically depending on district size, staffing, funding and access to trained educators.
For communities across District 88 gifted and talented programs often represent one of the few opportunities students have to access advanced academic challenge without leaving home. In small towns throughout the Panhandle, we may not always have large magnet schools, specialized academies or expansive course catalogs like urban districts. That means gifted education becomes even more important for identifying potential, nurturing talent and preparing students for higher education and leadership opportunities.
As a teacher in rural Texas, I have seen incredibly talented students sitting quietly in classrooms, often underestimated simply because they come from small communities. I have taught students from farming, ranching and working-class families whose intellectual ability rivals students from the most well funded districts in the country; however, talent alone is not enough. Students need opportunities to develop their talents.
Texas also periodically updates its State Plan for Gifted/Talented Education. In 2024, the State Board of Education approved revisions aligning the state plan with prior legislation including HB 1525 and updated accountability requirements. The updated state plan placed emphasis on professional development, accountability standards, equitable identification practices, and advanced academic rigor. Current legislative decisions that enhance censorship and create curriculum restrictions defies existing law. Revision to the State Plan won’t matter if new laws negate current ones.
Gifted education matters because gifted students learn differently. Many advanced learners require accelerated pacing, deeper analysis, independent inquiry, creative problem-solving and exposure to complex ideas. Without those opportunities students can become disengaged, bored, isolated, or academically stagnant. There are also increased mental health risks but that is for another post. In rural districts where staffing and resources are already stretched thin our gifted children are especially vulnerable to being overlooked. Bills like HB 3979 and Senate Bill 3 disproportionately harm gifted and advanced learners. The consequences are serious. When gifted students are not challenged a series of negativity ensues. This range from decline in academic motivation, increased behavioral issues, underperformance and many begin to believe their ambitions must exist somewhere outside their hometown. This is a dangerous message for rural Texas.
I have spoken out before on the decline of our small, rural towns. I know and understand the fears and concerns felt by declining population. I know this because I have talked to constituents about the desire for generational links to continue. I know you want your children returning home to raise their children. Let’s start working on change a cracked system so they have more reason to do so. Let’s fix education so each community has a strong foundation for youth to return home post university or to stay and run local businesses while they raise our future generations. If we fail to invest in those students now rural Texas risks losing them permanently.
Our communities need future doctors, engineers, educators, entrepreneurs, agricultural innovators, nurses, researchers, attorneys and civic leaders who understand rural life and choose to invest back into the Panhandle. Gifted education helps create those future leaders. Students pursuing universities, scholarships, competitive careers, military academies or advanced technical fields must learn how to: conduct research, analyze evidence, engage in complex reading, write persuasively, and solve difficult problems independently. These are precisely the skills gifted and advanced academic programs develop. Research on rural gifted education recommends broader identification systems and place-based learning models better suited to rural communities. Traditional testing models often miss rural gifted learners, low-income students, twice-exceptional students, and students whose talents emerge through leadership, creativity, mechanics, agriculture or verbal reasoning rather than traditional academic performance alone.
The truth is rural students in District 88 already face disadvantages compared to larger districts. We have spoken about fewer AP course offerings, fewer specialized electives, limited access to tutors or enrichment programs, teacher shortages, and geographic isolation from universities and academic institutions. Lets not forget the added concerns associated with vouchers and curriculum restrictions from previous discussions. Gifted education helps bridge the gap. It breeds innovation. It generates confidence and curiosity. It opens doors and importantly, gifted education is not just about test scores and grade books. It differs from regular classroom norms. Gifted students become gifted adults. Giftedness looks different because it is different.
Some gifted students are brilliant debaters.
Some are exceptional writers.
Some excel in science, mechanics, agriculture, leadership or the arts.
Some are twice-exceptional students balancing giftedness alongside disabilities or learning differences. I’ll further discuss twice exceptionality in a future post.
Rural Texas cannot afford to lose those students simply because we failed to invest in their potential. When Texas classrooms become more hesitant to explore subjects deeply, rural gifted students arrive at universities less prepared than peers from districts with broader academic opportunities. I have watched rural students rise to extraordinary levels when given support and challenge. I have watched shy freshmen grow into state competitors, scholarship winners, national qualifiers and confident young adults prepared to lead. Unfortunately, curriculum restrictions and political interference in education threaten these opportunities. Gifted students thrive in environments where questioning, exploration, creativity and intellectual challenge are encouraged. When classrooms become fearful of difficult conversations or narrowed by political pressure it is our advanced learners who are often the first to feel academically confined.
Those students exist in every county of District 88. In every small town where a student stays up late reading, questioning, dreaming and hoping for a future bigger than their circumstances.
Improving gifted education tells those students:
“You belong in the conversation.”
“You are capable.”
“Your future matters.”
To them and their families - I am saying - I hear you. I see you. I will be your voice.
As your representative, I will always fight for strong rural public schools, advanced academic opportunities, AP and dual-credit expansion, teacher recruitment, and gifted education programs that ensure Panhandle students can compete with anyone in Texas or this nation. Our children deserve every opportunity to succeed.
In rural Texas, gifted education is workforce development. It is healthcare development. It is agricultural innovation. It is economic survival. The gifted student sitting in a small Panhandle classroom today may become: the doctor serving a rural hospital, the engineer solving water infrastructure issues, the teacher returning home to their community, or the agricultural scientist helping preserve the Ogallala Aquifer for future generations.
Brilliance should never be limited by ZIP code. Supporting gifted education improves the quality of life. Supporting gifted education promotes population growth. Supporting gifted education literally changes the world.
Solving gifted and talented education access in rural Texas requires more than simply identifying students as GT. Texas already mandates identification and services under state law. Our real problem is that many rural districts do not have the staffing, funding, scheduling flexibility, or advanced academic infrastructure to fully serve those students. For our District 88 the solution must be practical, rural-focused and built around keeping opportunity local.
My stance offers a three part plank. As your representative I would advocate for change. I would advocate for our now, as well as our future.
First, Texas must increase dedicated rural gifted education funding.
Right now, many small districts stretch one teacher across multiple campuses or rely on limited pull-out programs that may only meet briefly each week. Research on rural Texas GT programs consistently identifies limited funding and staffing as major barriers to quality services. A stronger rural GT allotment should: provide incentives for districts under a certain enrollment size, help fund certified GT coordinators, support advanced curriculum materials, increase distant learning opportunities k-12 and expand access to enrichment opportunities beyond standardized testing.
Second, we need aggressive teacher recruitment and retention incentives specifically for rural GT and advanced academic educators.
Texas already requires teachers serving GT students to complete specialized training. Additionally, after the initial 30 credit hour of training educators are required to complete a 6 hour update annually. But our reality is many of our districts struggle to recruit teachers with AP certifications, GT training, debate coaching experience, advanced STEM backgrounds, or dual-credit qualifications. Based on my experience as a teacher, I believe Texas should offer student-loan forgiveness for rural advanced academic educators, housing stipends, salary supplements for GT-certified teachers, and state-funded continuing education partnerships through Education Service Centers and universities.
Third, Texas must dramatically expand virtual and shared rural advanced coursework.
Many of our schools simply do not have enough students or staff to offer courses in critical areas, such as AP Physics, AP Calculus, advanced research seminars, specialized humanities electives, or advanced foreign languages. We should not limit students’ futures. Texas should create regional Panhandle academic consortiums where districts share: virtual AP classes, dual-credit instructors, debate and UIL academic coaching, mentorship programs, and university partnerships. We already know rural dual-enrollment partnerships can work when schools collaborate creatively with colleges and regional institutions.
Our Voice. Our Liberty. Our Texas.
Brilliance should never be limited by ZIP code.
Supporting education improves the quality of life.
Supporting education creates rural sustainability.
Supporting education sparks innovation.
Supporting education boosts economic development.
Supporting education promotes population growth.
Supporting education literally changes the world.
Supporting Texas Teachers
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