The Chron kicks off Primary Endorsement Season by recommending Michelle Palmer in SBOE6.
Michelle Palmer
Three well-qualified Democratic candidates are vying to replace Chair Donna Bahorich,R-Houston, who is not seeking re-election. They are Debra Kerner, a speech and language pathologist; Kimberly McLeod, an assistant superintendent at the Harris County Department of Education; and Michelle Palmer, a social studies teacher. About 1.8 million Texans live in District 6, which stretches from Tomball to the north to Bellaire to the south. The good news for Texas voters is that all three Democratic candidates are qualified. Each brings to the table considerable experience in education.
Out of this talented field, we’re urging voters to vote for Palmer, 49. Her years as a teacher in area schools including Aldine ISD and Houston ISD have made her familiar with curriculum issues and will bring a rare perspective to the board: that of an active teacher. Her zeal for change, especially for ending Texas’ abstinence-only sex education and for expanding the history lessons to include a broader array of perspectives, is admirable. But she’ll need to be flexible in dealing with board members who see things differently, placing the interests of Texas school children first.
I did SBOE interviews early in the cycle – you can listen to my interview with Michelle Palmer here, with Kimberly McLeod here, and with Debra Kerner here. All three are terrific and you can’t go wrong, so vote for whoever you like.
There’s a lot of races and a lot of candidates, and the Chron will have its hands full getting these all done in a timely fashion. I’m especially interested to see what they make of the countywide positions – DA, County Attorney, and Tax Assessor in particular – and Commissioners Court Precinct 3. I’m still making up my mind in a number of these contests, and the more information I have going in, the better.