Kristofer Schoeffler
Non-Partisan | Texas
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Kristofer Schoeffler
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2023
Election
School Board
Race
Pearland ISD Board of Trustees - Position 2
Incumbent
Yes
Links
EDUCATION
Pearland High School, Pearland, TX, High School Diploma, 1999
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, BS, 2003
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Doctor of Vet Med, 2008
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Pearland Lions Club, Past Event Chairman, Past Tail Twister, Member, Pearland Chamber of Commerce
Past Board Chairman, Northern Brazoria County Education Alliance, Board Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Pearland ISD Board of Trustees, Position 2, 2020-Present
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Endorsed by my wife, Carrie, and all six of our children
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (2)
Ed Thompson (2022)
Greg Hill (2019)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
SELECTED FINANCIAL SOURCE DOCUMENTS
- Campaign Finance Report - January 15 (period of - 07/01/2022 through 12/31/2022)
OTHER INFORMATION
- Election Voting History from Brazoria County District Attorney's Office for Kristofer Rolf Schoeffler during time of residence in district and/or at current address:
- 2022 Primary election: no record
- 2020 Primary election: Republican
- Voted in two Republican Primary elections 2012 - 2018
- Voted in six General elections 2012 - 2022
**Voter history is not considered during panel evaluations.**
Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for additional educational purposes only.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Strongly Disagree
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
School districts should be able to use taxpayer money for lobbying the state legislature.
Agree
This statement requires some context. Forces that oppose public schools have lobbyists advocating their positions, and prohibiting districts from doing the same creates a severe disadvantage. School administrators have a duty to advocate for students, something that could be prohibited in this case. Ultimately, lobbyists do not make laws. Your elected officials must weigh the good and the bad, then decide. Do not tip the scales in favor of lobbyists that oppose public education.
What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?
I believe that a basic education is a right that elevates the poor and benefits our community. So, what constitutes a basic education? Most students do not need formal Pre-K education, although some may benefit from early interventions if a specific need is identified. Public pre-k is generally a poor developmental substitute for play time in a loving home. Let them be kids while they can. At the other end of the spectrum, college is not for everyone. Working as welders, mechanics, electricians, entrepreneurs, homemakers, and many other vocations can provide a rewarding life without the burden of college education. As such, college is a choice that makes sense for some but not for others. Why should the taxpayer be asked to subsidize something that does not benefit everyone equally? If a college graduate cannot justify the cost of the education with the promise of a job that pays well, then they should question the value of their chosen path and bear the financial burden they incur by their choices. I do believe that subsidized pre-k for which students must qualify should be available on a case-by-case basis. I also believe that higher education needs serious reform, especially the current model of government-backed lending to eager 18-year-olds pursuing degrees that will likely be useless in the real world in full cooperation with the institutions that set the price. I do not believe that adding both of these options to the public dole would result in better results for students or taxpayers. I support programs that seek to extend opportunities to people that need them, but I do not support the public school system taking on these responsibilities across the board.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.
Strongly Agree
School districts should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.
Strongly Agree
EDUCATION
What is the function of the local school board?
Officially the school board has two functions and only two functions: governance and oversight. It is not the place of a trustee to administrate over the district. We have only one employee: the superintendent. We must guide and trust him to act in ways that we believe best serve our students and community. We also serve as representatives of the community at large, and we are answerable to that community. Thus, one additional function is to be responsive to and engaged with our community.
Who should have the authority to set curriculum and determine resources used in those curricula?
The process of setting curriculum is complex. Obviously, trustees are not necessarily trained or educated in the finer points of education, techniques, state-mandated TEKS, etc. To ask the school board to formulate curricula for grades K-12, special education, ESL, dual language, GT, and other populations would be untenable. That said, oversight is a legitimate function of the school board. We approve purchases of programs and materials for use within the schools. We answer the public when concerns are brought forward about some of those materials. And we have the authority to charge the superintendent with specific goals and expectations regarding subject matter, materials, programs, resources, etc. Ultimately, the authority to design and implement curriculum is at the administrative and teaching level. However, though that authority has been delegated to the employees of the district, the responsibility of setting the expectations rests with the board of trustees.
When should parents be restricted from speaking in school board meetings?
I support the rights of parents as the first and primary educators of their own children. Parents are always welcome to speak at school board meetings, regardless of whether they agree with or disagree with the board's position. I will always support parents in their role as guardians of their children first, above all others. I believe there should be some common-sense restrictions in place. For instance, I would want to see a restriction on the use of profanity and vulgar language. I would also expect a restriction on calls for violence. These are generally accepted (and historically self-imposed) restrictions on our rights under the First Amendment of the Constitution, and I do not believe school board meetings should be an exception. "Manners maketh man," as the expression goes. And our children look to us for examples of civility and grace, so we should set the precedent. There have been several publicized cases of parents reading excerpts from explicit or vulgar literature out loud in school board meetings. While this can be quite effective and dramatic, I think there are better ways to approach it. The school board does not review or approve every resource in every library. When these types of books are found, there is a formal grievance process which the school board recently approved through which parents can challenge the inclusion of such materials in the library catalog. I believe in justice and order, so this would be the best avenue to pursue before resorting to board room theatrics. Overall, parents should feel ENCOURAGED to engage with their representatives on the board of trustees. Remember, we are resource for you and accountable to you.
Please list in order the following priorities in relation to the role of a K-12 public school (omitting any that do not apply): Mathematics, Information Technology, Science, Political Activism, Personal Finances, Gender Identity, Physical Fitness, American History, Critical Race Theory, Language Arts, Art & Music, Vocational Learning, Sexuality, Foreign Language, Social Emotional Learning
This list is honestly impossible to sort into sequential priorities. I will generalize them into groups instead. The order in which they appear is the order as listed above. Essential learning: mathematics, science, physical fitness, American (and Texas) history, language arts, fine arts / music, and I would add civics. Recommended learning: information technology (note: should be introduced later in development, not elementary level), personal finance, vocational learning (especially for students not pursuing college), sexuality (confined to scientific, anatomical fact and with parental consent only), foreign language. Topics to avoid: political activism (especially as pertains to specific, partisan actions), gender identity (best taught by parents), critical race theory (best left to parents to introduce), and sexuality as relates to the many forms of attraction, relationships, and acts that exist in modern culture. I left Social Emotional Learning off my list. I believe this is a worthwhile pursuit, especially as I have seen it implemented in Pearland. It is a vehicle to improve school culture and engage students in positive, character building exercises. I have seen examples of SEL to which I would strenuously object, but not in the materials being used by Pearland ISD and some of which I reviewed personally. If someone's experience has been otherwise, I would want to be the first to know.
Which more closely matches your view of America's founding principles? A) Liberty and equality. B) Slavery and racism.
Unequivocally, liberty and equality. American history has its warts, but it remains the beacon on the hill. Pearland exemplifies this. Not only are we the most diverse small city and second most diverse of all cities in the US, but we are also the most equitable across racial groups. I am proud and blessed to raise my family in such a diverse and welcoming environment.
What does "equity in education" mean to you?
Equity is definitionally equality of results among various subpopulations. I like the use of equity as a measure of success, but I think it frequently gets inverted into a goal in and of itself. When I look at Pearland and see the equity I mentioned above (highest in the country), I think that speaks to the fact that all racial and socioeconomic populations in Pearland have the ability to succeed here (equal opportunity), and they are doing it day after day. That measure of equity gives me peace and joy. The problem is that, when equity becomes the ultimate goal instead of just a benchmark, then the focus shifts to aiding certain groups and holding others back. For equity to truly be equitable, it must be organic. Anything else is not equity; it is the rigging of a system at the expense of all involved. Coercion and redistribution are poor substitutes for true flourishing.
Written parental consent (opt-in) must be obtained before students are taught courses such as Comprehensive Sex Ed (CSE) or Social Emotional Learning (SEL).
Neutral
Two separate topics. Parents should be able to opt-in for sexual education. For instance, my wife and I teach abstinence until marriage, a message I do not expect the school to deliver effectively to my child. However, I would not object to an old-school biology lesson given at an age-appropriate time. The Pearland ISD SEL program is not something that could be opted into or out of. It is a community building exercise done daily. The materials I reviewed are appropriate, so I do not object.
The loss of local control in education is too high a price to pay in exchange for federal dollars.
Agree
Obviously this has degrees of truth. We need funding, but the vast majority comes from state and local sources. However, we are subject to federal edicts regardless of funding sources. As a guiding principle, I am always in favor of more local control and government at the lowest level.
Parents are the ultimate authority in their child’s education and should be able to freely pursue whatever educational options they deem best for their child.
Strongly Agree
School boards are accountable to parents and taxpayers.
Strongly Agree
This question and my answer could be deceiving, so I will clarify. School boards are ACCOUNTABLE to parents and taxpayers. However, their RESPONSIBILITY is always to the students.
Do you believe students should have access to materials that graphically depict and describe sexual acts?
No
Pornography should not be sanctioned by public schools. There is a difference of kind between an age-appropriate biology lesson given with parental consent versus the graphic depiction of various sex acts made available to all students. Ultimately, it is a parent's right and duty to educate a child on sexuality.
All print and digital material available or presented to students should be easily accessible for public review.
Agree
I fully support the rights of parents to review instructional materials and resources. However, there are realities that sometimes make access difficult. For instance, kids can check out e-books through the library. Parents cannot. It is incumbent on parents to know what their children are reading and to be involved in their education, but the school should be as transparent as possible.
VALUES
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a practicing Catholic that subscribes to the idea that God gave us rules not for His benefit but for our own. I want nothing more than the success, happiness, and flourishing of every student that goes through Pearland ISD
I support allowing public high school students to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.
Strongly Disagree
All people deserve love and respect. That said, we cannot promote one group at the expense of another. I believe that we are born men and women, equal but not the same. The athletic advantages of male puberty and male genetics are too great to ignore. The risk to women individually and to women's sports generally is playing out in real time. We all make choices, and choices have consequences. Women's rights must be protected, too.
No school official should be involved in the sexual transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.
Neutral
I believe in the primacy of the parent. If a parent has requested that school officials respect the name and gender preferences of a student, teachers and administrators should generally not contravene that request. Likewise, a teacher, counselor, or administrator should never initiate or encourage such life-altering decisions by students. It is best to remain neutral and be a loving resource for the child, regardless.
No healthcare diagnosis or treatment, whether mental, reproductive, or otherwise, should be given to a child without first receiving written consent from the parent.
Neutral
With rare exceptions, I believe parents should have access to all legally-accessible records of their children. I would not mind the school nurse telling my child that they probably have the cold everyone is catching, so I have to temper my response to this question.
Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?
Parents are ultimately responsible, and the age is at their discretion. I tend to think that the right time is as children begin to mature, but that is in my house with my children.
If you support the teaching of Sex Ed, please answer the following question: Sexual education should include these topics (list all that apply and add your own, if needed) -- Physical and emotional health outcomes; contraceptive methods; consent; abstinence; sexual orientation and gender identity; human anatomy/the reproductive system; abortion methods and side effects; stages of pregnancy and fetal development; sex acts and pleasures of sex
If parents opt-in to sex ed in school, I would expect the material to cover anatomical differences, anatomical complementarity, anatomical function, heterosexual intercourse (as a biological function), STDs, contraception (intended and unintended consequences), and fetal development. I would also want an emphasis that pregnancy, STDs, and complex emotional entanglements are most effectively avoided through abstinence.
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
There is nothing controversial about the idea that America specifically and Western Civilization generally were founded on the most influential set of laws ever created in the Ten Commandments. You do not have to be Christian to acknowledge this historical fact.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
A candidate's personal moral values are relevant when considering a candidacy for elective office.
Strongly Agree
You need moral leaders to lead morally. That said, no person is perfect, so that cannot be the bar. To be moral means to have and heed one's well-formed conscience, imperfect as it may be; and, to feel remorse when that conscience is violated.
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
I am for personal freedom and community flourishing. I am for equality of opportunity, no manipulated outcomes. And I believe all people deserve love and forgiveness, two things I hope to receive in return.
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
I do not know of much publicly available information other than the public school board meetings in which I have participated over the past 3 years. My record is my endorsement.
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
There are no Ds and Rs on the school board. I have acknowledged my personal biases and laid them out for you to see. This may be to my benefit or detriment, but I believe in transparency. I recognize these biases in myself. That said, I also recognize that I serve ALL students, and they are diverse in every way imaginable. I will always do what I believe is in their best interest first, considering the needs of tax-payers, parents, residents, and employees of the district as subordinate. A strong school district benefits our community in every way imaginable, even if you do not have kids in the system. The thing I pride myself on is in trying to find the middle ground, or the win/win as I call it. I respond to all communications I receive so long as they are earnest. You will not find someone more interested in student flourishing than you have with me. God bless you, and please vote for Kristofer Schoeffler, Pearland ISD Trustee, Position 2.
2ND AMENDMENT
Teachers who are licensed to carry should be allowed to carry guns at school.
Neutral
I am open to this discussion because I have seen it successfully implemented in other districts. However, there would need to be many systems in place prior to approving such a measure. Allowing teachers to carry without safeguards, screenings, trainings, and infrastructure in place would be careless at best and dangerous at worst. There is a right way to do it, and that is something that could be discussed. I have mentioned this previously on the public record.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Under what circumstances (if any) should schools be allowed to require vaccinations?
Yes, I generally believe that vaccination serves the public good. Diseases like polio have been virtually eradicated by vaccination. Vaccines proven safe, effective, and sufficiently beneficial benefit us all. I am opposed to requiring the COVID vaccine in children and will stand firmly against it. The vaccine is unnecessary, ineffective, and even dangerous. If COVID vaccines were mandated by the district, my children would be withdrawn.
I support mask mandates.
Strongly Disagree
Check my public record on this topic.
All official open meetings should be live streamed, recorded, and have transcripts available online for public access.
Agree
Transcription requires someone to assemble and proof the transcript, an added expense and burden on the district. The agenda is available for everyone to see, video is provided, and the meetings are streamed. I do not think it is too much to ask for people to pay attention to the topics about which they care. Otherwise, I strongly agree.
All votes should be roll call votes and recorded in meeting minutes.
Neutral
The votes are recorded and everyone can see who supports or opposes each motion. This change would be merely procedural, so I am ambivalent.
