Blake Sawyer

Strongly Disagree

I believe political organizations should not have the ability to teach in our schools. Curricula related to reproduction and sexual education should be approved by the local SHAC committee and aligned with TEA requirements.

Strongly Agree

As a foster and adoptive family, I strongly believe that every person deserves the best chance to succeed at every stage of life.

Agree

Disagree

School districts should be able to petition for their needs and the interests of their stakeholders at the state level but should not use taxpayer money to either pay lobbyists or lobby themselves against the interests of their stakeholders.

The Texas Constitution mandates that we provide public education to all students, and I firmly believe that every student deserves the best chance at success when they graduate. By providing elementary through high school education to every student, we can ensure that each one receives a well-rounded education and is challenged to grow, from special needs students to those who are college and career ready. I also support the idea of providing public Pre-K in some instances, particularly for students who need extra help before reaching kindergarten, such as those with developmental delays. While Pre-K should be optional, providing an optional program can be an excellent service to our community, offering options for children who might not receive the help they need otherwise. As for government-funded colleges, I acknowledge that community colleges and public colleges already receive government aid, and programs like Pell grants help students who require financial assistance. I believe it is important to offer low-cost options for those who need to attend college. Still, also I recognize that a college degree is unnecessary for every successful career. Overall, my stance is centered around providing quality education to all students while being mindful of the costs and limitations of government funding. Let's work together to provide opportunities and options for our students, ensuring that every child has a chance to reach their full potential!

Strongly Agree

As a nation, we could all benefit from learning to speak civilly about our beliefs, and the first amendment protects both he freedom of speech and the freedom of religion. I strongly believe that students should, where appropriate in the school context promote positive and civil discussion.

Strongly Agree

The First Amendment prohibits the establishment of any formal religion and protects our free speech. A school district discriminating against anyone, individual or business, based on their religious beliefs is akin to the government's preference for certain religions over others.

The school board's primary responsibility is to understand the community's needs and ensure that students are equipped for success. This involves overseeing the district's operations, providing guidance, and making informed decisions. While there are many good ideas, the board must focus on the best ones to achieve the district's goals. The superintendent is responsible for managing all aspects of the district The board supports the superintendent by providing guidance, feedback, and a diverse perspective based on the needs of the stakeholders. My role at work allows me the opportunity to coach employees in their tasks, help them think through new ideas, and consider the wisdom in doing things another way. I see the role of a board member similarly, helping the superintendent be the best servant of the district. By working together, the board and superintendent can create a strong partnership to achieve the district's goals and improve the educational experience for all students.

It is the role of the district to recommend a curriculum based on the requirements of the TEA and the board's approval. Often, the board can use community-based committees to help make recommendations, but these committees differ from the due diligence of the district and the board of trustees.

There should be a lot of leeway for a parent to speak at a school board meeting. Provided a parent conducts themselves with civility, they should be able to make concerns known to the people who make decisions within the district. Parents should recognize that the people they speak to are people and should refrain from threats of physical violence or profanity. When we stop listening to parents about things they are passionate about, dismiss their concerns as irrational, or limit their ability to voice them, we create an environment where the schools ignore their stakeholders. Likewise, when parents see school boards as an "us against them" instead of a "us and them," we make it harder for change to happen and potentially stifle collaboration.

Language Arts, Mathematics, American History, Science, Physical Fitness, Art & Music, Personal Finances, Information Technology, Foreign Language, Vocational Learning, Sexuality, Social Emotional Learning

America was founded on the principle that a free country would be able to govern itself. This belief was based on the belief that all men were created equal and endowed by their creator with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. While we as a society didn't always live the statements we espoused, the nation was founded in a way that would help correct those serious issues, such as racism and slavery over time. As a point of proof, we have people from all over the world coming to America with the hope that they can be free and have a better life. We need to make sure our students understand that no one is perfect, but we can all be better by looking to our founding fathers and the beliefs they had in a moral society's ability to govern for the betterment of their fellow man and woman.

Equity in education means looking at each student as an individual and ensuring they are provided with the resources they need to reach their full potential. That ceiling may look different from student to student, but the goal shouldn't be to squeeze everyone into the same results but to challenge each student to be their best. What works for a student in an AP Calculus class differs from the student struggling to learn their multiplication table. Both have equal value and should have equal advocacy, but because they are in different places, the curriculum and attention may shift. I believe that parent or guardian sends their child to school because they want their student to learn and grow academically. When we can look at each student regardless of their socio-economic factors, and help each one be their best, we create a better society for the future and honor the charge we have been given from their parents.

Agree

Not every parent will review the curriculum, but for a curriculum that is outside of academic instruction, especially where values are concerned, a parent should have the opportunity to review and approve them before they are presented to students. Having an opt-in helps parents evaluate how these programs align with their values and beliefs.

Agree

There can be benefits in ensuring that each student in the US receives the same foundational instruction, but having control at the local municipal level allows those in the community to address needs specific to their community. Having that "boots on the ground" level of review and accountability helps all our children get the specific attention they need.

Neutral

Every parent definitely has the ability to pursue the best educational needs for their child. My hope is that those needs can be addressed in the public school so that in addition to education, they can learn about the diversity of the community they live in, and we can work to make the local schools better for every student. Having a good education shouldn't be contingent on how much you can spend privately, and we are called to look out for the interests of others.

Agree

No

Since 2017, I have been working with my local district to ensure that material, digitally received or otherwise, is age appropriate and protective of student innocence. For example, when devices were issued in elementary school, I worked to provide transparency and protection so that pornography wasn't accessible on these devices.

Strongly Agree

There should never be a reason to hide information from parents or other stakeholders. As a service provider, schools should be transparent in the materials presented to their students. We should keep an open line of communication with families and work together to ensure every student gets what they need to be their best.

I believe that everyone is created equal, that we all have value, and that there is no such thing as a perfect person or candidate. Because of this, we are called to believe that someone other than ourselves needed to create a way for us to be made right. My faith teaches me that that person was Jesus Christ, who made a way for me when I could not, and that there is nothing I could do to earn his love and forgiveness. Because of the work he has already done, I and anyone else who believes already have a relationship with him. Among my values are that faith and family come first, that we are good stewards of the resources we have, and that we give back and work to make the community in which we live a better place. Everyone has the same value regardless of ethnicity, creed, ability, age, or economic status. Because of these values, I would use the resources I have been given to ensure every student in the district has what they need.

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

While the primary responsibility for teaching children sexual education should be from the home, there are important partners in that role with religious groups, medical professionals, and the school systems. Children, from a young age, should be responsibly taught about how they were made and about their bodies and changes to them. A high priority should be for religious organizations to aid in understanding the deeper purpose in our unique anatomy and the blessings those can be. When children grow and begin to change, medical professionals and schools should be able to assist in providing factual information into what those changes mean so that children can process those changes in environments other than peer groups.

Physical and emotional health outcomes, human anatomy/the reproductive system, stages of pregnancy and fetal development, abstinence, consent, and contraceptive methods.

Agree

Disagree

Voters should need photo identification to vote. This is not a barrier to voting as these requirements exist in other arenas of daily life, and photo ids are already used daily. For example, I need a photo ID to buy spray paint from Walmart and medication from a pharmacy.

Nope!

Agree

Conservative

Other than my website (blake4richardson.com), you can refer to my answers in last time's voter's guide (https://ivoterguide.com/candidate?elecK=824&raceK=12780&primarypartyk=-&canK=57913) and an article from the lake highlands advocate (https://lakehighlands.advocatemag.com/2023/02/23/blake-sawyer-risd/). There are also articles pending from other surveys from the league of women voters, Dallas Morning News, and Richardson's Community Impact (but there have yet to be links.)

In serving on the board, my goal is to help all students be equipped and cared for, and to resource our teachers and staff with the tools they need to impact students' futures. Several fantastic teachers influenced me as a student, and I was raised by an educator who focused on children with special needs. I know that exceptional teachers can do so much when they are properly resourced, and the foundations for our future are sown in good public schools. We have three kids, all going to school in the district. The spectrum is broad in lots of ways, for sure. Our oldest is at Westwood Junior High in the Math-based Science magnet and is preparing for his Freshman year at Richardson High School. Our middle is finishing Take Flight at Arapaho Classical Magnet and is passionate about art and science. Our youngest has been advancing and changing so much in his time at Dobie Pre-K. We are so thankful for all the teachers, aides, and staff who help each of them be their best. Having kids in so many different phases of life and development allows me to see the work we need to do for all our kids in the district. Also...having a three-year-old in the district means I will be here for a while and want to advocate for everyone along the way.

Disagree

We need to keep our students safe in almost any way we can. In addition to making schools harder targets to access, we can consider measures such as placing school resource officers on campus to discourage an incident. When I was working as an analyst for the Plano Police Dept, I could focus on doing my job, knowing that someone else was fully focused on scene security. By adding weapons to the classroom, we add another thing for teachers to think about other than teaching.

In general, vaccines are there to protect children and lower the spread of a virus. Schools should work with the CDC, as well as state and local health departments when requiring any vaccine for student attendance. Some vaccines, such as the flu, are helpful, but should never be required. Others, such as MMR, may be needed to help prevent a disease from re-entering our society. There should always be room for conversations and grace in these circumstances, as some families may have medical or religious reasons for not having full spectrum of vaccines. By working to find equitable solutions on an individual basis, we can work to build trust with our community and prevent the spread of disease in our schools.

Disagree

Strongly Agree

Strongly Agree