Maria Benzon
Non-Partisan | Texas
Candidate Profile
Liberal (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Maria Benzon
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2021
Election
November School Board & House Dist 118 Runoff
Race
Houston ISD School Board, Dist. 5
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Houston, Houston, TX, PhD, 2013
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, MA, 1999
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, BS, 1997
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
Bellaire Young Mothers, Speaker Coordinator, Bellaire Young Mothers
President, EF+Math Educational Leadership Council, Member
TI Teachers Teaching with Technology, Regional Instructor, Elizabeth Warren Campaign
Volunteer, Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, Volunteer
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
ENDORSEMENTS
LIBERAL (2)
Our Revolution Harris County
Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
OTHER (1)
Community Voices for Public Education
SELECTED FINANCIAL SOURCE DOCUMENTS
Campaign Finance Report - period of 7/15/2021 through 10/4/2021
OTHER INFORMATION
Party Primary Election Voting History for Maria Biledith Benzon during time of residence in district and/or at current address:
- 2020 Party Primary: Democratic
- 2018 Party Primary: Democratic
- Voted in 4 Democratic Primaries 2008-2016
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
No Answer
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Did not answer
ECONOMY
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Agree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Did not answer
School districts should be able to use taxpayer money for lobbying the state legislature.
Did not answer
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
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.
Did not answer
At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.
Did not answer
Students should not be allowed to pray in school.
Did not answer
EDUCATION
What is the function of the local school board?
The responsibilities of Trustees in Houston ISD include setting policies for the district as well as interviewing, hiring, evaluating, and if needed, dismissing the Superintendent of Houston ISD. Trustees also approve the annual budget. In addition, Trustees strive to provide high-quality education to the constituents they serve such as the students and families of Houston ISD.
Who should have the authority to set curriculum and determine resources used in those curricula?
The state sets the standards to teach. The district should set the curricula and determine resources for the curricula. Schools should discuss with the district if they need different curricula or resources in order to better meet the needs of their community. Teachers should discuss with school administrators if they would like to use or supplement the curriculum with other resources.
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
Did not answer
Our state should participate in the nationwide Common Core standards for high-school graduation.
Did not answer
Schools should use Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum and resources to teach emotions, values, and relationships.
Strongly Agree
I support the teaching of the 1619 Project emphasizing slavery and racism as the foundation of American history.
Strongly Agree
When students are taught courses such as Comprehensive Sex Ed (CSE) or Social Emotional Learning (SEL), they must opt-in with written parental permission.
Did not answer
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.
Did not answer
VALUES
No school official should be involved in the sexual transitioning of a student. All issues on this subject should be referred to the parents of the student.
Did not answer
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.
Did not answer
Teachers should not use alternative names and pronouns without parental permission.
Did not answer
Therapy to help children turn from unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria should be banned.
Did not answer
I support allowing students to use public restrooms, showers, and changing rooms, and to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.
Did not answer
No healthcare diagnosis or treatment, whether mental, reproductive, or otherwise, should be given to a child without first receiving written consent from the parent.
Did not answer
Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?
Did not answer
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
Did not answer
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Did not answer
ABOUT YOU
Why are you running for this office?
I am running to be the HISD Trustee in District V because I believe ALL students deserve a high-quality public education. School board trustees need to be knowledgeable of the successes and challenges in running schools, supporting teachers, and educating children. I bring that knowledge with 21+ years teaching and leading in urban schools and as a professor of math/science teachers. I bring a background in educational research in diversity, motivation, and classroom practices. As a parent of an HISD student and community leader, I want to ensure that ALL children have access to excellent and equitable learning opportunities.
A candidate's personal moral values should not be relevant when considering a candidacy for elective office.
Disagree
Which of the 11 objectives specified in the Texas Education Code is your highest priority?
Did not answer
What books have had the most profound impact on your view of life?
Did not answer
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
Did not answer
Considering all issues (social, economic, national security, etc.), which of these best describes you?
Liberal
Please defend your answer to the previous question by referencing your publicly available track record.
Did not answer
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
Did not answer
2ND AMENDMENT
Teachers who are licensed to carry should be allowed to carry guns at school.
Did not answer
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Do you support mandatory vaccinations for children attending public school?
Did not answer
