Joni Shaw Smith

Non-Partisan | Texas

Candidate Profile*

Conservative

*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.

BIOGRAPHY

Name

Joni Shaw Smith


Party

Non-Partisan


Election Year

2025


Election

May Uniform


Race

Keller ISD Board of Trustees, Place 2


Incumbent

Yes


Links

Joni Shaw Smith websites Joni Shaw Smith emailFacebookFacebookLinkedInBallotpedia

EDUCATION

Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Masters of Arts, 2002

Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Bachelors of Science, 1999

WORK & MILITARY

Live Events Producer and Creative Director of Thirsty Cat Creative, LLC, Owner

Lone Star Health & Fitness, LLC, CEO

AFFILIATIONS

PTA, Board Member, Keller ISD Board of Trustees

Secretary, Keller ISD CTE Board, Trustee Ad Hoc

POLITICAL OFFICES HELD

Keller ISD Board of Trustees, Place 2, 2022-2025

POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT

Keller ISD Board of Trustees, Place 2, 2022

ENDORSEMENTS*

*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
CONSERVATIVE (1)

*DFW Conservative Voters

SELECTED FINANCIAL SOURCE DOCUMENTS

Campaign Finance Report - 30th day before election (01/19/2022 - 03/28/2022) from Keller ISD

Selected contributions/expenditures:

  • $1,000.00 contribution from James Smith
  • $2,000.00 contribution from Donna Cobb
  • $3,863.75 contribution from Lori Claybrook

Campaign Finance Report - Final Report (01/19/2022 - 05/31/2022) from Keller ISD

Selected contributions/expenditures:

Campaign Finance Report - 8th day before election (01/19/2022 - 04/29/2022) from Keller ISD

Selected contributions/expenditures:

  • $3,000.00 in contributions from Keith Pearson
  • $1,000.00 contribution from Betty Pierce
  • $2,000.00 contribution from Donna Cobb
  • $1,000.00 contribution from Erik Leisa

Campaign Finance Report - 30th day before election (01/01/2025 - 04/02/2025) from Keller ISD

Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.

Campaign Finance Report - 8th day before election (01/01/2025 - 04/24/2025) from Keller ISD

 This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.

QUESTIONNAIRE

RIGHT TO LIFE

Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.

Strongly Agree

What role should the school serve in helping a student with an unwanted or crisis pregnancy?

The school should not be a part in any decision making of an unwanted or crisis pregnancy. However, there should be programs available to allow pregnant girls to continue getting their education and resources to help them and their families during this time.


RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

Teachers should be required to refer to students by pronouns which are misaligned with their gender at birth even if it would violate the teacher's moral and/or religious beliefs.

Strongly Disagree


ECONOMY

Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.

Strongly Agree

What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?

A well-funded pub ed, handled efficiently and responsibly, from early childhood through HS helps to ensure pathways to higher education and career readiness which is critical to the long-term success of our community. I do not support unnecessary governmental overreach that restricts local control and puts mandates on funding that promotes certain agendas. I also believe that education beyond high school is a choice to be made, and funded by, the individual, not by the taxpayer.


EDUCATION

Abortion and gender-affirming providers, including Planned Parenthood, should be a resource for instruction or services in the school.

Strongly Disagree

Consistent discipline creates a safe and orderly environment, which is essential for student learning.

Strongly Agree

Do you believe print and digital material available or presented to students should be easily accessible for public review, including those without children enrolled in school?

Yes

Educators should give students a thorough education in America's founding documents and cultivate American patriotism.

Strongly Agree

I support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

Strongly Disagree

I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.

Strongly Agree

Please list in order the following priorities in relation to the role of a K-12 public school (omitting any that do not apply): American History, Art & Music, Civics, Critical Race Theory, Foreign Language, Gender Identity, Information Technology, Language Arts, Mathematics, Personal Finances, Physical Fitness, Political Activism, Science, Sexuality, Social Emotional Learning, Vocational Learning

Language Arts, Science, Math, American History, Civics, Personal Finances, Vocational Learning, Physical Fitness, Information Technology, Foreign Language

The state should fund education by allowing dollars to follow the child instead of the bureaucracy, through a program which allows parents the freedom to choose their child's school – public, private, or homeschool.

Disagree

I oppose school vouchers because they divert funds from public schools,which serve the majority of students,into private institutions that are not held to the same standards of accountability and transparency.However,I also believe in responsible funding w/out excessive government overreach.Our focus should be on strengthening pub ed,not weaken it through policies that benefit a select few.Local school boards should be empowered w/local control to make decisions that best serve their community.

Which should students have: equity of outcomes or equality of opportunities?

equality of opportunities

Which type of written parental consent should be obtained before students are taught courses such as Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE)? (A) Opt-In. (B) Opt-Out. (C) None.

Opt-In.


2ND AMENDMENT

Faculty who are licensed to carry and have had ongoing training should be allowed to carry guns at school in order to respond to an active shooter situation.

Strongly Agree


OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES

In the event of a pandemic, school districts can mandate whatever health precautions they deem necessary (including masks and vaccines) to protect students and staff.

Strongly Disagree


ABOUT YOU

Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.

No

Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.

No

I voted in these primaries and general elections:

2014 General Election 2016 Republican Primary 2016 General Election 2018 Republican Primary 2018 General Election 2020 Republican Primary 2020 General Election 2022 Republican Primary 2022 General Election

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?

Very Conservative


VALUES

Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

Christian

Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?

While I firmly believe that it is a parent’s right and responsibility to educate their children about sex, I also recognize that many parents may struggle with these conversations due to discomfort or a lack of accurate knowledge. As someone with a background in pre-med and public health, I have seen firsthand the widespread misconceptions about how the body works—hormones, reproductive health, STDs, pregnancy prevention, and more. Without proper education, young people are at a significantly higher risk for unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Sex education should be age-appropriate and science-based. For young children (ages 5-7), discussions should focus on understanding personal boundaries and recognizing inappropriate touching to help prevent grooming. By 5th or 6th grade, students should have a basic understanding of their bodies and how they function. By 6th grade, they should be introduced to essential knowledge about pregnancy and STD transmission. As students mature (8th-10th grade), education should expand to include topics like consent, healthy relationships, and dating safety. While this education ideally begins at home, we cannot assume that all children receive accurate or adequate information—especially those in abusive or neglectful environments. The consequences of misinformation can be devastating. I once encountered a pregnant patient with a severe case of herpes who believed that using Saran Wrap could prevent STDs and pregnancy because that’s what her mother had told her. Comprehensive, medically accurate sex education does not replace parental guidance; it supports and supplements it. Providing students with factual, age-appropriate information empowers them to make safe, informed choices about their health and well-being.

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) -- abortion methods and side effects; abstinence; consent; contraceptive methods; human anatomy/the reproductive system; physical and emotional health outcomes; sex acts and pleasures of sex; sexual orientation and gender identity; stages of pregnancy and fetal development

Human anatomy/reproductive system, abstinence, consent, contraceptive methods, stages of pregnancy and fetal development, physical and emotional health outcomes, signs of grooming, sex trafficking, and dangers of sexting/sharing of images

Children have a right to reach maturity without chemical or surgical castration, which would damage their healthy bodies through surgeries and may cause infertility and a life-long dependence on cross-sex hormones.

Strongly Agree

Children have the right to be protected from hypersexualization (including drag shows and explicit materials) in schools and libraries.

Strongly Agree

Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman essential to the formation and sustaining of a civil and prosperous society.

Strongly Agree

Parents have the fundamental right to raise their child in accordance with their beliefs and values, including the right to make decisions about the child's education and healthcare.

Strongly Agree

Parents should have full and timely access to any and all records, including school and medical records, associated with their minor children.

Strongly Agree


ELECTIONS AND VOTING

People should be able to vote without photo identification.

Strongly Disagree


EQUALITY

Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports.

Strongly Agree

Biological males should not be allowed to occupy women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, women's shelters, prisons, or sororities.

Strongly Agree

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