Scott Reese
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
Scott Reese
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
Leander ISD Board of Trustees, Place 6
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, MBA, 2001
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, BS-Communication, 1995
WORK & MILITARY
United States Marine Corps, Captain, 1991-2001
Harbor Industries, Chief Technology Officer, 2017-2022
Cordsen Construction, Investor Strategies & Relations, 2022-Present
Cornerstone PATH, Principal Consultant, 2015-2017
Actineon, VP Sales & Marketing, 2011-2015
Book Author: The Cornerstone Path, Author, 2020
OkiData Americas, OEM Sales Director, 2009-2011
Austal USA, Production Support Manager, 2002-2004
Xante, SVP Global Sales & Service, 2004-2009
AFFILIATIONS
Central Texas Tres Dias, Volunteer, Team Leader, Public Speaker, Hill Country Bible Church
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Precinct Chair, Williamson County Republican Party, 2022
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Leander ISD School Board Trustee, 2022
Race
ENDORSEMENTS*
*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
CONSERVATIVE (3)
*Texas Values Action
Travis County Republican Party
Texas Parents United
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
State Republican Party Organizations (2022)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
Election Voting History for Scott Thomas Reese from the Williamson County Elections Department during time of residence in district and/or at current address:
- 2022 Primary Election: Republican
- 2020 Primary Election: no record
- Voted in one Republican Primary election 2012 - 2018
- Voted in six General elections 2012 - 2021
**Voter history is not considered during panel evaluations.**
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Strongly Agree
Abortion should be outlawed, except in medical emergencies to save as many lives as possible.
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
We are all created equal, from the moment of conception, and endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
Without private property rights, there is no philosophical basis for owning yourself. If the "government" (a small group of other people in charge of you) can philosophically own everything, then it can own life as well.
School districts should be able to use taxpayer money for lobbying the state legislature.
Strongly Disagree
A school district is a major taxing entity, some of them taking hundreds of millions of dollars from local taxpayers. As an organization, it has its own set of motivations and goals that are unrelated to the needs, desires, and goals of the citizens and community from which it extracts taxes. The power to use that taxing power to incentivize lawmakers is hardly likely to be in the best interest of the citizens. Choice and influence and money should remain with citizens as much as possible.
What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?
The federal government should be uninvolved in education. This authority is reserved to the states in the constitutional framework and is an invented authority by the supreme courts under the general welfare clause. States and their citizens have the right and responsibility to manage and fund education. Maximum choice is essential to every parent, as they have the most incentive and are in the best position to see to the needs of their child. As a community, we must also be mindful to care for those children who do not have parents guiding and protecting them. Choice is a powerful accountability factor. More education choice for parents and guardians will naturally incentivize all education institutions to meet the needs of parents and their children. Dr. Thomas Sowell has laid out the definitive analysis of the factors that cause children to thrive or decline in education environments, including "Charter Schools and their Enemies". Recommended reading. We can do much better than the typical government school results produced in Texas today.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.
Strongly Agree
We should actively teach parents and students about their constitutional and God given rights, and how to both practice them and defend them. Our citizens need to learn to advocate for themselves and to tolerate differences and conflicting opinions between people. Allowing for diversity of thought is essential to innovation and freedom, and this can be done without sacrificing our cultural values or American ideals.
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
Students should not be allowed to pray in school.
Strongly Disagree
Prayer is a clear exercise of 1st amendment rights. Jefferson was definitive in his writings that the state (e.g. government schools) has no right nor authority whatsoever to interfere in the free exercise of religion and conscience. This is the meaning of separation of church and state, that the state is separate from the people's free exercise of their faith and conscience. This opposite and common misinterpretation of Jefferson's writings is a flagrant inaccuracy foisted on our peoples.
EDUCATION
What is the function of the local school board?
Governance of the Independent School District. Ultimately, the board function is to be responsible to the people in the community for the vision, direction, leadership and policy of the public/government school district for the best interest of the citizens, parents, and students. Specifically, the board function is to oversee district management, to ensure the Superintendent's proper performance of duties, and to oversee the Independent Financial Auditor's performance and independence in audit reporting.
Who should have the authority to set curriculum and determine resources used in those curricula?
The school board is responsible to ensure administrative procedures are clearly defined for district leadership and staff for all manner of topics, including curriculum. The board must ensure district staff have clear guidelines, policy, roles, and responsibilities. District staff are then responsible for establishing plans and decisions, including curriculum, under the direct leadership of the superintendent and ultimately within the governance and direction of the board.
When should parents be restricted from speaking in school board meetings?
While any organized meeting should have a process, rules, decorum, and order, parents and citizens should have an active voice and not be restricted from speaking. This is a powerful way to reinforce the value and use of first amendment rights.
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
Reading (Language Arts), Mathematics, American History & Citizenship, Science, Physical Education, Vocational Learning, Personal Finance, Information Technology
American civics education should emphasize our nation's founding principles of liberty and equality.
Strongly Agree
The unique and long standing constitutional system and human rights declaration of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are unparalleled in history. These human thriving and freedom principles sorely need to be understood by all American students. Of equal importance should be educating our students on practical ways they should have freedom in their daily lives and practical ways to stand up for and defend their liberty and equality.
Before students are taught courses such as Comprehensive Sex Ed (CSE) or Social Emotional Learning (SEL), they must opt-in with written parental permission.
Strongly Agree
All delicate and controversial topics should require parental opt in. This reinforces parent's rights and responsibilities.
The loss of local control in education is too high a price to pay in exchange for federal dollars.
Strongly Agree
The more local control and liberty we ceded to a national government, the less liberty we will have in the future. Our founders greatly worried about a federal power becoming like unto a monarchy, exerting complete tyranny over the states and individual citizens. We have seen this federalization of our local school districts accelerate greatly over the past three decades, all in the name of “accountability” and global competitiveness.
I support the teaching of curricula (such as the 1619 Project, No Place for Hate, Second Step, etc.) that emphasizes slavery and racism as the foundation of American history.
Strongly Disagree
Demonstrably false teachings of history, like the 1619 Project, should be continuously labeled as the invented "history" that they are. No Place for Hate, though well-intentioned, pits students against one another along demographic lines and promotes a culture of dependence rather than self-reliance. Second Step is essentially SEL.
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
The more choice we give parents, the better our overall education systems will become. Choice is a powerful and invisible accountability force that compels organizations without monopolies to adapt to the desires of their audience/constituents. The monopoly of government school institutions severely limits the choices of many parents, students, and teachers to freely pursue their values and ideals as they see fit. Shift education choice to the ultimate stakeholders: the parents!
VALUES
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I believe all people are created equal, and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I believe no man nor government should be allowed to take these rights from people, but we should be free. My life verse is Galatians 5:1, “that it is for freedom's sake that Christ came to set us free, so be no longer trapped in slavery.” I believe I am to love God with all that I am, and that I am to love my neighbor as myself. I believe that love is an action, love is patient, kind, gentle, is not jealous, is not proud, is slow to anger, does not rejoice in evil or wrong doing, but rejoices in truth. I'm certainly not yet all that I want to be. I know God's not done with me yet and I'm not yet all that He's going to make of me. I also believe we are fallen and all carry the burden of sin in terms of responsibility, though our guilt is washed away by the blood of Jesus Chirst for all those who believe in him. All my kids and my friends' kids never had to be taught how to lie to get what they want. Indeed, they all had to be taught not to lie, not to cheat, and not to steal from their siblings and friends as they achieve their ambitions. This is part of "civilizing" that parents and families and communities must do. I've never found that myself or others are naturally good and immune from the correction of civil society. I find that myself and others can intentionally do good, which takes a decision, followed by focus, practice, accountability, and support. The Holy Spirit is our helper toward this, as he sanctifies us in the way God wants us to grow. I also believe God is calling each of us, and I am called to show love as action to others on their path. I am not called to make anyone do anything, but to encourage them in doing good and becoming better. Great men do not build a life on forcing their will on others. Instead, they work constantly for the freedom of fellow mankind through excellence, example, and inspiration. This is the kind of leader I strive to be, while also fully realizing that only God could free me enough inside my broken soul to enable me to influence others for their own freedoms, on their own road to God's freedom for them.
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
Patently unfair to say biological sex doesn't matter in sports. What an insult to women to demand they compete on the same field against biological men! What happened to women's rights and ensuring our young ladies are honored and given the same opportunities as young men? Public / Government Schools should only recognize biological sex for all male / female segregation that happens within the district environment, for example sports, bathrooms, locker rooms/showers, etc.
Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?
Parents are responsible for teaching sexual education for children. Different children are ready at different ages for different levels of sexual education.
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
Physical and emotional health outcomes; human anatomy/the reproductive system; stages of pregnancy and fetal development; consent; abstinence; abortion methods and side effects
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
If we are not created by God, and not made in His image, then how and from where do we derive our inherent value? If not by God, then it is derived by man. If it is from man, then it is subject to the whim and folly of men, either the tyranny of a monarch (strong man) or the tyranny of the mob (democracy).
No healthcare diagnosis or treatment, whether mental, reproductive, or otherwise, should be given to a child without first receiving written consent from the parent.
Strongly Agree
To diagnose or treat without parental consent would violate informed consent of the parent/guardian. It is child abuse to practice medicine on anyone without permission, which children cannot legally give.
No school official should be involved in the sexual transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.
Strongly Agree
These are strictly private matters. If medical diagnosis, treatment, or referral is offered, that is child abuse and should be immediately reported. Schools should stand by scientific definitions of male and female and English pronouns for such (he and she, her and him, etc.).
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
How can you positively identify someone without a valid photograph-based identification? I favor stronger voter registration cards with photograph and other clearly identifiable and validated information.
ABOUT YOU
Which of the 11 objectives specified in the Texas Education Code is your highest priority?
1 - parents as FULL partners 5 - Informed patriotism and study of founding documents: understand the noble purpose of United States & Texas, enhance intellectual independence, understanding and participating in free enterprise society 7 - Exemplary performance - academic excellence - how long will it take for our student population to catch up from missed milestones during the pandemic response? A decade? What impact will this have on our economy and those children's start to adult life? More than anytime in my 50 years, I feel a need for sincere public focus on academic achievement for this generation to make up for what they've lost.
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 should not be relevant when considering a candidacy for elective office.
Strongly Disagree
Elected officials will act in office based on their deeply held values. These are exceptionally important to consider.
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and immigration, which of the following best describes you overall?
Very Conservative
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
13min campaign speech online from recent 5 candidate event attended by 50 people: https://rumble.com/v1inl03-freedom-isnt-free..html campaign website: https://www.scottreeseforkids.com/ campaign facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ScottReeseForKids supporting PAC website: https://www.texasparentsunited.com/
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
A New Voice, A Firm Commitment, A Fresh Start Scott Reese is a veteran Marine Corps officer with an extensive and dependable background as a community volunteer. He received a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Oregon State University and went on to earn his MBA in Economics and Marketing Strategy from the University of California Irvine. He is now an experienced financial investment strategist with a local real estate and construction management firm. Reese has worked on the Leander ISD Bond Oversight Committee and hopes to expand his impact on his community by being elected to the Leander ISD Board of Trustees. Reese is married with three children, two of whom were at Cedar Park High School before going on to attend college. Together they have 26 years of experience with Leander ISD, where they have collectively served in numerous volunteer and leadership roles.
2ND AMENDMENT
Teachers who are licensed to carry should be allowed to carry guns at school.
Strongly Agree
The Teachers should have a higher level of training, certification, and annual recertification than current concealed training licensing. Safe and effective use of a firearm under duress is a highly perishable skill that requires continuous training and practice. That said, well trained teachers in the school will be a very high deterrent to any would be attacker, and will also provide a much faster response than local police.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Under what circumstances (if any) should schools be allowed to require vaccinations?
Under no circumstances should any school be part of any vaccination or drug-providing or drug-promoting program, aside from providing basic info on existing vaccine and booster requirements.
I support mask mandates.
Strongly Disagree
Personal health choices should continue to be strictly personal. Also, it is painfully obvious to any honest and curious observer that universal mask mandates and lockdowns increased suffering in nearly every dimension – such a destructive policy for nearly every part of society.
