Holly Palacio
Non-Partisan | Kansas
Candidate Profile
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Holly Palacio
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2023
Election
General Municipal and School Board
Race
Olathe Public Schools USD 233 Board of Education, Member 4
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO, BS Global Studies, 1995
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Olathe Public Schools, volunteer: Mentor, ScriptPal, PTOs, site councils and booster clubs, Families Together certified education advocate, Johnson County
certified education advocate, Johnson County, International Dyslexia Association KS/MO, member
Decoding Dyslexia KS - Olathe, founder, KanKen Connect
Board Member, Leadership Olathe, class of 2023
SOAR Special Needs, contributor, volunteer, Grace Church of Olathe
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
Kansans for Life
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
KFL
SELECTED FINANCIAL SOURCE DOCUMENTS
Campaign Finance Reports
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Strongly Disagree
Consistent with the interest of keeping politics out of the classroom, I would not support inviting abortion providers into instruction or services provided by the District. Olathe currently does not refer to or invite them in and I would oppose any change in that policy.
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Choose not to answer
This question has no policy relevance to the position I am seeking.
ECONOMY
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
What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?
Did not answer
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.
Did not answer
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
EDUCATION
What is the function of the local school board?
The Board of Education serves as the District's policy-making body and the District's representative in the community. The Board, which establishes policy, should be transparent and accountable to the community that (typically) elects board members. Additionally, the Board needs to establish connections with local government, taxpayers, businesses operating in the community, and individual families. The role of individual Board members is to uphold the United States Constitution and the individual rights it protects. Board members act as both diplomats and decision-makers. They need to respect all their constituents, be organized, make decisions, and show engagement. Each Board member must represent the district's constituents and reflect the district's mission to support each and every student in their success.
Who should have the authority to set curriculum and determine resources used in those curricula?
Transparency, collaboration and inclusive communication among all stakeholders will ensure high quality materials that suit the needs of each and every student in their pursuit of success is selected. State statute places the responsibility to select curriculum and resource materials with the Districts and approval by their Board of Education. The District has discretion to invite educators, subject matter experts and members of the community into curriculum and resource selections and I have advocated for members of the community to be involved at every step in an effort to be transparent and representative of the community at large. The make up of the selection committee for curriculum and resource selection should be reflective of the community and that includes, educators (to include general and special education teachers), curriculum experts within the District, support and or resource staff, students, community members and subject matter experts. The Board should ask for all stakeholders to be at the table for the selection of curriculum and subject matter resources.
When should parents be restricted from speaking in school board meetings?
Cancel culture is one of the biggest threats to effective decision making in public education policy and any elected Board should not be formalizing cancel culture into policy. First Amendment rights of any individual wishing to address the Board of Education should be protected. Especially since the oath a Board member takes when sworn in is to protect the Constitution of the United States and the State of Kansas. Our Board members are elected representatives of the taxpayers. Reasonable time limits and guidelines for topics and tone are appropriate for the business of the Board but the rights of individuals to address an elected Board should not be prevented. As a student of history, I know that we restrict free speech at our peril. Elected board members only responsibility is to hear the grievances. While I would personally hope to communicate with members of our community who wish to create a dialogue by coming before the Board, I know that current Olathe Board policy does not require a reply of any kind. It would be my honor to hear from any member of the community who took the time to visit a meeting personally with a comment, complaint, or concern.
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
Language arts, Math, Science, History, Art and Music, Foreign Language, Vocational Learning, Information Technology, Personal Finances, Physical Fitness (to include reproductive health) and Social Emotional Learning.
Which more closely matches your view of America's founding principles? A) Liberty and equality. B) Slavery and racism.
America's founding principles are liberty and equality for all. I believe this wholeheartedly, despite the imperfect people who implemented one of the greatest experiments in history. If the founding principles where not both liberty and equality, the founders would not have allowed for changes to the Constitution within that very document. No intention to enshrine slavery and racism would have also provided the mechanism to defeat them within the same document. We should teach and defend the values of liberty and equality for all to each generation so that they will teach and defend it for future generations. It is the foundation for all public education that each student is entitled to the opportunity to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of their own happiness.
What does "equity in education" mean to you?
Equity in education means seeing each individual student as being inherently worthy of dignity and entitled to the highest quality public education our resources and collaborative efforts can provide. Equity in education means each and every student is provided with the tools needed to pursue their success in life. Each student, regardless of circumstances, need, and weakness should be provided with both curriculum and staff that seek to build upon their natural strengths and cultivate talents and interests without prejudice. Equity means seeing all the ways in which individuals are similar and different that impact and influence interactions with one another. This includes, but is not limited to, race, color, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic status, veteran status, education, marital status, language, age, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, genetic information, and learning styles. Equity in education means that each and every student, regardless of these differences, is entitled to those tools and resources that best meet their need for a quality public education for their success.
Written parental consent (opt-in) must be obtained before students are taught courses such as Comprehensive Sex Ed (CSE) or Social Emotional Learning (SEL).
Strongly Agree
Strong parent/ guardian and school communication is imperative for best success for each student, this includes notification and consent regarding sensitive subjects. Asking parents/ guardians to opt in maintains trust that the District will not inadvertently present materials on sensitive topics to students without knowing that parents/ guardians have had an opportunity to be notified, review the materials and ask questions before consenting to their student being exposed to the materials.
The loss of local control in education is too high a price to pay in exchange for federal dollars.
Neutral
With over 87% of local students attending a public school, the federal dollars that support public education allow our District to meet their obligations to provide public education to all students enrolled. There is no feasible way to separate federal dollars from public education. In order to meet our obligations to each student, we need to ask Board members to read the fine print and be transparent when conflicts arise. Community awareness and transparency are best practices going forward.
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
In public education, we best serve all students by passionately and intentionally striving to provide a high quality public education.While we certainly hope that the quality of public education makes it the right choice for every student in the community, ultimately, parents are the first and best authority to decide where a student attends. Kansas has protected this in statute and families are free to make those decisions. Our best defense is a good offense. Make Olathe Public Schools #1!
School boards are accountable to parents and taxpayers.
Strongly Agree
Board members are accountable to the taxpayers and all constituents, be they voters, parents, teachers, administrators, or other Board members. Board members represent the constituents of the entire district of Olathe Public Schools, not one agenda, group or perspective. Each individual Board member is both policy maker and ambassador.
Do you believe students should have access to materials that graphically depict and describe sexual acts?
No
Diversity of authors and subject matter content is an important component of a robust education, but sexualized content or sexually explicit language is not appropriate in a public education environment. I have concerns that book publishers will continue to include sexually explicit language in books, that are marketed to children as inclusive, as a way to create controversy and generate sales. Olathe has a process to request a review of materials and it should be publicized and used.
All print and digital material available or presented to students should be easily accessible for public review.
Strongly Agree
This is nothing new in education as we all used to bring our books home to do homework and parents and community members were in the buildings fairly regularly as volunteers and support for teachers. The policy hasn't changed and it only requires a few more steps as our students log in to their accounts on school provided devices. I encourage any parent to review their student's school provided device for easy access to their student's textbooks and materials.
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
I'll answer this yes, as taxpayers are ultimately the providers of education funding. I know during curriculum reviews there is a period of time for public review and comment, so the expectation would be that this same access could be made available for the public to review once a selection has been made. In the end, this is about transparency and accountability and the taxpaying public has a right to both.
VALUES
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a faithful Christian and I value life which means each individual has rights, dignity, and value. I value honesty, integrity, kindness, hard work, diligence, compassion, and ethics. I value the rights of others to hold opposing beliefs and respect everyone's unique perspective and abilities. I value the dignity of all people and look for the common ground and common good in every person.
I support allowing public high school students to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.
Neutral
The safety of every athlete is the highest priority in this decision. After safety, access to athletics is the second priority. Where there is a conflict between access and safety, the safety of every athlete is the higher priority. Locker room and bathroom access should be restricted to biological sex unless the room configuration allows privacy for all athletes of the opposite biological sex similar to the unisex bathrooms in new builds.
No school official should be involved in the sexual transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.
Neutral
Unless parents/ guardians and the student consent, no school official should be involved in the sexual transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names/ pronouns, in keeping with District policy.
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
This is current Olathe Public Schools policy and I have no disagreement with it.
Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?
Ultimate responsibility lies with the parent /guardian, though many rely on the education provided by their student's school. When a school District ought to teach this topic is just prior to puberty as a means to provide physical health education and then another more whole body health class as required in State statute. Physical health should be the emphasis.
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
Consent, abstinence, human anatomy/ the reproductive system, stages of pregnancy and fetal development, abortion methods and side effects, physical and emotional health outcomes, contraceptive methods and side effects.
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.
Did not answer
I support allowing public middle and high school students to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.
Neutral
The safety of every athlete is the highest priority in this decision. After safety, access to athletics is the second priority. Where there is a conflict between access and safety, the safety of every athlete is the higher priority. Locker room and bathroom access should be restricted to biological sex unless the room configuration allows privacy for all athletes of the opposite biological sex similar to the unisex bathrooms in new builds.
Biological males should be allowed in female locker rooms and bathrooms.
Strongly Disagree
Locker room and bathroom access should be restricted to biological sex unless the room configuration allows privacy for all athletes of the opposite biological sex similar to the unisex bathrooms in new builds.
No school official should be involved in the social or medical transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.
Neutral
Unless parents/ guardians and the student consent, no school official should be involved in the sexual transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names/ pronouns, in keeping with District policy.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
Current State law should be upheld.
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.
Agree
We should look for and support candidates with strong moral values.
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?
Lean Conservative
While I am an overall conservative, in this non partisan role, I am looking for common ground representative of all families served by USD233.
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
Did not answer
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
I am an advocate, not an activist. We need leadership and advocacy for every student now. I believe I would be the best candidate to the Olathe Board of Education due to my longstanding effort promoting excellence in public education and my ability to build strong relationships across diverse perspectives. I have a proven track record of bringing decision makers together and advocating for what is best for students and teachers. I will bring that leadership and integrity to the Board.
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
Did not answer
Please verify with my voting record.
2ND AMENDMENT
Teachers who are licensed to carry should be allowed to carry guns at school.
Did not answer
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Under what circumstances (if any) should schools be allowed to require vaccinations?
In compliance with State law.
I support mask mandates.
Strongly Disagree
All official open meetings should be live streamed, recorded, and have transcripts available online for public access.
Agree
All votes should be roll call votes and recorded in meeting minutes.
Agree
