Billy Cothran III
Non-Partisan | South Carolina
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Billy Cothran III
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2023
Election
Special SD 42 and Spartanburg One School District
Race
Spartanburg One School Dist. Board of Trustees
Incumbent
Yes
Links
EDUCATION
Furman University, B.S. Biology, 1995
Clemson University, B.S. Civil Engineering, 2001
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
School Board Trustee, 4
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
SELECTED FINANCIAL SOURCE DOCUMENTS
OTHER INFORMATION
- Partisan Primary Election Voting History from Spartanburg County for Billy Cothran III during time of residence in district and/or at current address:
- 2022 Primary election: Republican
- 2020 Primary election: Republican
- Voted in three Republican Primary elections 2000 - 2018
**Election Voting History is not considered during panel evaluations.**
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Strongly Disagree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Strongly Disagree
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
School districts should be able to use taxpayer money for lobbying the state legislature.
Neutral
School districts should be able to use taxpayer money for lobbying the state legislature.
Neutral
What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?
The state should budget to fully fund the base student cost. School districts should strive to minimize dependence on funding with strings attached.
What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?
The state should budget to fully fund the base student cost. School districts should strive to minimize dependence on funding with strings attached.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.
Strongly Agree
At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.
Strongly Agree
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
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
EDUCATION
What is the function of the local school board?
To approve sound policy that set the mission and direction of the district. Hire a competent superintendent to carry out the policies and direct the district. Pass budgets that allow the district to accomplish goals that help the district fulfill its mission.
What is the function of the local school board?
To approve sound policy that set the mission and direction of the district. Hire a competent superintendent to carry out the policies and direct the district. Pass budgets that allow the district to accomplish goals that help the district fulfill its mission.
Who should have the authority to set curriculum and determine resources used in those curricula?
Ultimate authority resides with the school board. However, the board should pass policy that guides district administration and teachers in the selection of curriculum.
Who should have the authority to set curriculum and determine resources used in those curricula?
Ultimate authority resides with the school board. However, the board should pass policy that guides district administration and teachers in the selection of curriculum.
When should parents be restricted from speaking in school board meetings?
Ideally there should be a process to handle complaints before they reach the level of needing to be addressed by the school board. That being said, parents should not be restricted from speaking in school board meetings during allowed public comment periods.
When should parents be restricted from speaking in school board meetings?
Ideally there should be a process to handle complaints before they reach the level of needing to be addressed by the school board. That being said, parents should not be restricted from speaking in school board meetings during allowed public comment periods.
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
Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, American History, Information Technology, Personal Finances, Physical Fitness, Art & Music, Vocational Learning, Foreign Language
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
Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, American History, Information Technology, Personal Finances, Physical Fitness, Art & Music, Vocational Learning, Foreign Language
Which more closely matches your view of America's founding principles? A) Liberty and equality. B) Slavery and racism.
Liberty and equality
Which more closely matches your view of America's founding principles? A) Liberty and equality. B) Slavery and racism.
Liberty and equality
What does "equity in education" mean to you?
Helping to ensure that students receive similar education experiences with the goal that each student reaches their educational max potential
What does "equity in education" mean to you?
Helping to ensure that students receive similar education experiences with the goal that each student reaches their educational max potential
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
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
The loss of local control in education is too high a price to pay in exchange for federal dollars.
Strongly Agree
The loss of local control in education is too high a price to pay in exchange for federal dollars.
Strongly Agree
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.
Agree
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.
Agree
School boards are accountable to parents and taxpayers.
Strongly Agree
School boards are accountable to parents and taxpayers.
Strongly Agree
Do you believe students should have access to materials that graphically depict and describe sexual acts?
No
Do you believe students should have access to materials that graphically depict and describe sexual acts?
No
All print and digital material available or presented to students should be easily accessible for public review.
Agree
All print and digital material available or presented to students should be easily accessible for public review.
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
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
VALUES
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Christian
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Christian
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
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
No school official should be involved in the sexual transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.
Agree
No school official should be involved in the sexual transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.
Agree
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
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
Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?
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
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
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
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.
Strongly Disagree
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.
Strongly Disagree
Biological males should be allowed in female locker rooms and bathrooms.
Strongly Disagree
Biological males should be allowed in female locker rooms and bathrooms.
Strongly Disagree
No school official should be involved in the social or medical transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.
Agree
No school official should be involved in the social or medical transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.
Agree
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
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
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.
Strongly Agree
A candidate's personal moral values are relevant when considering a candidacy for elective office.
Strongly Agree
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?
Conservative
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?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
Did not answer
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?
Did not answer
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
Did not answer
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
2014 General Election 2016 General Election 2018 General Election 2020 General Election 2022 General Election
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
2014 General Election 2016 General Election 2018 General Election 2020 General Election 2022 General Election
2ND AMENDMENT
Teachers who are licensed to carry should be allowed to carry guns at school.
Neutral
Teachers who are licensed to carry should be allowed to carry guns at school.
Neutral
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Under what circumstances (if any) should schools be allowed to require vaccinations?
Did not answer
Under what circumstances (if any) should schools be allowed to require vaccinations?
Did not answer
I support mask mandates.
Disagree
I support mask mandates.
Disagree
All official open meetings should be live streamed, recorded, and have transcripts available online for public access.
Neutral
All official open meetings should be live streamed, recorded, and have transcripts available online for public access.
Neutral
All votes should be roll call votes and recorded in meeting minutes.
Disagree
All votes should be roll call votes and recorded in meeting minutes.
Disagree
