Kirk N. Phillips

Agree

Life begins at conception. After that moment, the only time a pregnancy should ever be intentionally ended is when it is a true medical necessity to save the life of the mother or the child.

“That’s a loaded question. When you say ‘unwanted’ or ‘crisis’ pregnancy, we need to ask: unwanted by whom, and what kind of crisis are we talking about: medical, abuse, homelessness? Those are very different situations. State and federal law set abortion policy; school boards do not. As a school board member, my job is not to turn our schools into abortion referral centers. My responsibility is to ensure that any health education we offer is age-appropriate, abstinence-centered, as state law requires, and fully respectful of parents’ rights to review materials and opt their children out. If a student is pregnant, the school’s role is to keep her safe, protect her from bullying or discrimination, involve parents, and appropriate authorities

Agree

Student loan forgiveness can unfairly shift costs to people who never took on that debt or already paid theirs, but it depends on the situation. Broad, across-the-board forgiveness paid for by all taxpayers is different from narrowly targeted relief for disabled veterans, victims of fraud, or truly predatory programs, which I view more like correcting an injustice than wiping away a promise.

Government funding of education must go directly to a child’s education, not to bureaucracy. The federal role should be limited and focused, while Florida and local districts remain the primary funders and decision-makers. My priority is to push as many dollars as possible into classrooms and student services, and when funds follow a child to a non-public option, they should pay for that child’s education, not be eaten up by pass-through or management fees.

The separation of church and state in public schools means the institution remains neutral, while students remain free. The school itself should not promote or denigrate any particular religion. At the same time, students do not lose their religious freedom when they walk through the schoolhouse door. They have every right to pray, read scripture, form religious clubs, and express their beliefs in their work, as long as it’s voluntary, student-led, and not disruptive.

Agree

My duty as a school board member is to follow the law, whether I personally agree with it or not. The board, superintendent, and staff must comply with the U.S. Constitution, Florida law, and State Board of Education rules. When issues arise, we address them quickly and transparently to bring the district back into full compliance.

Strongly Disagree

Abortion and gender affirming providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not be involved in our schools. Schools must stay focused on education, not partnering with organizations that promote or provide abortion or gender transition services. Families, guided by their faith and values, should make those decisions, not the school district.

Strongly Agree

Consequences come in two forms: rewards and punishments. Both are essential for behavior modification. When students know that good choices are noticed and rewarded, and that poor choices bring real, consistent consequences, behavior improves and classrooms become safer, more focused places to learn.

Strongly Agree

Educators should give students a thorough education in America’s founding documents and actively cultivate informed patriotism. America’s collective consciousness is rooted in three pillars: our military, our politics and civic institutions, and our religious and moral heritage. When we stop teaching those foundations, we lose sight of what holds this country together. If we lose that understanding, we lose America.

Neutral

I’m neutral on eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. I do see legitimate federal functions, especially in ensuring some basic consistency across all states in areas like American civics and history. We don’t want 50 completely different versions of our founding story or constitutional principles. At the same time, day to day decisions about curriculum, discipline, and school operations should stay as close to local communities and parents as possible.

Schools should stick to ‘the birds and the bees’: human anatomy and the reproductive system, the stages of pregnancy and fetal development, and the clear message that abstinence is the safest, healthiest choice. Humans have always figured out the rest without schools overcomplicating it. I do not support classroom instruction on abortion methods, sex acts, and sexual pleasure, or promoting specific views on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Social Emotional Learning, Language Arts, Mathematics (Fundamental), Personal Finances, Information Technology, Civics, American History, Science, Physical Fitness, Art & Music, Political Activism (Schools should teach how the system works, not recruit students into activism or push them toward particular political causes).

Agree

Students must learn to read, write, think critically, and master core subjects, but they also need virtues like honesty, responsibility, self-discipline, and respect for others. Those qualities are essential to preserving America’s traditions of liberty, ordered freedom, and self-government. If we fail to teach both knowledge and character, we risk losing the very foundations that make this country work.

Disagree

I’m not seeing school choice push public schools to improve the way it was promised. In many cases, I see a culture that quietly steers students into charter schools, often driven by conflicts of interest and profit, not what’s best for kids. I support parents having options, but I oppose any system where insiders enrich themselves by draining students and resources out of neighborhood public schools instead of fixing them.

Strongly Disagree

Too often, these debates only talk about males in female sports and spaces. You forgot to ask the other half of the question: what about females in male sports and spaces? It works both ways. If we are serious about safety, fairness, and privacy, we have to protect biological reality and set clear boundaries for both sexes, not just one.

I believe in God, in objective moral truth, and in the inherent worth of every human life. My faith shapes my values: strong families, personal responsibility, service to others, and integrity in public life. I also deeply respect religious freedom, believing people should be free to live out their beliefs while we work together to strengthen our communities.

Strongly Agree

Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child’s health and educational well-being. Parents—not bureaucrats or activists—are the primary decision-makers for their children. Schools and agencies exist to serve families, provide transparency, and offer support, not to replace parents or undermine their values.

Strongly Agree

People should be judged by the content of their character, their merits, and not the color of their skin. In our schools, that means treating every student as an individual, holding all to high standards, recognizing hard work and achievement, and rejecting racism in any form. We should never divide children into groups of oppressors and victims based on skin color; our focus must remain on character, effort, and merit so every child is given both dignity and opportunity.

Strongly Agree

Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred, and legal union of one man and one woman. That definition comes from God, not from government. While civil laws may change, no government has the true authority to alter what marriage is at its core.

Strongly Agree

Mental health conditions such as anorexia and gender dysphoria need to be treated, not simply affirmed. In schools, that means staff should not act as therapists or endorse harmful self-perceptions but instead involve parents and connect students with qualified medical and mental-health professionals.

Strongly Disagree

No law is exempt (PERIOD)! This issue has been heavily politicized on both sides. As school libraries blend with public systems and students turn to Google or AI, clear standards and strong parental oversight are even more important, so schools keep sexually explicit or age-inappropriate material away from children.

Strongly Disagree

People shouldn’t vote without ID. If we need photo ID to bank, travel, or buy alcohol, voting should not be the exception. And we must also tighten how identity is verified for mail-in ballots

No

No

Choose not to answer

School board in Pasco County is NPA

School board is NPA

Conservative

Overall, I’m conservative. I believe smaller, limited government empowers people, and that lower taxes allow “we the people” to spend and invest our own money rather than having politicians decide for us. I tend to favor individual responsibility, strong families, secure borders, religious liberty, and a government that focuses on core duties like public safety, national defense, and basic infrastructure instead of trying to manage every aspect of our lives.

Agree

Agree, with strict limits. In a real shooting, seconds matter. Highly trained, licensed staff who volunteer and pass rigorous screening should be allowed to carry as part of a broader safety plan, in coordination with law enforcement.