Ryan Schurdell

Agree

Human life possesses inherent dignity and worth from conception until natural death, and the law has a fundamental duty to defend the most vulnerable. At the same time, I support necessary exceptions to protect the life of the mother, as well as in tragic cases of rape and incest.

The school's responsibility is to first contact the parents. Beyond this, the school should, where feasible, offer practical accommodations—such as alternative learning options, flexible scheduling, or homebound instruction—to ensure the student can continue her education and graduate without derailing their future.

Agree

Broad student loan forgiveness programs unfairly transfer private financial obligations onto taxpayers, many of whom chose not to attend college, worked hard to pay off their loans through personal sacrifice, or chose alternative career paths like skilled trades. A fair public policy focuses on creating economic opportunity, expanding vocational training, and addressing the root causes of rising higher education costs rather than masking them with bailouts that penalize responsible behavior.

Public education funding should focus primarily on strengthening core K-12 classrooms, prioritizing foundational academics, and expanding accessible vocational and technical pathways rather than open-ended higher education subsidies. State and local dollars must be managed with strict fiscal discipline, directing resources away from unnecessary bureaucracy and squarely at supporting teachers and students.

The separation of church and state, first introduced by Thomas Jefferson in a letter he penned, refers to protecting religious freedom from government interference, not governments from religion. Schools can remain legally neutral, but that neutrality does not prohibit the inclusion of the Bible in the classroom for its immense historical, literary, and moral value. Nonetheless, faith and spiritual guidance remain the right and responsibility of parents.

Agree

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plays a critical role in national security and public safety by enforcing federal immigration laws, targeting transnational criminal organizations, and detaining individuals who pose a threat to our communities or have violated immigration statutes.

Disagree

Public schools should not partner with or utilize abortion providers and gender-affirming organizations like Planned Parenthood for student instruction or health services. These deeply personal and value-laden topics belong to parents, not administrators. Public education must respect the primary role of parents and families by keeping these sensitive topics out of the classroom, ensuring that local schools remain focused entirely on core academics, foundational skills, and parental rights.

Agree

Clear, consistent consequences for disruptive behavior are essential to maintaining a safe, orderly classroom where every child can learn without distraction. When discipline is lax, the entire learning environment suffers, and teachers spend valuable instructional time managing behavioral issues instead of teaching. Enforcing firm, fair, and predictable standards teaches accountability, protects student safety, and ensures that classrooms remain focused on academic excellence.

Agree

Public schools must provide a thorough, uncompromised education in America’s founding documents to ensure students understand the exceptional framework of our constitutional republic. Alongside academic instruction, schools should actively cultivate civic duty and American patriotism, instilling a deep respect for our nation's history, founding principles, and shared heritage. A strong nation begins with young citizens who understand, appreciate, and defend liberty.

Agree

Returning full control to states and local communities by dismantling the federal Department of Education is essential for restoring accountability. Washington bureaucrats should not dictate local policy. Returning decisions to parents, teachers, and locally elected school boards keeps taxpayer dollars in classrooms, cuts red tape, and fosters true local excellence.

Comprehensive sex education in public schools should remain strictly focused on abstinence, human anatomy, reproductive systems, and the physical and emotional health outcomes of early sexual activity. Sensitive matters like contraception, abortion, and identity belong with parents.

Agree

Public schools should not penalize or exclude academically eligible students from participating in UIL activities simply because they opt for dual-enrollment, alternative, or external instruction outside the traditional public classroom. Local policies must support student involvement and fairness across the board, ensuring that all qualifying youth have equal access to extracurricular opportunities and competitive programs.

Most subjects are of equal importance, but for the sake of the question, here is the prioritized ranking: • American History • Civics • Language Arts • Mathematics • Science • Information Technology • Personal Finances • Physical Fitness • Vocational Learning • Foreign Language • Art & Music

Agree

Public schools must focus squarely on academic excellence and building the moral character required to preserve American traditions, individual liberty, and self-government. Setting aside outside social engineering allows schools to foster responsible citizens dedicated to our constitutional republic.

Agree

True accountability in education comes from free-market competition. Empowering parents with school choice forces public schools to improve academic standards and efficiency. When funding follows the student, families can escape failing systems, and public schools are incentivized to deliver rigorous academic excellence rather than political agendas.

Strongly Disagree

Biological males have no place in women's sports, private spaces, or single-sex facilities such as restrooms, locker rooms, shelters, and sororities. Protecting the safety, privacy, and fair competition of women and girls is a fundamental duty, and public policy must firmly preserve sex-segregated spaces.

I am an individual of deep faith. My Christian principles center on emphasizing faith, fostering strong families, and personal accountability. I believe in preserving foundational moral standards, protecting the sanctity of life, serving my neighbors and community, and upholding traditional values that strengthen the family and the community.

Agree

Parents possess the fundamental, God-given right and primary duty to direct their children's upbringing, education, and healthcare. Government institutions and public schools must respect this authority rather than undermine it, ensuring transparency and absolute parental consent on all matters involving student welfare.

Agree

Embracing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s timeless vision means judging individuals strictly by the content of their character, individual merit, and personal actions rather than racial categories. Public education must uphold true equality under the law and colorblind principles, rejecting divisive ideologies like Critical Race Theory that reduce students to group identities.

Agree

Marriage is the foundational, God-ordained union of one man and one woman, and civil government has no authority to alter this truth. Upholding traditional marriage strengthens the nuclear family, which remains the bedrock of a stable, moral society and the ultimate support system for student success in our schools.

Agree

Mental health conditions like anorexia and gender dysphoria require compassionate, evidence-based psychological treatment that addresses underlying root causes rather than unscientific medical affirmation or social transition. True care protects patients from irreversible interventions and helps individuals find wholeness and alignment in their natural bodies.

Agree

School libraries must maintain rigorous, age-appropriate standards that protect children from sexually explicit or obscene material. The designation of "literary value" by special-interest experts does not excuse age-inappropriate content. Parents and local communities retain the absolute authority to ensure school books reflect appropriate material.

Disagree

Requiring government-issued photo identification is a commonsense safeguard essential for securing elections and verifying voter eligibility. Every legal vote must be protected against fraud, and accessible voter ID laws reinforce public trust in the integrity of the ballot box.

No

No

2014 Republican Primary 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

School board elections are intentionally non-partisan, focused entirely on academic excellence, fiscal responsibility, and parental rights rather than party politics. However, my past voting history reflects a consistent, lifelong commitment to these core principles of limited government, fiscal stewardship, and traditional family values.

Non-partisan local office

Conservative

School board races are intentionally non-partisan, but the values we hold always shape our decisions. My vote is guided by a steadfast commitment to fiscal responsibility, parental rights, and strong traditional principles that always put our children first.

Agree

Allowing qualified, properly vetted, and thoroughly trained school staff to carry concealed firearms provides an essential layer of immediate protection to deter threats and defend students before law enforcement can arrive. When seconds count, trained personnel on-site represent a critical line of defense for campus safety.