Conroe Courier - News
SBOE race includes write-in candidate
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By Kassia Micek
One challenger running against the incumbent for the Texas State Board of Education District 8 position hopes to capture votes as a write-in candidate.
Linda Ellis, of The Woodlands, is running as a write-in candidate against Republican incumbent Barbara Cargill, also of The Woodlands, and Libertarian Kim B. Stroman, of Longview.
Stroman could not be reached for comment.
“For 14 years, I’ve been going to Austin and providing testimony before the State Board of Education,” said Ellis, a 60-year-old retired educator. “Through that time, I’ve seen how important it is to have board members listen to their constituents.”
She believes a new face is needed after board members “ignored” the advice of educators when approving the new reading and writing curriculum last summer, Ellis said.
“I feel that expertise was ignored and outsourced,” she said. “It’s a flawed document. It’s not based on any research. That’s a pattern for what will happen with other curriculums.”
However, Cargill, a 48-year-old science educator, said the approved curriculum was a combination of recommendations from the Coalition of Reading English Language Arts Supervisors of Texas and Standard Work that ended a three-year process.
“It finally got to the point where we needed guidance because we weren’t getting anywhere,” she said about outsourcing the job.
That led to the creation of two separate documents.
“We needed to take those two documents and take the best out of both,” Cargill said. “So, another board member and I took those two and fused together the best of both documents,” Cargill said.
“It was not patched together at the last minute,” she said. “It was very carefully done and it passed a majority vote.”
But Ellis said educators, including herself, believe their “voices have just been lost and ignored.”
If elected, she would address the oversight of charter schools and the permanent school fund.
“I’m running because I want to represent what’s in the best interest of kids and I want to represent parents, teachers and students,” said Ellis, who retired in May. “I am out in schools all the time listening to teachers, professional organizations and parents; and that’s the kind of board member I want to be.”
Cargill also wants to focus on the permanent school fund.
“We have to make sure it will be around for future generations of kids,” she said. “… I want to continue to be an advocate for schoolchildren and to move forward on issues that are near and dear to me heart.”
Cargill has a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s in science education. She has been active in Junior League of North Harris and South Montgomery Counties, Interfaith of The Woodlands, The Woodlands United Methodist Church youth group, The Woodlands College Park High School Parent Teacher Organization and founded Wonders of The Woodlands Science Camp.
“The science (curriculum) battle is coming up, and it is vital I retain my seat … because of my science background, and I’m listening to my constituents,” she said.
Ellis has a bachelor’s in business administration, a master’s in education and reading and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in reading. She has participated in the Texas Association for the Improvement of Reading, Texas Association for Impact of Reading, Texas State Reading Association, Sam Houston Area Reading Council and North Harris County Council of Teachers of English.
Name: Barbara Cargill
Age: 48
Occupation: science educator
Residence: The Woodlands
Family: Husband Terry and three sons, ages 15, 17, 17
Contact: www.barbaracargill.com
Name: Linda Ellis
Age: 60
Occupation: consultant/retired educator
Residence: The Woodlands
Family: Four grown children, 14 grandchildren
Contact: www.votelindaellis.com
Linda Ellis, of The Woodlands, is running as a write-in candidate against Republican incumbent Barbara Cargill, also of The Woodlands, and Libertarian Kim B. Stroman, of Longview.
Stroman could not be reached for comment.
“For 14 years, I’ve been going to Austin and providing testimony before the State Board of Education,” said Ellis, a 60-year-old retired educator. “Through that time, I’ve seen how important it is to have board members listen to their constituents.”
She believes a new face is needed after board members “ignored” the advice of educators when approving the new reading and writing curriculum last summer, Ellis said.
“I feel that expertise was ignored and outsourced,” she said. “It’s a flawed document. It’s not based on any research. That’s a pattern for what will happen with other curriculums.”
However, Cargill, a 48-year-old science educator, said the approved curriculum was a combination of recommendations from the Coalition of Reading English Language Arts Supervisors of Texas and Standard Work that ended a three-year process.
“It finally got to the point where we needed guidance because we weren’t getting anywhere,” she said about outsourcing the job.
That led to the creation of two separate documents.
“We needed to take those two documents and take the best out of both,” Cargill said. “So, another board member and I took those two and fused together the best of both documents,” Cargill said.
“It was not patched together at the last minute,” she said. “It was very carefully done and it passed a majority vote.”
But Ellis said educators, including herself, believe their “voices have just been lost and ignored.”
If elected, she would address the oversight of charter schools and the permanent school fund.
“I’m running because I want to represent what’s in the best interest of kids and I want to represent parents, teachers and students,” said Ellis, who retired in May. “I am out in schools all the time listening to teachers, professional organizations and parents; and that’s the kind of board member I want to be.”
Cargill also wants to focus on the permanent school fund.
“We have to make sure it will be around for future generations of kids,” she said. “… I want to continue to be an advocate for schoolchildren and to move forward on issues that are near and dear to me heart.”
Cargill has a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s in science education. She has been active in Junior League of North Harris and South Montgomery Counties, Interfaith of The Woodlands, The Woodlands United Methodist Church youth group, The Woodlands College Park High School Parent Teacher Organization and founded Wonders of The Woodlands Science Camp.
“The science (curriculum) battle is coming up, and it is vital I retain my seat … because of my science background, and I’m listening to my constituents,” she said.
Ellis has a bachelor’s in business administration, a master’s in education and reading and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in reading. She has participated in the Texas Association for the Improvement of Reading, Texas Association for Impact of Reading, Texas State Reading Association, Sam Houston Area Reading Council and North Harris County Council of Teachers of English.
Name: Barbara Cargill
Age: 48
Occupation: science educator
Residence: The Woodlands
Family: Husband Terry and three sons, ages 15, 17, 17
Contact: www.barbaracargill.com
Name: Linda Ellis
Age: 60
Occupation: consultant/retired educator
Residence: The Woodlands
Family: Four grown children, 14 grandchildren
Contact: www.votelindaellis.com
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