Candidates for Texas' Board of Education - KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: News, Weather, Sports. ABC, 24/7, Telemundo -

Candidates for Texas' Board of Education

As you decide who to vote for in the upcoming election, NewsChannel 10 will continue to bring you candidate positions.

Democratic Candidate Steven Schafersman and Republican Candidate Marty Rowley are competing for a seat on the Texas' Board of Education for District 15. This district covers about 80 counties in the Northwestern part of the state.

Midland Resident Schafersman taught for more than 20 years and is currently a consulting scientist for oil companies. He says evolution and creationism should be taught more in schools. Schafersman also supports informing students that Mexican Americans were also a part of the early settlers. He says, "So my goal is to improve education in Texas. To get true information in the books." This candidate has lobbied the state board dozens of times during the past thirty years.

He says, "There's been enormous, an enormous censorship of education in our Texas schools. And Texas school children have done very poorly. They are ignorant about basic science, basic history, basic economics, basic government. And this has really affected their performance on standardized tests."

Amarillo Resident Marty Rowley practiced law for about 20 years and is now a certified mediator. This candidate says one of the main problems lies in standardized testing because it creates the mentality of teaching to test. Rowley says, "I think that hinders us somewhat, in instructing our kids to the level that they need to be instructed and enabling them to become strategic thinkers. And not just good test takers."

He says he'll push for high schools to include career and technical education. "I think we need to focus on the fact that not every child will go on to a four year university. That some of them will go into a vocation and do a technical career. That's a very honorable career path."

You may cast your vote for these candidates early if you like until November 2nd. The election is November 6th.

Jessica Abuchaibe, NewsChannel 10.