The State Board of Education is currently 5/4 Democrat dominated. We have a chance to flip the 9-member board

The board controls teacher licensing, state mandated exams, dispenses Federal and State block grants to school districts, accredits school districts and online equivalent schools, and recommends policies and curriculum to school districts among other responsibilities. It does not run any schools directly.

Comparing the 2026 CD7 State Board of Education Candidates

There are effectively 3 candidates, 1 D and 2 R. They differ dramatically

Karla Esser PhD, D, Incumbent

Karla is lock-stock-and-barrel liberal education establishment with 35+ years in the US and German systems including running teacher training programs, and has been on the board for 6 years. Expect her to continue leftist programs ad nauseum while cancelling gifted and talented programs. Expect her to be supported by unions and others vested in the system.

Nick Morris, Republican Primary Candidate

Nick’s nomination speech set out a basic but emotionally attractive program: reduce schools to “3 R’s” and “leave all else to the parents.” It will fail because most voters want schools to provide basic science, history, sports, art, music, tech, and higher math education. Further, this would not educate kids because most parents were brainwashed by schools and can’t teach their kids without schools.

Steve Barton MSEE, JD, MD, MBA, Republican Primary Candidate

Steve is an electronic engineer and patent lawyer with a medical degree. He proposes to reform the system without burning programs, by evicting leftist politics and introducing basic business concepts to schools while improving real science, math, and history education. He proposes:

. Boot boys from girls’ sports, locker rooms, and bathrooms.

. Prohibit credit or excused absences for political activities and demonstrations.

. Reintroduce Christian morals and require Christianity be treated at least as well as other faiths.

. Rename and reschedule “spring break” as “Easter break” and “winter break” as “Christmas break”.

. Strictly limit classroom screen time and ban cell phones.

. Upgrade science and math subject requirements for teacher’s licensure.

. Require teachers to learn enough business to understand what it takes to make a profit.

. Bring outsiders like engineers, scientists, and businessmen into schools to teach reality by teaching students and teachers how astronomy and physics were reformed with math in the 14th-17th centuries, and what businesses must do to make a profit with costs of goods, regulations, taxes & wages.

 . Grade school districts on parental involvement in school district curriculum decisions and textbook selections to force districts to better involve parents.

. Encourage discussion of religious motivations in historical events like Henry VIII, the Spanish Armada, the Reformation, Mayflower pilgrims, founding of Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, settling of Utah, the 100-year’s war, the Roman Empire, the Crusades, Islamic conquests, and adopting the1st Amendment.

. Improve security by arming selected staff or teachers.