Update: This article was updated to include Debi Scaggs's response for not attending the candidate forum.
Both opponents challenging Denton school board incumbents were not present for Monday’s candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Denton.
Incumbents Sheryl English, representing Place 2, and Barbara Burns, in Place 1, were present for the event at Denton ISD’s Stephens Central Administration Building.
They were asked multiple questions regarding their run for the school board, including their stances on school vouchers, book bans and what critics say is curriculum censorship by the state.
Debi Scaggs, a Denton retiree who is seeking the Place 1 seat, was not present at Monday’s forum. She has challenged more than 100 books in Denton ISD libraries, a move that has resulted in about 22 titles being removed from the shelves.
Also not present was Terry Senne, who is seeking Place 2 and is a retired Texas Woman’s University administrator and professor.
Senne’s campaign prioritizes a return to academic rigor and performance and criticizes what she says is indoctrination and sexualization of students. This is her second time running for the Denton school board. In 2023, she ran unsuccessfully to represent Place 6.
On Tuesday, Senne told the Denton Record-Chronicle via email that she gave the League of Women Voters prior notice on April 1 that she was unable to attend.
“As I’m sure you are aware, candidates have many opportunities and events that come up, sometimes at the last minute,” Senne wrote.
Scaggs responded to the Record-Chronicle’s request for comment late Tuesday evening.
“I informed Ms. McAdams that I would have to cancel her event on March 28 and confirmed again on March 29 with my regrets,” Scaggs said via email. “I have received many invitations and have to make choices as to which events to attend.”
Senne said she sent her regrets about the cancellation and did complete the questionnaire that is included in the league’s voter guide.
English, a local real estate agent, was elected in 2021, when she became the first Black woman to serve on the Denton school board.
Burns has served on the school board since 2012. She has 30 years of experience in education, including 20 years teaching history and government in Denton ISD.
School vouchers
Burns and English both said they oppose school vouchers. Gov. Greg Abbott is continuing his push for state education vouchers after Texas lawmakers failed to pass such a program last year.
“I’m totally against vouchers, because it takes away from the system that we already have,” English said. “We’re not fully funded. So how can we afford to take vouchers and give them to charter schools, who have no oversight financially? … It just takes away from our most neediest students. … We have to work with less, and it’s a really big insult to our teachers and to our students.”
Burns claimed charter schools do not have elected board members and don’t have taxpayers who choose to increase taxes or not. She also said charter schools give more income to administration and spend less on students and teachers.
Book bans
Candidates were asked about book ban supporters’ attacks against teachers and librarians, accusing them of indoctrinating and sexualizing students.
English said that she can guarantee that kids aren’t running to school libraries to read banned books, and that children can find more graphic content if they have access to a phone.
“I think if a parent does not want their children not to read a book, that parent has the absolute right,” Burns said. “But I also believe that that parent has no right to tell other parents what their children should read.”
State curriculum and LGBTQ stance
The candidates were also asked about their stances on accurately teaching American history, as well as what steps should be taken to protect LGBTQ students.
English told the crowd that right now, it’s up to parents to teach their kids about Black and Native American history because Texas’ school curriculum doesn’t have enough information on parts of historical events.
She told the crowd about how State Board of Education Chair Aaron Kinsey left curriculum standards for a Native American studies course off this month’s board agenda.
Burns said a recent high school student thanked her for listening to them regarding LGBTQ issues during a school event.
District funding
Burns criticized how the state funds school districts based on attendance instead of enrollment. She said Texas has funds available that could be used to support public education but aren’t.
Burns also criticized the 88th Legislature and subsequent special sessions in 2023 that did not offer additional school funding. In the aftermath, for example, Denton ISD froze hiring for a new elementary school and postponed its opening.
“We have a lot of our state representatives and politicians … that are voting for school vouchers — but they don’t even know how school funding works,” English said.
Election day for local elections is May 4, and early voting begins April 22. For more information about voting locations and times, visit votedenton.gov.