HOUSTON — Heated runoffs in four Houston ISD trustee elections ended last weekend and two self-described conservatives unseated incumbents as national politics took center stage.
"Just overall excited to serve,” District VII victor Bridget Wade said.
Wade defeated incumbent trustee Anne Sung in an election that included issues such as critical race theory, library books and the district’s mask mandate.
“I’m in favor of getting rid of masks," Wade said. "I’m in favor of it because I’d like parents to be able to decide what they want for their children.”
Sung believes national political talking points seeped into what is supposed to be a local non-partisan election.
“I wish her the very best of luck. I’ve spoken with her already,” Sung said. “I’ve never been asked to vote on curriculum or on standards for books as a trustee. And yet these are things that were on voter’s minds this cycle.”
In addition to Wade replacing Sung, self-described Christian conservative Kendall Baker unseated Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca by a razor-thin margin.
Incumbents Elizabeth Santos and Sue Deigaard were re-elected.
"I think the average parent, the issues they care about are local," Deigaard said. "And a lot of the issues that got lifted up in this election on a larger scale weren’t even things that we decide as a local school board.”
Deigaard said the priority for everyone on the soon-to-be adjusted nine-member board should be working together for the betterment of students.
That's something to which Wade said she is committed.
“I know who I am and I know what I’m doing and I know who I’m serving," Wade said. "And so I can’t wait to do that.”
Building a relationship with the district’s teachers may take time. The largest union endorsed incumbents.
Here's a statement from HISD District VI Trustee-Elect Kendall Baker:
“I ran for Houston ISD Trustee because I want a better future for my six-year-old daughter and for all children in our community. As Governor Abbott said about my election, parents matter when it comes to education, and they are tired of mask mandates and critical race theory. Our children should be taught how to learn, not what to learn. I am determined to turn around our failing HISD schools, be a voice for our children and parents, and return the focus to academics instead of divisive ideology.”