James Taylor

James Taylor's career experience includes working as a senior pastor with First Christ’s Church of Norman, Oklahoma, and as a history and government teacher.[1]

James Taylor did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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Campaign websiteTaylor's campaign website stated the following:Built on real valuesFaith, family, and leadership for Oklahoma schoolsDr. James Taylor has served as a classroom teacher, senior pastor, author, and community leader. His campaign is focused on better academic outcomes, stronger support for teachers, and partnership with parents.Classroom ExperienceJames teaches History and Government and has seen firsthand how knowledge helps students break cycles of poverty.Faith & Family LeadershipJames is Senior Pastor of First Christ’s Church in Norman and a husband, father, and grandfather committed to serving families.Conservative Community LeadershipAuthor of It’s Biblical, Not Political! and producer of Critical Race Theory vs. The Bible, bringing clear conservative leadership to the public square.Results for EducationFocused on teacher shortages, practical legislative solutions, and accountable spending that improves student outcomes.Education Priorities That Deliver ResultsTeacher Recruitment & RetentionPosition: Oklahoma must recruit and keep more quality teachers.Improve retention through teacher support and clear expectations.Strengthen the teacher pipeline with practical pathways into the classroom.Promote compensation and workplace respect that keep educators in Oklahoma.Legislative Alignment for SchoolsPosition: Education policy must be built with teachers and parents, not around them.Work directly with legislators, educators, and families on practical reforms.Advance laws that support learning rather than distract from instruction.Keep local school voices central in statewide decisions.Academic Excellence / Literacy & MathPosition: Student achievement in reading, writing, and math must be the core mission.Set clear academic goals and report progress transparently.Prioritize classroom time on foundational skills.Move Oklahoma from the bottom of national rankings toward the top.Parent Partnership & Local VoicePosition: Parents are essential partners in student success.Improve transparency so parents understand curriculum and outcomes.Protect meaningful parent input in local school decisions.Support family engagement as a driver of student achievement.Safe Schools & Student Well-BeingPosition: Schools should be disciplined, respectful, and safe for every student.Promote strong behavioral standards and consistent enforcement.Support student well-being without lowering academic expectations.Keep school campuses focused on learning and character development.Teacher Respect & Professional SupportPosition: Teachers deserve leadership that listens and equips them to succeed.Reduce unnecessary burdens that pull teachers away from instruction.Provide practical support, training, and classroom resources.Create a culture of professionalism and shared responsibility.Constitutional & Civic InstructionPosition: Civics, constitutional understanding, and character matter in education.Reinforce foundational American principles in instruction.Encourage responsible citizenship and community service.Protect space for faith-informed values and moral clarity.Budget AccountabilityPosition: Increased spending must produce better student outcomes.Track results, not just budget growth.Focus dollars on classroom impact and academic performance.Expect clear accountability from systems receiving public funds.Classroom-Focused PrioritiesPosition: School leadership should remove barriers and let teachers teach.Reduce bureaucracy and non-instructional distractions.Prioritize proven classroom practices.Keep policy focused on student learning, not politics.Career & Technical ReadinessPosition: Students need multiple pathways to successful futures.Expand career tech opportunities and apprenticeship connections.Align programs with Oklahoma workforce needs.Prepare graduates for college, careers, and service.3 C’s Decision FrameworkPosition: Every major decision should pass three tests: Constitution, Conscience, Constituents.If it violates the Constitution, the answer is no.If it violates conscience, the answer is no.If it hurts Oklahoma families and students, the answer is no.The Role of EducationEducation plays a critical role inshaping the future of individualsand society in several areas,Including:Knowledge and SkillsKnowledge is the great equalizerin life; it empowers individuals toboosts confidence and self esteem.SocializationA large part of the educationprocess is socialization andlearning to get along with others.Economic FunctionEducation equips individualswith vocational training, technicalskills, and specialized knowledgethat makes you employable andempowers financial independence.Cultural ContinuityEducation helps build keycommunication, teamwork, andinnovative skills that helpindividuals to work with others andimprove emotional intelligence.SOME ISSUESTeacher ShortagesLow salaries, compared toneighboring states, plus low publicconfidence in the education systemhas contributed to the shortages. Ina recent poll, confidence in theeducation system has dropped from41% in 2024, to 31% in 2025.Legislative ChallengesIt is critical that the legislatorswork with the Department ofEducation, educators, and parents,to create laws that actually enhancethe learning experience rather thandistract from learning.FundingSince 2018 , the per-pupil publicschool revenue has increased byover 51%; however, massivefunding increases has not achievedacademic excellence. The academicoutcome has steadily declined. Wemust look at things from a differentperspective to move from thebottom to the top.When was the last time you heard a statesman who wasUPFRONT, HONEST, AND DIRECT?I can’t promise you that you willagree with all of my decisions.However, I can promise you that Iwill make every decision based onthe 3 C’s principle.CONSTITUTION, if it violatesthe US or Oklahoma Constitutionthen that is a “No” vote, no need togo any further.CONSCIENCE, it might beConstitutional but if it violates myconscience that is a “No”CONSTITUENTS, it might beConstitutional and does not violatemy conscience then the question is,will it help or hurt my constituents? Ifit hurts them that is a “No” vote.If it is Constitutional, does notviolate my Conscience, and doesnot hurt my Constituents then, thatis a “Yes” vote.“I am not a career politician, I’m aclassroom teacher who knowswhat actually works.— James Taylor's campaign website (August 18, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

James Taylor did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

James Taylor did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

The following issues were listed on Taylor's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

Individual Responsibility: Individuals are responsible for their actions. The government’s role is to guarantee equality of opportunity for all and leave equality of result to individual drive, work ethic, abilities & talent.

The Family: The family has always been at the core of every society; therefore, it is in the government’s best interest to encourage, protect, and foster family integrity. The family is under stress and there should be less government interference to reduce that stress.

The Unborn: I believe in the sanctity of life and will fight for the rights of the unborn.

Marriage: I believe marriage is between a man and a woman.

National Sovereignty: I believe the United States of America is the greatest nation in the world. I believe that God establishes nations, their boundaries and how long they will be in existence. I don’t believe we should be submitting our national or political sovereignty to an unaccountable trans-national organization such as the United Nations all in the name of global governance.

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—James Taylor's campaign website, http://www.taylorok.com/issues