Michelle Palmer

Michelle Palmer was born in Stanton, Texas. She earned a high school diploma from Irving High School.[1] Palmer earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston in 1994. Her career experience includes working as a teacher and a manager in retail. Palmer has been associated with the Houston Federation of Teachers, the Southwest Democrats, and the West Houston Democrats.[2]

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Campaign websitePalmer's campaign website stated the following:PLATFORM #FidelityToTheFactsAccountability and TransparencyI have questions about the efficacy of special education services within the charter schools in Texas. We need to have clear data on what percentage of special education students are served in the charter schools, the type/quality of services provided, and general accessibility of that setting for the special education population. Do they serve students at the same rate/percentage as public schools? If not, why are they allowed different standards? We also need accountability and transparency on how public funds are spent.US HistoryIn the world in which we live, contentious historical topics are contentious because of a variety of perspectives. Students should be taught in a manner that uses historical documents and primary sources to support understanding of these situations.  The Board is currently hearing about requested changes that include removing "states rights" as a cause of the Civil War and thus watering down the actual cause which was slavery. Some Board members are fighting back on this change. US History (part 2)Lobbyist organizations with agendas have infiltrated our curriculum and now students are expected to learn about the National Rifle Association, the Heritage Foundation, the Contract with America, and the Moral Majority as opposed to our students focusing on content areas that are more likely to build patriotic understanding. Even many Conservative scholars believe that these should be struck from the curriculum.HealthAt present, our Health Education curriculum does not support many evidence-based practices for healthy students, such as understanding consent and sex. Rape will not end by telling people to avoid certain situations, that just means the rapist rapes someone else. Blaming the victims of rape is not helping to lower the number of rapes in Texas but actively teaching consent, what it looks like and how to get and give it, would.ScienceThe current District 6 Board Member works for Shell Oil. When he was elected in 2020, he convinced the board to remove climate change from the curriculum before adopting textbooks. They had JUST added it a few months before.  Climate Change is the defining issue of our time. The science curriculum in Texas barely acknowledges climate change. It is only mentioned in a few optional courses that are taught to high school seniors. Climate change needs to be taught to the people who will have to live with it or fix it. In addition, Board members with personal agendas have included content, such as creationist language.US History 8th GradeI would like to adjust the current curriculum to be more relevant to Texas' goal of making our students the most effective global leaders of tomorrow. Being able to analyze primary sources is an essential skill to help our students analyze the information of today and compete on a global level. Our students need a curriculum that is based on facts. Moses should not be mentioned in the US History curriculum.— Michelle Palmer's campaign website (January 20, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a history and government teacher and I am running for SBOE District 6 because I am tired of my curriculum being controlled by people who believe the earth is 6000 years old and that the US History curriculum should include Moses. I have been a public education advocate and a Democratic activist for over a decade and decided to run for this position after being frustrated by the standards I am expected to teach my students.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Include ALL of the groups of people who helped build this country in the US History curriculum.Include the teaching of the science behind climate change in the high school science curriculum.Comprehensive Sex education for all students in Texas unless parents opt out.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have been advocating for public education issues for over a decade. Between finance, teacher pay, and curriculum issues, it has been almost a full time job in the state of Texas.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The Texas State Board of Education is one of the most overlooked and yet important offices in the country. Because of textbook buying power, they control textbooks for much of the country. We need people overseeing the textbook adoption process who want to make sure the information being conveyed to students is factual.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to many strong Texas women. State Rep Senfronia Thomson was a teacher who went to law school and then ran for state house. I don't want to run for that position but I would like to make as much of a difference as she has in her long career.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe that someone elected to this office needs to listen to the experts. Let them create/adjust the curriculum as needed and then vote FOR it. Don't let your religious or political views get in the way.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the TV playing Nixon's resignation address when I was 4 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working at Whataburger in high school. I only had that job for about 8 months because I moved to go to college.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

Helping to shape the curriculum. In this age of anti-CRT madness, people who don't even know what CRT is are arguing that including more African American, Mexican American, Native American, Asian American, LGBTQIA+, and Women's History is CRT but it is really just being inclusive. It was not only straight, white men who built this country and our curriculum should acknowledge that.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

I believe that having a background as a teacher is extremely helpful in this position. I have taught math, English, and social studies. I am VERY familiar with curriculum and with pedagogy. This will help immensely in this position

Campaign website

Palmer's campaign website stated the following:

Accountability and Transparency

I have questions about the efficacy of special education services within the charter schools in Texas. We need to have clear data on what percentage of special education students are served in the charter schools, the type/quality of services provided, and general accessibility of that setting for the special education population. Do they serve students at the same rate/percentage as public schools? If not, why are they allowed different standards? We also need accountability and transparency on how public funds are spent.

US History

In the world in which we live, contentious historical topics are contentious because of a variety of perspectives. Students should be taught in a manner that uses historical documents and primary sources to support understanding of these situations. The Board is currently hearing about requested changes that include removing "states rights" as a cause of the Civil War and thus watering down the actual cause which was slavery. Some Board members are fighting back on this change.

US History (part 2)

Lobbyist organizations with agendas have infiltrated our curriculum and now students are expected to learn about the National Rifle Association, the Heritage Foundation, the Contract with America, and the Moral Majority as opposed to our students focusing on content areas that are more likely to build patriotic understanding. Even many Conservative scholars believe that these should be struck from the curriculum.

Health

​At present, our Health Education curriculum does not support many evidence-based practices for healthy students, such as understanding consent and sex. Rape will not end by telling people to avoid certain situations, that just means the rapist rapes someone else. Blaming the victims of rape is not helping to lower the number of rapes in Texas but actively teaching consent, what it looks like and how to get and give it, would.

Science

Climate Change is the defining issue of our time. The science curriculum in Texas barely acknowledges climate change. It is only mentioned in a few optional courses that are taught to high school seniors. Climate change needs to be taught to the people who will have to live with it or fix it. In addition, Board members with personal agendas have included content, such as creationist language.

US History 8th Grade

I would like to adjust the current curriculum to be more relevant to Texas' goal of making our students the most effective global leaders of tomorrow. Being able to analyze primary sources is an essential skill to help our students analyze the information of today and compete on a global level. Our students need a curriculum that is based on facts. Moses should not be mentioned in the US History curriculum.[3]

—Michelle Palmer's campaign website (2022)[4]

Video for [the profile publisher]

Video submitted to BallotpediaReleased December 9, 2019

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Michelle Palmer is a high school history and government teacher in Texas. She graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in Political Science and Russian Studies.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Take the political agenda out of the history, science, and health standardsPut a moratorium on approval of new charter schools and audit those that exist for financial impropriety as well as to make certain they are educating our special education students Add transparency to the managing of the Texas Permanent School Fund.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My passion is equity in education. We need to change the way education is funded in the state of Texas. In addition, we need to take the political agenda out of the curricula we use to educate the students of Texas. The history curriculum should be fact-based. Moses should not be mentioned in the US History curriculum. The science curriculum should include the science behind clime change. The health curriculum should include comprehensive sex education. Texas has the 4th highest teen pregnancy rate and the fifteenth highest STD rate in the country. Both of these can be reined in through sex education that does not focus on abstinence.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

This office controls the standards that teachers use to educate our students as well as the textbooks that we use in our classes. The position can be taken advantage of by those who want to use their own political views to affect the curriculum. Moses should NOT be listed in the US History curriculum. The LGBTQIA+ Civil Rights Movement should be included in the Civil Rights Unit of the US History curriculum along with the African American CRM, the Chicano Rights Movement, the WOmen's Rights Movement, and the American Indian Movement. The causes of climate change should be included in the Science curriculum. The concept of consent should be included in the Health curriculum instead of blaming victims for rape.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to Dolores Huerta. She was a teacher and saw the underlying problems that her students were facing so she changed careers to fix the problem. I love teaching but being an advocate and lobbying the state legislature for programs that help with food and banking deserts as well as education funding help me to help my students in ways that help them in the classroom.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

To understand my view on charter schools, please watch Backpack Full of Cash.

To understand my frustration with the curriculum issues here in Texas, please watch The Revisionaries.

To understand the frustration of may people with standardized testing, please watch Beyond Measure or Most Likely to Succeed.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials need to strive to do whatever trends towards equity. They need to be honest with those they represent and those they serve with.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am a detail person. I am very good at figuring out the details of big projects that need to be completed. I believe this would be a good quality on the State Board of Education because they need to choose members of committees to analyze curriculum and they need to look at the details of a person's experience in order to choose the right people.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities for elected officials are seeking optimum accountability and transparency in everything they do.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave the SBOE with curriculum standards that will work for ALL students into the future. The economy of Texas in 20 years will be based on jobs that we don't even know exist. A well-written curriculum will help the students of Texas succeed in those jobs as well as the ones that we already know of.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event that I remember is Nixon's resignation. I was 4 years old. I remember the quiet in the living room which was very unusual at our house.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was as the drive-thru cashier at the Whataburger near my family's apartment when I was 17. I worked there for about 6 months.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite book is Handmaid's Tale. I love dystopian books and it has spoken to me since I was in high school. It feels so relatable and yet horrifying.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I would like to be Hermione Granger. She loves school (like myself) and yet always finds time to help her friends when they need it.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

A-Ha "Take On Me"

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I did not become a teacher until I was 38, I struggled to find my path after the one I had planned for in college was cut off. I had planned to work for the state department as a Russia specialist. Halfway through my degree, the Soviet Union collapsed and they were no longer hiring for those positions, I went into retail and quickly worked my way up to management. I eventually found my calling in teaching but it took quite a bit of searching.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

There are 2 responsibilities that I believe are most important. First, fixing the curriculum so that our students have a base of knowledge that is factual and more complete. Second, the office approves new charter school systems and I believe that we need a moratorium on approval of new charters until such time as an audit of those that exist can be completed and we can pass laws about transparency and accountability among charter schools. They use tax money and are beholden to nobody.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The SBOE is in charge of requirements for teacher certification and for student graduation requirements. I believe that the state should require Health to graduate. Many districts have added it but the state does not require it. We have too many health issues in this state to not require this course.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

No. I believe holders of this office should have previous experience in education and with curriculum. The job is too important to leave to the people who currently inhabit it. Most teachers do not have the time to take a position like this. It is unpaid and therefore working teachers have difficulty with the time requirement involved, therefore, many teachers retire when they are elected to the board and I plan to continue teaching.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

We need to have board members who understand pedagogy. They need to have experience with primary documents