We recommend in the race for State Board of Education District 11

Spend half an hour with Rayna Glasser and one thing will be clear: She cares about students more than she cares about turf wars or partisan talking points. Glasser, a Democrat, is not an expert yet in the hard-knocks political battles of Austin, but she has the training, the experience and the kids-first disposition Texas needs on the State Board of Education. Voters should let her take the next step.
Glasser is an 18-year teaching veteran, most of that at Fort Worth Dunbar High School, where she was the 2023-24 Teacher of the Year. She has a master’s degree in education from Lamar University, with an emphasis in curriculum and instruction.
Glasser wants to update high school academics to create separate tracks for college, trade or military futures. That would also mean eliminating the STAAR test requirement for graduation. She said she knows too many students who passed their classes and are more than ready for the workforce but who are held back by the test.
Glasser, 48, is clear-eyed about the problems created by technology in classrooms. She said she made students check their phones at the door in her Dunbar classroom. But she wants to reach beyond phone bans and filtering software to teach kids how to make responsible technology choices for themselves. Likewise, she advocates for greater media literacy offerings in schools.
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Glasser tends to sidestep the most divisive issues. A Christian herself, she says, “We definitely need God in schools.” But she can’t support explicitly religious pedagogy such as many state leaders are promoting, out of respect for students who don’t share her faith.
On those and other topics, Glasser strikes an understanding tone that shows she’s listening to diverse perspectives. When her place on the board forces her into a yes-no vote on something like creationism in science books, she might not be able to sidestep so easily. But her commitment to putting students first makes her a better choice to face such nuanced decisions than her opponents.
Glasser faces Republican Brandon Hall, 28, a pastor from Springtown who won his primary by running to the right of longtime incumbent Pat Hardy. That’s hard to do, given that Hardy once campaigned for Barry Goldwater. Hall promotes the teaching of creationism and the adoption of a statewide voucher program. His social media presence is heavy with content unrelated to the functions of the SBOE: abortion, immigration, Gaza and a whole lot about LGBTQ issues. Hall did not participate in our Voter Guide or candidate interviews.
Also running is Green Party candidate Hunter Crow, who graduated from Tarrant County College last year and who signed the Take Texas Back secessionist pledge in 2022.
Glasser is the clear choice here.
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