Keller school board seat comes down to board veteran vs. new voice. Our recommendation | Opinion

The world might know Haley Taylor Schlitz as the youngest Black American to ever graduate from law school, but we claim her as our own. After all, she started her undergraduate education at 13 at Tarrant County College’s Northeast campus.

But the fact that Taylor Schlitz, now 20, is a child prodigy isn’t why we recommend her for Keller ISD school board Place 4, although being sharp certainly won’t hurt her.

Taylor Schlitz grew up here and is now a resident of Keller Town Center and an educator at a nearby private school. Her main priorities for the school board are solid: She wants to bolster student success, retain and recruit teachers, and support families. This kind of laser sharp focus would be welcome in a district where the board has bogged down in political distractions.

Taylor Schlitz says the district needs to listen to teachers’ needs and show them more respect. She says teachers “feel attacked.” She gave the example of the decision to create an armed “guardian” program. Teachers were polled and clearly indicated they were not interested in carrying guns in school, but the board created the policy anyway.

Taylor Schlitz’s views on some policies may differ greatly from many Keller residents and other board members, such as the gun program and the process the board decided on for handling controversial library books. She’ll need to ensure she’s open to compromise and listening to constituents.

Her opponent, John Birt, 70, was on the school board in 2000. Now retired, Birt, who lives in Willis Coves, wants to ensure the core curriculum is taught in schools. He supports the district’s new book policy and wants additional resource officers in schools, as well as allowing qualified teachers to carry.

School board members are elected to three-year terms. Members are elected at-large and represent the entire district. Early voting starts April 24 and ends May 2. Election day is May 6.