Texas school boards are critical to the success of our education system, responsible for overseeing billions of taxpayer dollars and making decisions that directly impact local communities. Issues such as rising property taxes, teacher retention, student safety, infrastructure, and education outcomes require experienced, ethical, and fiscally responsible leadership—but modern campaign tactics are driving these future leaders away.

Social media attacks, online smear campaigns, and political intimidation have created an increasingly toxic environment that discourages citizens, business leaders, and community members from running for school board seats. The fear of defamation, reputational damage, and even economic retaliation has led many highly qualified individuals to decide that running is simply not worth the risk. For business owners and professionals, a school board campaign should not come at the cost of their livelihood.

This problem doesn’t just affect candidates—it also undermines public engagement and trust in elections. Millions of dollars in donations from voters and citizens who support local candidates are wasted when smear campaigns are used to derail honest elections. These unethical tactics weaken public faith in the electoral process and, ultimately, harm the stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

The Code of Fair Campaign Practices was well intentioned when it was authored in 1997 but is now outdated, unenforceable, and completely ineffective in today’s digital world. It does nothing to protect candidates and their donors from political campaign operatives using AI, anonymous social media accounts, and digital misinformation to destroy reputations and deter good people from serving.

The RESTORE Act will modernize the Texas Election Code (Chapter 258) to ensure that school board elections are ethical, transparent, and issue-focused. It does not limit free speech—rather, it strengthens it. The updated CFCP will provide clear guidance on campaign speech, protecting both candidates and their supporters by defining the type of fair, ethical, and constitutionally protected speech that should be encouraged in elections.

If Texas wants to recruit smart, ethical leaders, protect public trust in elections, and safeguard taxpayer investments in public schools, the RESTORE Act is a necessary reform.