Fox, age 55, is the executive director for Circle Arts Theatre in New Braunfels. She previously worked as a public school teacher and principal.
Hear from the candidate
Please tell voters about yourself.
I retired in June 2023 after working as a teacher and administrator in public schools for 31 years. I earned a PhD in Educational Leadership and throughout my career, advocated for students, staff, and families. During my tenure as a principal, all three of my campuses were rated as ‘Recognized’ or ‘A’ schools under the school accountability system. In 2009, I was selected by Raise Your Hand Texas to attend a Summer Institute at the Principals’ Center at Harvard and in 2018, to serve as a Principal Advocacy Fellow for the 86th legislative session.
I have lived in the Texas Hill Country for more than forty years. I actively volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Riverside Pride, and my church choir. When time allows, I enjoy playing cards and board games, attending live theatre, and kayaking the beautiful hill country rivers.
What three issues do you consider to be most pressing for your district and how do you plan to address them?
Public education is the most significant concern in Senate District 25. More specifically, funding for public schools must be increased to address safety, increased mandates, and staffing. Texas is currently ranked 43rd out of 50 states for per-pupil spending, despite having the 8th largest economy in the world. Vouchers (also known as Education Savings Accounts) will make this issue worse — especially in rural areas — by using taxpayer funds to pay for private schools. I will advocate for increased funding for public schools and vote against any legislation that includes vouchers.
The Texas Legislature has enslaved all girls and women who are of child-bearing age by taking away their right to make reproductive decisions about their own bodies. Maternal and newborn mortality rates have increased significantly and more than 2600 females in Texas have been forced to endure pregnancies resulting from incest and rape. To reverse these adverse outcomes and restore bodily autonomy, I will advocate for clarity in the language of the law that allows medically necessary abortions while working toward repealing anti-abortion
legislation.
The exponential growth along the I-35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio has led to concerns with transportation and water consumption. In the next twenty-five years, the population in this area is expected to increase by three million people. A collaborative effort between state legislators and community leaders, engineers, and scientists throughout the corridor must focus on projects that include expanding current highways, ensuring adequate roadway connections between highways, and constructing a comprehensive mass transit system. Additionally, the collective need for increased water and regulations about its consumption must be considered.
Do you support the creation of a school voucher program? If so, what specifics are you looking for? Are you willing to leave the next session without approving additional public school funding?
I do not support any legislation that supports the creation of a school voucher program, including Educational Savings Accounts. If elected, I will strongly advocate for increased public school funding.
However, I expect that during the next legislative session, state leaders and the Senate Majority will only allow increased funding for public schools if vouchers are passed, which is what happened in the November 2023 Special Session. I will vote against vouchers, even if it is tied to public school funding because the negative, long-term impact that vouchers will have on the public school system in Texas will quickly negate the short-term relief of increased funding. Instead, I will focus on other ways to support public education while working to replace Texas leaders focused on privatizing our public education system.
Describe how you plan to be an effective lawmaker in a governing body where leadership controls much of the agenda.
As a Democrat in the Republican-held Texas Senate, my voice will often be difficult to hear. However, it will not keep me from speaking. To effectively serve my district, I will forge relationships within my party and across the aisle; I will remain current in my understanding of the issues facing constituents and the obstacles standing in the way of resolutions; I will ask tough questions to help clarify hidden agendas; and I will be persistent about the meeting the needs of our communities.
How would you solicit input and feedback from residents in your district?
I strongly believe that having a presence throughout the district is imperative to being able to serve its people. And while attending celebrations such as ribbon-cuttings and parades are fun, being present at day-to-day functions of a community are necessary in order to understand their needs. At these events, I will have informal conversations with participants during which I can ask them what’s working and what isn’t. I will also solicit feedback from residents throughout Senate District 25 by holding community meetings in person and on Zoom, posting an online feedback form on my web page, staffing two district offices for walk-in and phone call discussions, and encouraging feedback within a monthly online newsletter and weekly social media posts.
