A North Texas race may be the most watched for the State Board of Education during this year's election cycle as a 16-year incumbent tries to fend off one opponent who's supported conspiracy theories about former President Barack Obama and one who is an adamant supporter of vouchers.

The State Board of Education — largely charged with adopting textbooks and curriculum for the state — has often been at the center of culture clashes, with controversies ranging from how to teach Mexican-American studies to — more frequently — heated debates about science curriculum standards.

Republican Patricia "Pat" Hardy, 69, a retired educator from Fort Worth, has often been a swing vote on the board, saying she tries to keep politics out of the equation as she tries to do what's right for students. She has been a frequent target for far-right conservatives.

Hardy, whose District 11 includes Parker County as well as parts of Tarrant and Dallas counties, was first elected in 2002. In 2008, Hardy defeated a challenger who was an avid creationist concerned about evolution being taught in schools. She was forced into a runoff two years ago but held off an aggressive bid by a tea party candidate.

This year's challengers for the March primary election include Fort Worth's Cheryl Surber, 62, who twice previously ran and lost races for justice of the peace.

When asked why she wants to serve on the state board of education, Surber offered a rapid-fire response ranging from the need to repeal the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which allows people to directly elect U.S. senators, to her views on Federal Communications Commission rules and her view that citizens shouldn't need a test or license to carry a gun or "buy a tank" under the Second Amendment.

A key issue for Surber is teaching kids what "natural-born citizen" means, she said. Surber is among those who continue to question Obama's birth certificate and debate conspiracy theories about his citizenship.

She said that while "American kids" should be taught foreign languages starting at an early age, those learning English should be immersed in the language, getting only limited support for complex subjects.

She said taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for undocumented students but said she would follow current federal law guaranteeing that all children have the right to free and public education regardless of immigration status.

"I have no sympathy for someone here illegally. I'm sorry. ... If something is a particular law, that doesn't make it right," she said. "We do have to follow the law, whatever the law is, but the law can be changed."

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 1982 Texas case that children living in the country have a right to a free and public education regardless of immigration status.

A little more than half of Texas' 5.4 million public school students were identified as Latino in the 2016-17 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency. Nearly 1 in 5 students struggle with limited-English skills. And census data from 2016 shows about 7 percent of children ages 5 to 17 are immigrants who are not citizens.

Hardy's other challenger is Feyi Obamehinti, 49, who says she's running because Hardy doesn't seek constituent input.

"We see a trend, and the trend is one of betrayal to the constituents," Obamehinti said. "Parents have a big problem with some of the liberal views."

As an example, she pointed to a controversy from about five years ago over an online curriculum system known as CSCOPE. The issue was a lightning rod for social conservatives who claimed lesson plans pushed anti-American values and were pro-Islamic.

Feyi Obamehinti

The State Board of Education had no say over CSCOPE's creation, which was developed in collaboration with regional education service centers and used by about 80 percent of Texas public school districts.

Hardy, who taught social studies for 30 years, served on a committee that reviewed material during the controversy and determined that it found no "bad things." She faced attacks in her 2014 race because of CSCOPE.

"I certainly did support the right of the school districts to make the selection in how they wanted to carry out the standards that the state board developed," she said recently, adding that she often speaks with community groups and at forums.

CSCOPE was renamed in the summer of 2013.

Obamehinti, 49, was born in Phoenix but raised in Nigeria, where her parents were from originally. She's been a teacher and specialist in Dallas-area school districts and now does consulting work.

Obamehinti home-schooled her three daughters and is an adamant supporter of vouchers and related programs that would use public dollars to offset the cost for families to send their children to private schools or support home-schooling efforts.

"I believe strongly that parents should have those options," she said.

Patricia Hardy, running for District 11, Texas State Board of Education. (Robert E. Daemmrich)

Hardy says she also supports school choice, so that families can decide what's right for them — be it public charter schools, home schooling or private schools. But she opposes using vouchers without any accountability attached to ensure that funds are used properly and that schools that receive them are legitimate.

She added that voucher-like programs could financially hurt public schools in the state, which adds about 80,000 students to classrooms each year.

"More money needs to be going to our public schools rather than taking it and disseminating it to other places," Hardy said.

On the Democratic side, neuropsychologist Carla Morton Sylvia and educator Sylvia "Celeste" Light are vying for the District 11 seat.

Morton, 45, said she's running for the board after having worked with many children who have special needs, including her own son. Morton said she wants to ensure curriculum is based on facts and science rather than politics.

Light, 61, could not be reached for comment.

Two other North Texas seats are open on the 15-member state board because the incumbents are not seeking re-election.

In District 12, longtime member Geraldine "Tincy" Miller is stepping down after her second stint on the board. Pamela Little of Fairview is the only Republican candidate.

Three names will be on the Democratic ballot for District 12, although party officials have said Tina Green is not campaigning for the position.

Suzanne Smith, 41, a Dallas consultant who focuses on issues related to social change, has been active in various nonprofits and on community boards and efforts, including South Dallas/Fair Park Trust and the mayor's task force on poverty.

Laura Malone-Miller, a 32-year-old Dallas accountant, said personal circumstances changed her plans to run but added that she missed the deadline to withdraw her name from the ballot.

Fort Worth's Erika Beltran is not seeking re-election for the District 13 seat. Alissa D. Russell, a Republican from Dallas, and Aicha Davis, a DeSoto Democrat, will face off in the general election next fall.