
Liz Cooper
Candidate for the upcoming General Election on November 3, 2026. Always verify official ballot status with the Maryland State Board of Elections.
Liz Cooper is a candidate for the St. Mary's County Board of Education (District 1). An author of 16+ children's books and a former Supervisor of Reading and Language Arts, she has extensive administrative experience in curriculum development, classroom libraries, and instructional oversight, focusing on age-appropriate learning and parent-educator partnerships.
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Verified Policy Stances & Platform
Public record positions, statements, and campaign positions.
Age-Appropriate Literature, Diverse Representation & Opposing Cultural Book Bans
Drawing on her background as an author of 16+ children's books and former Supervisor of Reading and Language Arts, opposes banning books for cultural or religious reasons, while insisting on strict age-appropriateness and alternative assignments upon parental request.
"My opinion is that books should not be banned with very few exceptions, especially for cultural reasons. We live in a diverse world, and public schools are open to everyone... Books, however, MUST be age-appropriate... If any parent has a problem with a title, should contact the teacher and request an alternative assignment."
Team-Based Parental Notification & Student Privacy on Gender Identity
Advocates for parental notification and a collaborative team approach involving the student, parents, and school counselor or principal, maintained under student privacy laws.
"I believe that parents need to be notified so they can meet with the school principal or counselor along with their child. This needs to be worked out as a team... This is completely confidential because of student privacy laws."
Sensitive Case-by-Case Facility Solutions & Alignment with Title IX Guidelines
Supports addressing student restroom and locker room accommodations individually at the schoolhouse level with sensitivity, privacy for all teens, and adherence to MSDE guidelines and Title IX federal rulings to prevent costly legal action.
"Having one set policy won't work for certain students, which is why it needs to be handled on a case-to-case basis... Giving all kids the privacy they need at the teen years is especially important... There are MSDE guidelines and more importantly, there is a federal lawsuit judgement involving Title IX... As a school board, we need to make sure we are aligned with these, since the last thing we need is a lawsuit, especially when these things come up, they can be handled at the schoolhouse level."
Official Campaign Priorities
- Age-Appropriate Curriculum & Literacy: Prioritizing reading instruction, classroom libraries, and age-appropriate materials
- Parent-School Partnerships: Involving parents and school staff as collaborative teams on sensitive student matters
- Student Privacy & Compassionate Case-by-Case Support: Adhering to student privacy laws while fostering emotional readiness to learn
- Legal Compliance & Schoolhouse-Level Problem Solving: Aligning policies with MSDE guidelines and Title IX to protect system resources
Other Candidates in This Race:
1Live Activity Timeline
On September 19, 2026, John “Coop” Timothy Cooper sadly passed away at the age of 38. Born in Virginia on August 31, 1988, John was the beloved son of Lewis and Jane Cooper. After graduating from Henry E. Lackey High School in 2008, he went on to study General Studies at State College of Florida. Fo

