Clara Witherspoon

Non-Partisan | North Carolina

Candidate Profile

Moderate

BIOGRAPHY

Name

Clara Witherspoon


Party

Non-Partisan


Election Year

2023


Election

School Board


Race

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education, At-Large Seat


Incumbent

No


Links

Clara Witherspoon websites
Clara Witherspoon phones Clara Witherspoon emailFacebookXYouTubeLinkedIn

EDUCATION

North Carolina Central University, Durham, BA, 1979

Liberty University, Lynchburg VA, MAR, 2006

The University of the Southwest, Hobb NM, MSEd, 2015

WORK & MILITARY

Candidate did not provide

AFFILIATIONS

GPM Inc, Founder/President

POLITICAL OFFICES HELD

Candidate did not provide

POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT

School Board District 4, 2022

Race

Previous Races

SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS


LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)

Black Political Caucus of Charlotte Mecklenburg (2022)

RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)

OTHER INFORMATION

    • 2022 Primary election: Democratic
    • 2020 Primary election: Democratic
    • Voted in six Democratic Primary elections 2002 - 2018
    • Voted in one Nonpartisan Primary election 2012

**Election Voting History is not considered during panel evaluations.**

QUESTIONNAIRE

RIGHT TO LIFE

Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should be a resource for instruction or services in the school.

Disagree

There are new laws that now govern what is offered to students within the context of the school; regardless if I agree or disagree, no one is above the law.

Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.

Agree

As a school board candidate, I believe that human life deserves legal protection.


ECONOMY

Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.

Agree

I believe that every US citizen deserves the right to the pursuit of happiness and financial stability.

School districts should be able to use taxpayer money for lobbying the state legislature.

Neutral

It appears that North Carolina allows taxpayers' money for lobbying as long it does not influence the outcome of an election.

What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?

Every North Carolina Pre K-12th grade student should receive a free appropriate education. College tuition continues to rise, which presents a challenge for some North Carolina families to provide their students an opportunity for higher education,


RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.

Agree

According to CMS district policy, there is a non-discrimination—policy based on religion in school. There is no restriction on prayer.

School districts should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.

Agree


EDUCATION

What is the function of the local school board?

"The school board is responsible for providing a school system, and establishing general policies with the needs of the community and the requirements of the state law and perform specific duties imposed by the statutes (board.com)."

Who should have the authority to set curriculum and determine resources used in those curricula?

It is important for the school district to adhere to Senate Bill 49 law, incorporating parent participation in curriculum and resources utilized for instruction.

When should parents be restricted from speaking in school board meetings?

Parents should have the right to address their concerns without restrictions, as long as the presentation is conducted in a professional respectful manner, and adheres to the time restraints for public speaking.

Please list in order the following priorities in relation to the role of a K-12 public school (omitting any that do not apply): Mathematics, Information Technology, Science, Political Activism, Personal Finances, Gender Identity, Physical Fitness, American History, Critical Race Theory, Language Arts, Art & Music, Vocational Learning, Sexuality, Foreign Language, Social Emotional Learning

Language Arts, Mathematics, American History, Science, Information Technology, Personal Finances, Vocational Learning, Physical Fitness, Arts and Music, Social Emotional Learning and Foreign Language

Which more closely matches your view of America's founding principles? A) Liberty and equality. B) Slavery and racism.

Liberty and Equality for All

What does "equity in education" mean to you?

Equity means providing the resources and staff needed to offer an equal education. Students and schools may need more resources to support a free and appropriate education.

Written parental consent (opt-in) must be obtained before students are taught courses such as Comprehensive Sex Ed (CSE) or Social Emotional Learning (SEL).

Strongly Agree

The loss of local control in education is too high a price to pay in exchange for federal dollars.

Agree

Parents are the ultimate authority in their child’s education and should be able to freely pursue whatever educational options they deem best for their child.

Strongly Agree

School boards are accountable to parents and taxpayers.

Strongly Agree

Do you believe print and digital material available or presented to students should be easily accessible for public review, including those without children enrolled in school.

Yes


VALUES

Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

My belief and faith in Christ are the foundation for how I govern my life and serve others. My core values are honesty, integrity, and accountability.

No healthcare diagnosis or treatment, whether mental, reproductive, or otherwise, should be given to a child without first receiving written consent from the parent.

Strongly Agree

Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?

I have always believed it was my husband's and my responsibility as parents to teach my now adult children about their anatomy. It is important to consider age appropriateness—and cognitive development.

If you support the teaching of Sex Ed, please answer the following question: Sexual education should include these topics (list all that apply and add your own, if needed) -- Physical and emotional health outcomes; contraceptive methods; consent; abstinence; sexual orientation and gender identity; human anatomy/the reproductive system; abortion methods and side effects; stages of pregnancy and fetal development; sex acts and pleasures of sex

Human anatomy/reproductive system, Consent Abstinence, and physical and emotional outcome

Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.

Choose not to answer

I support allowing public middle and high school students to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.

Disagree

It is important to abide by the NC law that requires students to participate in athletics based on their biological sex.

Biological males should be allowed in female locker rooms and bathrooms.

Disagree

No school official should be involved in the social or medical transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.

Strongly Agree


ELECTIONS AND VOTING

People should be able to vote without photo identification.

Disagree


ABOUT YOU

Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.

No

When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?

Conservative

Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).

YouTube interview with Channel 36 and an interview with WSOC-9 in 2022

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

I am running for office to serve the families and students of Mecklenburg County.

A candidate's personal moral values are relevant when considering a candidacy for elective office.

Strongly Agree

I voted in these primaries and general elections:

Choose not to answer


2ND AMENDMENT

Teachers who are licensed to carry should be allowed to carry guns at school.

Disagree


OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES

Under what circumstances (if any) should schools be allowed to require vaccinations?

The new Parent Rights laws protect parents' rights to opt out of vaccinations.

I support mask mandates.

Neutral

I support mask mandates if there is a health crisis; otherwise, masks should be optional.

All official open meetings should be live streamed, recorded, and have transcripts available online for public access.

Agree

All votes should be roll call votes and recorded in meeting minutes.

Agree

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I agree to receive text messages at the phone number provided.