Anissa Bowden
Non-Partisan | Virginia
Candidate Profile
Leans Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Anissa Bowden
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
Virginia Beach City Public Schools School Board, Special Election District 4
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Masters of Educational Administration, 2000
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, B.S. in Education, 1991
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
School Board Partners, School Board Cohort Fellow, Virginia Beach Department of Elections
Election Official, Chesapeake Education Association / VEA/NEA, Member & Building Representative
Chesapeake Reading Council, Member & Books for Babies Chairperson, Virginia Education Association
Member, Greenbrier Middle School, Assistant Principal - Summer 2008 - Grade 7
CPS Leadership Academy, Graduate 2008, Greenbrier Middle School
English Department Chairperson 2000-2015, Civic League Leadership, Vice President & Secretary / Neighborhood watch block captain
Greater Thou Faith Ministry, Worship Leader
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
LIBERAL (1)
Every Town For Gun Safety
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Moms Demand Action - Gun Sense Candidate 2024
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (3)
ActBlue (2024)
Local, County, and District Democratic Organizations (2024)
State Democratic Party Organizations (2024)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
SELECTED FINANCIAL SOURCE DOCUMENTS
Campaign Finance Report (from Virginia State Board of Elections) - Reporting Period: 09/01/2024 to 09/30/2024
Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.
Campaign Finance Report (from Virginia State Board of Elections) - Reporting Period: 07/01/2024 to 08/31/2024
Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.
Campaign Finance Report (from Virginia State Board of Elections) - Reporting Period: 06/07/2024 to 06/30/2024
Selected contributions/expenditures:
- $400.00 expenditure to Virginia Beach Democratic
Campaign Finance Report (from Virginia State Board of Elections) - Reporting Period: 04/01/2024 to 06/06/2024
Selected contributions/expenditures:
- $150.00 expenditure to Democratic Party of Virginia
Campaign Finance Report (from Virginia State Board of Elections) - Reporting Period: 03/22/2024 to 03/31/2024
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Agree
Legal protection should not extend into private matters that occur between families and doctors unless crimes are committed. There are some extreme laws enacted in our country that will prosecute doctors and nurses who treat patients, who in some cases are near death due to unforeseen complications from their pregnancies; they deserve healthcare.
What role should the school serve in helping a student with an unwanted or crisis pregnancy?
Our schools' role will be a comprehensive one - to effectively reduce teenage pregnancy and infant mortality rates. It should involve abstinence education, support services, healthcare information, and community outreach. If a student has an unwanted pregnancy, guidance counselors (or nurses) should offer support and assistance. They should schedule a conference with the student and his/her parents or guardians to offer support, health related services, and information. The family will initiate other healthcare and community support services as it sees fit.
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Agree
I love having the freedom of owning property because it is a means of economic freedom.
What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?
As a parent of a child attending our public schools, I am aware that most of the funding of our schools come from property taxes. Inflation is at an all-time high, so we must be good stewards of the funds that are received. Our children deserve to receive a world-class education Prek-12; I support secondary educational programs that offer college courses, career credentials, and workforce development opportunities.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Teachers should be required to instruct students on mandated curriculum even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Disagree
I am not going against my religious beliefs. There should be a process by which a person can substitute a selection based upon his/her beliefs. For example, once during my tenure, a 7th grader was not permitted to read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, another selection was chosen.
EDUCATION
Abortion and gender-affirming providers, including Planned Parenthood, should be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Disagree
I am a parent of child attending high school, and to be honest, I do not approve of this for my child. I am sending her to school to focus on her studies.
Consistent discipline creates a safe and orderly environment, which is essential for student learning.
Strongly Agree
Learners love having a consistent discipline system because it reduces anxiety and disruptions as it creates a safe and orderly environment.
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
Whatever the students are given should be made available to their parents, but not the public for review. I am more worried about copyright infringement than anything else because our teachers work tirelessly to create their lessons, study guides, quizzes, tests, and games; they may not want someone else utilizing or even profiting from their ideas without their permission.
Educators should give students a thorough education in America's founding documents and cultivate American patriotism.
Agree
I support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Strongly Agree
As an ambassador of Christ, I believe in Psalm 133 "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!" It is an extension of the ministry of loving our neighbors which glorifies God and makes the world a better place.
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Strongly Disagree
Please list in order the following priorities in relation to the role of a K-12 public school (omitting any that do not apply): American History, Art & Music, Civics, Critical Race Theory, Foreign Language, Gender Identity, Information Technology, Language Arts, Mathematics, Personal Finances, Physical Fitness, Political Activism, Science, Sexuality, Social Emotional Learning, Vocational Learning
Language Arts Mathematics American History Science Civics Social Emotional Learning Personal Finance Art & Music Physical Fitness Foreign Language Information Technology Vocational Learning
The state should fund education by allowing dollars to follow the child instead of the bureaucracy, through a program which allows parents the freedom to choose their child's school – public, private, or homeschool.
Neutral
Which should students have: equity of outcomes or equality of opportunities?
Students should have the best opportunities they need to succeed.
Which type of written parental consent should be obtained before students are taught courses such as Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE)? (A) Opt-In. (B) Opt-Out. (C) None.
B - Opt-Out
VALUES
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
As a believer of Jesus Christ, I value His love and forgiveness of my sins. I believe in and value God's peace, hope, courage, strength, and blessings.
Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?
Parents are responsible for teaching their children about their bodies when kids are between 4-6 years old to explain potty training, bathing, and body boundaries. As children are growing and interacting with others, they may ask questions like, "Where do babies come from?" Age-appropriate discussions with a parent are an opportunities to read books together, bond, and answer questions.
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) -- abortion methods and side effects; abstinence; consent; contraceptive methods; human anatomy/the reproductive system; physical and emotional health outcomes; sex acts and pleasures of sex; sexual orientation and gender identity; stages of pregnancy and fetal development
When I was in school, I took sex education classes that included abstinence, human anatomy/the reproductive system, stages of pregnancy and fetal development, and contraception.
Children have a right to reach maturity without chemical or surgical castration, which would damage their healthy bodies through surgeries and may cause a life-long dependence on cross-sex hormones.
Agree
The body is a temple.
Children have the right to be protected from sexual grooming (including drag shows and explicit materials) in schools and libraries.
Agree
I am not aware of any drag shows held in the schools; I trust public school media specialists who choose and buy the library books. We really need to check those cell phones and TV's for the explicit information.
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman essential to the formation and sustaining of a civil and prosperous society.
Agree
I am married to a man; it was done in a church. I believe same-sex marriage is also legal but not God-ordained.
Parents have the fundamental right to raise their child in accordance with their beliefs and values, including the right to make decisions about the child's education and healthcare.
Agree
I agree that parents have fundamental rights to raise kids as they see fit, but our government does have laws and ordinances that can overrule those rights.
Parents should have full and timely access to any and all records, including school and medical records, associated with their minor children.
Strongly Agree
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
The law will allow anyone without identification to vote, but he/she will be given a provisional ballot. The registrar will give the person a few days to produce documentation to prove his/her identity before the ballot is discarded.
EQUALITY
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Disagree
I am hesitant to say anyone should not be allowed to participate public facilities because who am I to say what someone can and cannot do? There was a time when I would not have been allowed to dine in our restaurants, so I am aware of how it feels to be ostracized by society. There are several unisex colleges, clubs, universities, and restrooms - these places admit anyone to their structure.
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No, I have not.
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No, I have not.
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
2014 General Election 2016 General Election 2018 Democratic Primary 2018 General Election 2020 Democratic Primary 2020 General Election 2022 Democratic Primary 2022 General Election
I am an Independent and nonpartisan candidate.
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?
Lean Liberal
2ND AMENDMENT
Faculty who are licensed to carry and have had ongoing training should be allowed to carry guns at school in order to respond to an active shooter situation.
Disagree
Our family supports the 2nd Amendment, but we do not believe that faculty members should carry firearms on campus.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
In the event of a pandemic, school districts can mandate whatever health precautions they deem necessary (including masks and vaccines) to protect students and staff.
Agree
I agree with health measures such as handwashing, masks, sanitizing desks, social distancing, and smaller class sizes; I would not require vaccines because these therapeutics are so new that we do not know their effectiveness.
