Deborah L Gatrell
Democrat | Utah
Candidate Profile
Leans Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Deborah L Gatrell
Party
Democrat
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
State School Board, Dist. 10
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Brigham Young University, Provo, BS, 2003
University of Phoenix, online, MAEd, 2016
WORK & MILITARY
Army National Guard, Lieutenant Colonel, 25
AFFILIATIONS
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Relief Society President, Salt Lake County Open Space Advisory Board
Board member, Utah Independent Executive Branch Ethics Commission, Commission member
UEA School Safety Taskforce, Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
LIBERAL (2)
Utah AFL-CIO
Women's Democratic Club of Utah
OTHER (1)
Utah Education Association UEA
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (10)
Mom's Demand Action Gunsense Candidate Distinction
Utah Education Association, Alpine Education Association
Utah Parents for Teachers
Equality Utah
AFL-CIO Utah
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (9)
Davina Smith (2024)
Dawn Stevenson (2024)
Jake Fitisemanu (2024)
Jennifer Dailey-Provost (2024)
Karen Kwan (2024)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
Candidate was interviewed in regard to the UT Sensitive Materials in School law, HB 374.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Neutral
I remember being in the hospital as a child when my mother needed emergency surgery due to an ectopic pregnancy. I’m not personally a fan of “elective” abortion but I am suspicious of laws banning it because they do not adequately protect mothers. Decisions to end pregnancy are deeply personal, incredibly painful, and should be made with medical professionals, family, and faith leaders - elected officials should not be in this space as bans increase maternal mortality without reducing abortions.
What role should the school serve in helping a student with an unwanted or crisis pregnancy?
I taught in a school for Teen Mothers from 2009-2015 and loved my time working with those young women! They realized the importance of education - for themselves AND their children. Since then, one of my students has gone on to earn a doctorate. Schools must be safe for all students. They should educate students and families on supports and options available in the school system and resources available in the community when an unwanted or crisis pregnancy comes to the attention of educators.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Strongly Disagree
It is our individual responsibility to care for ourselves and our families. The government’s responsibility is to ensure a fair playing field, where businesses and corporations cannot abuse and exploit workers for the sake of excessive profits, and to provide safety nets for when people fall on hard times caused by circumstances outside our control such as recessions, natural disasters, disease, etc.
What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?
Like infrastructure and the military, this essential public service benefits all as the country is built and maintained by citizens primarily educated in our public schools. Utah’s Constitution explicitly states “The Legislature shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of the state's education systems…” They must stop shifting taxes to property owners. College students must put “skin in the game” and work, if necessary, to get a degree but should be protected from predatory loans.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
The Ten Commandments should not be displayed in public school buildings or court houses.
Agree
I am puzzled by the fascination with the 10 commandments by so many of my fellow Christians - Christ taught a new higher law that superseded this list. In short, we’re to love God and love our neighbors in a higher and holier way. This cannot be accomplished through legalistic interpretation of historic religious texts such as the Ten Commandments. We can and should encourage religious observance as a family and community affair, but our public spaces must remain neutral on matters of faith.
At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.
Strongly Agree
Absolutely! It would be a violation of the 1st amendment to restrict this.
Teachers should be required to instruct students on mandated curriculum even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Neutral
As teachers, we are required to teach state-approved standards. Refusing to do so would be a violation of our contract. There are even-handed ways to address this, but if a teacher cannot, in good conscience, teach an approved standard, they should do the honorable thing and find another position outside the classroom or another profession. Anything else invites chaos in schools.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Israel is the only truly functional democratic state in the Middle East, so we are certainly natural allies in a complicated space. Given the Jewish experience of pogroms and holocausts, and the frequency of Jewish scapegoating, it is important that a physical Jewish state remains in existence. That said, to reduce terrorism emanating from this part of the world, a two-state solution to address Palestinian grievances is essential. The United States is a critical partner in this effort.
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Agree
A strong military is essential to the national defense, a key deterrent for our adversaries, and a partner in maintaining a rules-based order that facilitates exchange of raw materials, finished goods, ideas, and people, reducing the likelihood of conflict. However, the military can never replace the efforts of the State Department in diplomacy, another key tool of national power in maintaining international peace.
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Disagree
States and local boards already control content standards and professional teaching standards The US Department of Education DOES NOT control local schools or state boards. It handles college funding and distributes funds to states for SpEd students. It enforces Federal laws ensuring Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), including Special Education, Disability Laws, Civil Rights, & the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and more. Local entities do not enforce Federal laws.
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.
Strongly Disagree
Utah parents already have freedom to choose public, private, or homeschool options, including open enrollment between schools, school districts, & public charter schools. Funding is allocated per pupil in public schools, where the public’s tax money has public oversight and accountability. If vouchers are public policy, they must be means tested. There is no oversight of homeschooling or private schools, but if public money goes there accountability must follow. It’s fiscally conservative.
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.I taught Teen Moms for 5 years. Not all parents teach it so teens don’t know better.
Abortion and gender-affirming providers, including Planned Parenthood, should be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Neutral
This happens in Utah schools and people don’t seem to be complaining since they comply with state standards when they assist schools by providing maturation lessons to students. So long as they comply with state law and their presentations align with state standards, I don’t see a problem when outside organizations assist schools by supplementing where there is not trained staff to do the work..
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
American History, Civics, Language Arts, Science, Mathematics, Art & Music, Personal Finances, Foreign Language, Physical Fitness, Vocational Learning, Social Emotional Learning
VALUES
Children have the right to be protected from sexual grooming including drag shows, explicit materials in schools and libraries, and other public venues.
Neutral
Children certainly should be protected from sexual grooming and all forms of child abuse! Parents have the right, as they should, to restrict what their children are exposed to in public spaces, but there is ample disagreement about whether or not drag shows and books are harmful and how this should be policed. I’m fine with school policies addressing what is/is not age-appropriate, but I oppose state and Federal laws that overstep parent and student rights.
Marriage between one man and one woman and the families they form are the foundation of civilization and are fundamental to the well-being and prosperity of society.
Disagree
Human history shows frequent exceptions to this rule, especially in non-western civilizations and Biblical times. While stable families united in marriage covenants are certainly the ideal in my belief system, I am absolutely committed to upholding the Constitution. The Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is permitted and so that is the law of the land, and these are also stable loving families. That said, no church should be forced to perform marriages that contradict their belief systems.
No healthcare diagnosis or treatment, whether mental, reproductive, or otherwise, should be given to a child without first receiving written consent from the parent.
Agree
Parental consent should absolutely be required. In emergency situations, I would allow verbal consent.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
There is a God and we are His children. My faith teaches that when I am in the service of my fellow men, I am in the service of God. I strive to follow the teachings of Christ in my personal life and attend weekly worship services, serving in my congregation and paying a full tithe. I am deeply protective of 1st amendment rights and firmly believe that we are only truly free when we are all free - so religious freedom must be extended to all and there can be no state church of any kind.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Neutral
Photo identification seems appropriate for in-person voting but doesn’t work well for vote-by-mail. I’ve toured the local ballot processing center and was very impressed by the signature validation process they use to ensure ballots are returned by registered voters who have previously confirmed their identity. Since Utah is a universal vote-by-mail state with in-person voting options, this distinction is essential.
EQUALITY
I support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Strongly Agree
Diversity is a Fact. Inclusion is an act. To be an effective teacher, I must see students as individuals, respecting them, their families, and their cultures. All students deserve the opportunity to learn, and should feel wanted. My school has Unified Sports and Unified Theater where students with disabilities are invited to participate - enriching the experience for all. Equity is providing the supports students need to succeed, e.g. language accommodation, IEPs, 504 plans, speech therapy, etc.
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.
Neutral
I have a cousin with a transgender child, so this is personal. Her child doesn’t feel safe at school and that is not okay. I also have transgender students who feel personally attacked by recent state laws. I just want them to come to school and learn. If people “pass” as their assumed gender, I’m not worried about bathrooms & I don’t want “potty police” inspecting birth certificates. I’m more protective of competitive sports as there are biological differences that directly affect performance.
ABOUT YOU
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
2014 Democratic Primary 2014 General Election 2016 Democratic Primary 2016 General Election 2018 Democratic Primary 2018 General Election 2020 Democratic Primary 2020 General Election 2022 Democratic Primary 2022 General Election
I believe strongly in the citizen’s duty to participate in our constitutional republic. In Utah, the Republican party is closed and the Democratic party is open. I have attended causes and events for both parties for more than a decade, but the Republicans don’t allow me to speak. Democrats invited me to participate in the Veterans caucus without being a Democrat, then asked me to run for office in 2020, which is when I joined a party for the first time in my life. They don’t tell me what to do.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
NO.
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? 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?
Moderate
I grew up in a conservative LDS military family and we moved around the world regularly until I was almost 16. The collapse of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union are fond childhood memories. But as a teacher working with diverse groups of students, I’ve learned we don’t all have the same lived experience. What works for me doesn’t always work for them. There are major shortfalls when it comes to caring for children and families, and I see the need for a government role in filling gaps.
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.
Neutral
Utah already allows teachers with concealed carry permits to carry weapons in schools. The training is woefully inadequate and should require a rigorous annual range qualification as well as school specific training addressing shoot-don’t shoot scenarios, backstops, etc. This is appropriate in schools without School Resource Officers on staff in areas with long emergency response times, but is not appropriate in all schools - especially those on military bases with where Federal law applies.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Under what circumstances (if any) should schools be allowed to require vaccinations?
I have an aunt who contracted polio. My mother suffered from rubella. I had chicken pox. Utah has seen multiple measles outbreaks in the past decade. Staff that cannot prove vaccination status are forced to stay home during outbreaks because of high risk of exposure in schools. Schools should absolutely require vaccination against highly contagious diseases that are preventable through vaccination, with exemptions for medical and religious reasons, to protect all children through herd immunity.
