Michael Bongiovanni
Republican | Pennsylvania
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Michael Bongiovanni
Party
Republican
Election Year
2025
Election
PA General School Boards, Judicial & Municipal Races
Race
Pennridge School District School Director (4-year team) (vote for 4)
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
WidenerUniversity, Chester, B.S. in Science Education (Specialization in Mathematics), 1984
Gratz College, Philadelphia, Master of Arts in Education, 2015
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Pennridge FISH Food/Clothing Pantry, Volunteer Food Pantry Assistance, 2021-2025
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Weekly Collection Money Counter, 2021-2025
Pennsylvania State Education Association, Teacher Member, 1984-2021
Pennridge Area Republican Club, Member, 2021-2025
Delaware Valley University, Volunteer Football Coach, 2017-2025
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
School Board Director for Pennridge School District, 2025
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
Pennridge Area GOP
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Bucks County Republican Committee
2025
OTHER INFORMATION
Please note: This information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for educational purposes only.
Candidate's bio on Pennridge Area Republican Club's website.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
I am a Christian who believes that human life begins at conception. Legal protection should support every stage after conception and continue until natural death.
What role should the school serve in helping a student with an unwanted or crisis pregnancy?
The school should supply emotional support to the student and the students informed parents. I do not believe it is the school's responsibility to recommend any agency that involves child birth, adoption or abortion to the student or the students parents. It is the family's responsibility to support the student in this life changing decision process. The school should never be involved in the decision process of any unwanted or crisis pregnancy.
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are vitally important to our economic system. People who have private property gain a greater appreciation of their efforts in their workplace and are more motivated to work harder to achieve more in their lives. The freedom of private businesses to operate competitively for profit with minimal government regulation is important to a productive economic system. Free enterprise allows the marketplace to determine prices, products and services.
What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?
Education is funded by the taxpayers through a process that isn't perfect and I believe should be examined thoroughly. I do support the government funding of public education from Pre-K through college. I do not believe that it is the taxpayers responsibility to completely fund the full tuition for all college students. I do support the idea of School Choice for families to be able to decide where these government funds can be spent for their child from PreK to grade twelve.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Teachers should be required to instruct students on mandated curriculum even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Agree
I have 37 years of experience in public education and I have always instructed students on the mandated curriculum. A teachers personal religious, moral or political beliefs should not be conveyed to students. Teachers are obligated to teach students "How To Think" not "What To Think." Discussions outside the curriculum can take place, but at no time should a teacher try to convey their personal religious, moral or political beliefs.
EDUCATION
Abortion and gender-affirming providers, including Planned Parenthood, should be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Strongly Disagree
A school has the responsibility to educate students and support their intellectual growth. The school should not be providing services or instruction for healthcare or a students moral decisions. The families of the student are the only people that should make decisions, educate their children or provide services concerning abortion and gender affirmation for the student. Schools should not be providing services to advance medical or political agendas.
Consistent discipline creates a safe and orderly environment, which is essential for student learning.
Strongly Agree
I spent 37 years as a high school teacher implementing consistent discipline in my classroom to provide a very safe and orderly environment. Consistency is essential to the learning environment. Students respond positively to consistent and fair discipline. A students' learning experience thrives when distractions are eliminated and mutual respect for everyone exists in the classroom. Consistent classroom management skills should be provided to every teacher by the school district.
Educators should give students a thorough education in America's founding documents and cultivate American patriotism.
Agree
Educators have a responsibility to provide their students with an in-depth study of America. Knowledge of the founding documents are vital to understanding the rich history of our country. The American learning experience will provide a better appreciation of our country, which will cultivate American patriotism. Students need to be informed citizens who can comprehend and value the core principles that define our democracy.
I support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Disagree
I did not support DEI throughout my 37 years as an educator. Each word in DEI, when examined separately, has merit. When the three words, diversity-equity-inclusion, are placed together they create a political ideology. Politics need to be removed from public schools. The DEI concept actually works against what we are told it stands for by fostering more discrimination and non-equitable experiences.
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Agree
The U.S. Department of Education was created in the 1970's and has been in existence for over 50 years. I do not believe that education has improved to a high enough level while under the control of the federal government. The federal funding of public education should continue but I believe that the control of the public schools should be given back to the individual states and communities. The 10th Amendment of the Constitution supports that the states are responsible for public education.
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
Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, American History, Civics, Information Technology, Art & Music, Foreign Language, Vocational Learning, Physical Fitness, Personal Finances
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.
Agree
I believe that parents should have the right to choose their child's school - public, private or homeschool, and have this choice funded by the state. I think that competition in education is a good idea. Competition will motivate each school to improve their instruction in order to retain their student population. Competition will lead to stronger educational outcomes.
Which should students have: equity of outcomes or equality of opportunities?
Equality of Opportunities. Equality of opportunities provides every student with an equal chance to achieve success. Opportunity fosters strong efforts and motivates individuals to achieve their goals.
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.
Opt-In. Parents need to be able to choose the best options for their child.
VALUES
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Roman Catholic. I live my life with Christian morals and values that motivate me to treat every human with dignity and respect.
Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?
Sexual education should always begin at home through instruction by the parents/guardians. I think the appropriate age of when sexual education should begin depends upon the maturity and the level of development of the child. Parents are the primary source for influencing their children when it comes to sexual education. Parents should set the foundation of education for their children. The school has the obligation to support what is being taught by the parents. Parents should be informed and have input in the sexual education of their child by the school. The choice to opt-in or opt-out concerning sexual education in the school should be made by the parent/guardian.
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
Abstinence, consent, Contraceptive methods, human anatomy/the reproductive system, physical and emotional health outcomes, stages of pregnancy and fetal development
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.
Strongly Agree
Children have the right to be protected from sexual grooming (including drag shows and explicit materials) in schools and libraries.
Strongly Agree
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.
Strongly Agree
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.
Strongly Agree
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
Photo identification is required for many situations and should be mandatory for a person to be able to vote.
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.
Strongly Agree
The safety of all biological females should be a priority in each of these situations.
ABOUT YOU
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.
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
2014 General Election 2016 General Election 2018 General Election 2020 General Election 2022 General Election
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
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
As a former educator, I have spent a great deal of time contemplating this subject. I was a member of my high school's safety committee and active shooter training committee. I have had many conversations with law enforcement individuals and the vast majority feel that no teacher could have enough firearm training to make split-second decisions when handling a volatile school shooter situation.
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.
Disagree
