Strongly Disagree

As a biology teacher, there are certain characteristics that all organisms need to be able to achieve on their own in order to be classified as a living thing. Two of these include the ability to obtain and use energy and the ability to maintain homeostasis -- embryos do not have this ability and thus are not considered living things. On the other side of life, humans deserve the right to choose to die with dignity if they so deem; individuals should rule their own bodies, not governments

A student with an unwanted or crisis pregnancy may approach approach a teacher or school counselor for a sympathetic ear or to provide counseling resources with options on unwanted pregnancy. That being said, any decision made by a student related to an unwanted or crisis pregnancy should be between the student, medical professionals, and the student's family.

Agree

Unless teachers are required to teach topics that are outright lies, teachers chose their profession and the state they work in and are thus subject to the curriculum regulations of that school and state.

Agree

Government funding of public education is the best investment a country can make in its citizens. We were at our strongest as a nation when the GI Bill was putting WW2 veterans through college as an educated, thoughtful, and curious populace and lead to invention and a productive citizenry. Additionally, studies have shown that supporting universal pre-K removes financial burdens from working families, returns women to the workplace boosting the economy, and gives students a leg up in school.

Neutral

This is a bizarre question because as a 20+ year educator, I've never seen an organization like Planned Parenthood provide resources to a public school. That being said, only an extremely small fraction of the services Planned Parenthood provides revolve around abortion, so services like cancer education or vaccination information could be helpful to students.

Strongly Agree

Couldn't agree more with this statement if I tried. Students thrive with consistent rules and high expectations.

Agree

United States Government and civics are both required courses in Virginia and students learn a lot about our Constitution and Declaration of Independence in those courses. Cultivating American patriotism, however, is a thorny issue. If by patriotism, you mean loving America and thinking everything we do is the best, then no. If you mean dissenting when the country supports things you don't believe in and teaching how to work for change, then yes.

Agree

Strongly Disagree

The states don't have the money, time, or resources to encompass all that the federal government does for students, particularly those with 504 or IEP plans. Additionally, by not including federal oversight, this can lead to individual states discriminating against different classes of students.

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

Strongly Disagree

Public education, like roads, police, and firefighters is a public good that supports an educated populace and creates informed citizens for the benefit of all in society. It protects against discrimination and misinformation and levels the playing field. Study after study has shown that using public school funds for anything other than public schools has disproportionately benefitted the wealthy and has led to lower educational outcomes in student learning.

Neither. The answer is equity of opportunity. All students should be afforded the same opportunities to succeed, some just need additional supports to avail themselves of the opportunity.

Opt-out, but without judgment or disclaimers.

Strongly Disagree

Didn't work in Uvalde and it's not going to cause anything but more harm here. And I'm pro-gun.

Strongly Agree

We have lost our will as a society to fight for the common good. We have become a selfish nation who only cares about ourselves and not others. Masks were uncomfortable but about protecting others and slowing the spread of a virus. Vaccine jabs don't feel great but are tested and have limited side effects, and herd immunity helps the population. Let's become a society where we fight for the common good!

No

No

Did not answer

Lean Liberal

I am culturally Jewish, but belong to a conservative synagogue. I enjoy celebrating religious holidays and events because it connects me to my family and my ancestors. That being said, as a science educator I personally based my thinking on facts, logic, and evidence as opposed to my religious beliefs.

Sexual education should be taught by both parents and professionally trained family-life educators in a school setting. Many parents don't have the biological knowledge (or even the intestinal fortitude) to explain the biological nuances of the reproductive process to students. Sexual education should begin around ages 9 or 10 with the process of puberty (what happens to "my" body) and then continue around age 13 or 14 with comprehensive sexual education. Studies have shown that comprehensive sexual education reduces teenage and unwanted pregnancy.

Topics that should be included included in comprehensive sexual education at the school level: abstinence, consent, contraceptive methods, human anatomy/the reproductive system, physical and emotional health outcomes, sexual orientation and gender identity, stages of pregnancy and fetal development. It should be mentioned that sex is pleasurable but there is no need to teach about specific sexual acts.

Neutral

I'm not sure what "maturity" means in this question. Some individuals reach maturity at a very young age and other reach it in their early twenties. The ability to make a mature decision about one's own body make this question very cloudy.

Strongly Disagree

Students absolutely have a right to be protected from sexual grooming, but drag shows are not grooming. As far as explicit materials go, what is explicit to one individual may not be to another. Therefore, I support allowing school librarians to select age-appropriate materials for students and the rights of parents to keep their own children from reading explicit materials. In other words, you have the right to parent your own child, just not the children of others.

Strongly Disagree

Marriage is a civil construct. Love is love.

Strongly Agree

Parents absolutely have the right to raise their children as they see fit, however, they do not have the right to put their beliefs and values on other children of other families.

Agree

Unless a court says otherwise.

Neutral

This is a complex answer. I agree that photo identification should be required to vote, however the burden should not be on the voter. State computer systems can use photos to identify voters at the polls, and government issued photo IDs for the right to vote should be free. Otherwise, requiring photo identification is the form of a poll tax, which should be illegal.

Choose not to answer

What is a biological male? Is believing that a person is a male? it having a Y chromosome? Is it the presence of a penis? Is it simply having an SRY gene? The definition of "biological" male is too fluid to answer this question.