Betty J. Spencer

Disagree

I value human life and dignity at every stage. However, I do not support establishing legal personhood at conception in a way that would impose a total abortion ban. Decisions involving pregnancy should be made by women and families in consultation with qualified healthcare professionals and, when desired, faith advisers, consistent with the law.

A school should provide a safe, compassionate and nonjudgmental response, not make the pregnancy decision for the student. A qualified counselor or school nurse should encourage the involvement of a parent, guardian or trusted adult when it is safe to do so; follow confidentiality and mandatory reporting laws; and connect the student with licensed healthcare and counseling professionals who can provide accurate information about all lawful options. The school should also provide appropriate academic support so the student can remain in school and continue working toward graduation.

Disagree

Student loan relief should be targeted and fiscally responsible, not indiscriminate. Programs that honor commitments made to teachers, service members, healthcare professionals and other public servants help communities recruit and retain essential workers. Any relief should be paired with reforms that lower education costs, improve transparency and prevent future borrowers from becoming overwhelmed by debt.

I support adequate, equitable and accountable funding so every child receives a high-quality Pre-K–12 education regardless of income or ZIP code. Priorities should include qualified educators, competitive pay, special education, safe schools, mental health services, manageable class sizes and college and career pathways. Government should also make public colleges, apprenticeships and credential programs affordable through responsible, transparent and targeted investments.

Separation of church and state means public schools must not establish, sponsor, favor or coerce participation in any religion. It does not exclude faith or religious people from schools. Students may pray voluntarily, express their beliefs and join religious organizations under the same rules as nonreligious activities. No student should be pressured to participate. This balance protects religious freedom and ensures people of every faith and no faith are treated with dignity and respect.

Disagree

I support lawful immigration enforcement that prioritizes individuals who pose genuine threats to public safety or national security. Immigration status alone does not make someone dangerous, and indiscriminate detention does not necessarily make communities safer. Enforcement must respect due process, human dignity and constitutional rights. Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility; public schools should remain safe, welcoming places to learn, not immigration - enforcement agencies.

Disagree

Public schools should not provide abortion or gender-transition medical services or automatically give outside groups an instructional role. Health and Family Life Education should be age appropriate, evidence-based, Board-approved, taught by trained professionals and transparent to parents, with rights to review materials and opt out. Students with sensitive health concerns should be treated with dignity and referred to licensed providers consistent with law and parental-consent requirements.

Strongly Agree

Clear expectations and fair, consistent consequences create safe schools where students can learn and educators can teach. Consequences should be age appropriate, proportional and equitable, with consideration for disabilities and individual needs. Discipline should hold students accountable while teaching better choices, repairing harm and addressing repeated behavior. Serious misconduct requires firm action, while prevention, family partnerships and student support help prevent escalation.

Agree

Students should study the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights and other founding documents, including their historical context and continuing importance. Schools should cultivate informed patriotism through civic responsibility, service, respect for constitutional rights and democratic participation. Honest instruction should examine America’s achievements and failures to uphold its ideals. True patriotism means working to make liberty and justice real for every American.

Strongly Disagree

I support meaningful state and local decision-making, but not eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. States and communities control schools and curricula, while the Department administers essential federal programs, protects students with disabilities, enforces civil rights laws and supports high need communities. As a longtime special educator, I value consistent protections for students regardless of ZIP code. The Department should be efficient, accountable and responsive-not abolished.

Abstinence, Consent ,Contraceptive methods, Human anatomy/the reproductive system, Physical and emotional health outcomes, Stages of pregnancy and fetal development.Sex education should be medically accurate, age-appropriate and transparent to parents, covering relationships, STI prevention, consent, safety and abuse prevention. High school students should receive factual information on parenting, adoption and abortion. Parents may review materials and opt out.

Language Arts Mathematics Science American History Civics Vocational Learning Information Technology Personal Finances Social Emotional Learning Art & Music Physical Fitness Foreign Language

Agree

Academic achievement must remain a central responsibility of public schools. Schools should also develop honesty, responsibility, respect, perseverance, service and civil discussion. Teaching our complete history, constitutional rights and responsibilities, the rule of law and informed civic participation prepares students to preserve representative self-government. This requires accurate instruction and critical thinking, not partisan indoctrination or unquestioning conformity.

Disagree

I support choices within public education, including academies, specialty programs, career and technical education, dual enrollment and innovative pathways. Competition alone does not ensure better schools when public funds go to programs without comparable accountability, transparency, accessibility and student protections. Public schools improve through excellent educators, strong leadership, effective curricula, adequate resources, family engagement and accountability for student outcomes.

Disagree

I disagree with this blanket statement. Sorority houses, shelters and prisons are outside a local School Board’s authority. In K–12 schools, I support fair athletic opportunities for girls and every student’s privacy in restrooms, locker rooms and changing areas, consistent with law. Transgender students must be treated with dignity, protected from bullying and offered reasonable accommodations, including private facilities. Policies should be clear, lawful and developed with parents.

My Christian faith and the teachings of Jesus Christ are the foundation of my life. Through prayer and service, including my years as a Sunday school teacher and Superintendent. I have sought to live with integrity, compassion, humility and love for others. I believe every person is created by God and deserves dignity and respect, and my faith calls me to serve people of every faith and those of no faith fairly.

Strongly Agree

Parents are their children’s first and most important advocates and have the primary responsibility to guide their health, upbringing and education. The Government and schools should respect that role through transparency, timely communication, access to educational materials and meaningful parental involvement in decisions. Schools must also fulfill their legal responsibility to protect every student’s safety, civil rights and access to a quality education.

Strongly Agree

I believe in Dr. King’s vision that every person deserves dignity and should be judged by character rather than race. Honoring that vision also means teaching history honestly, confronting discrimination and removing barriers to equal opportunity. Every student should be known, valued and given a fair opportunity to succeed.

Disagree

I disagree with this statement as written. My Christian faith teaches me that marriage is sacred, and I respect the right of every faith community to define and solemnize marriage according to its beliefs. Civil marriage, however, is also a legal institution, and government must provide equal treatment under the law. Same-sex couples should have equal access to the legal rights and protections of marriage while religious institutions remain free to follow their own doctrines.

Disagree

Anorexia and gender dysphoria are different conditions and should not be treated alike. Gender identity is not a mental illness; gender dysphoria is significant distress that may require individualized, evidence-based care. Treating students with dignity and preventing bullying do not mean ignoring mental health concerns or predetermining outcomes. Schools should partner with parents, address safety concerns and refer families to qualified professionals—not diagnose or prescribe treatment.

Disagree

School libraries must comply with applicable laws, and serious literary value is already part of the legal standard for determining whether a work is obscene. Materials should be evaluated as a whole, not by isolated passages and reviewed for age appropriateness, educational and literary merit, diverse viewpoints and student maturity. Parents should be able to restrict materials for their own children, but one objection should not automatically remove a book for every student and family.

Agree

I believe only eligible, registered voters should vote, and every voter should verify their identity. However, photo identification should not be the only acceptable method. Virginia allows voters to provide other reliable documents or sign an ID Confirmation Statement subject to penalties for making a false statement. This balanced approach protects election integrity without denying eligible citizens their right to vote.

N0

No

2014 General Election 2016 Democratic Primary 2016 General Election 2018 Democratic Primary 2018 General Election 2020 Democratic Primary 2020 General Election 2022 General Election

Democratic Party

Lean Liberal

I consider each issue on its merits. I support strong public schools, equal opportunity, civil rights and responsible investment in our communities. I also value faith, family, parental partnership, personal responsibility, safe and orderly schools, local decision-making and accountable government. My approach is practical, student-centered and focused on serving the entire community.

Disagree

A concealed-carry license and periodic training do not make an educator a law-enforcement officer. Adding firearms to schools creates risks and could cause confusion during an emergency. Teachers should focus on protecting and supervising students, not confronting attackers. I support layered security: trained law enforcement and security professionals, secure facilities, communication, threat assessment, mental health supports, practiced protocols and coordination with first responders.