Candidate Profile: Deborah L. McDonough (Gloucester County School Board – At Large Special)

Deborah L. McDonough is a candidate in the special election for Gloucester County School Board, as an At Large member. Her name will appear on the ballot on November 7, 2023.

McDonough is running against Fred A. Brewer Jr. and Matthew Ray Nash.

10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race, with a request for a bio and a list of questions to answer. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.

Name: Deborah McDonough

Age: 65

Race:  Gloucester County School Board, At Large Special

Biography: Deborah McDonough has been an educator for over 20 years. She retired from Newport News Public Schools in the spring of 2023. Her career in education is extensive from collaborative special education to Talented and Gifted (TAG) classes, and she has taught every grade from kindergarten to twelfth. She closed out her career in education as a Lead Librarian with her Virginia teaching license not set to expire until 2033.

Prior to teaching, Mrs. McDonough served the public as an Adult Probation and Parole Officer with the Virginia Department of Corrections. It was through developing curriculum for the training of new officers that she discovered her passion for education. It is this passion which now drives her to seek a seat on the Gloucester County School Board.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Governmental Administration and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Christopher Newport University. She also has a K-12 Endorsement from Longwood University in Library and Information Science.

Why I’m running for the Gloucester County School Board?

My education and experience make me uniquely qualified to serve on the Gloucester County School Board.  I understand what our students need to be successful, I know firsthand what our teachers need to help their students achieve success, and I value the partnership parents form with their children’s teachers to help their students be the very best they can be.

What is the most important issue facing the school system and what is your position on it?

Retention of highly qualified teachers is a crucial issue facing our school system.  Veteran teachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate, many new teachers are leaving the profession within their first five years, and fewer teachers are applying for teaching positions in public schools.  It is important to take steps immediately to show our teachers how they are the cornerstone of public education.  We need to increase salaries, reduce class sizes, encourage parents to partner with teachers to support their children in all aspects of their education, and support our teachers efforts in the classroom to teach all children.

How do you feel about the politicization of public education?

Partisan politics do not belong in public education.  Decisions regarding public education should be made to benefit every child in the school system, and partisan politics causes divisiveness.  Every student should feel they are valued.  Personal agendas held by the decision-makers in public education should not negatively impact their ability to learn and to feel safe and respected in our public schools.  Decisions based on partisan politics in public education prevent our students from achieving their highest potential.

How will you still value constituents and politicians with whom you disagree?

As a former educator, I value lifelong learning.  We must remain open to ideas that differ from ours because this is how we learn.  A school board member must listen to the ideas brought to them by all stakeholders, and all of those ideas deserve to be respected for the values they represent even when mine differ.