VIRGINIA: School District Used Taxpayer Resources to Promote Dem Spanberger During Work Hours
Texas-based school choice activist, Corey DeAngelis, will discuss this situation on The Kerry and Mike Show this morning at 8:15. Tune in to Talk Radio 96.5, 850 WTAR or WTAR.com
by Shelly Norden
FOIA emails show district leaders coordinated with campaign staff, redirected school resources and urged teachers to attend a partisan rally with Democrats Ghazala Hashmi and Jay Jones on paid time.
Internal emails reveal that Portsmouth Public Schools (PPS) administrators coordinated with the Spanberger for Governor campaign to stage a political rally inside I.C. Norcom High School during school hours on Aug. 8, the first teacher workday of the year.
According to FOIA records obtained exclusively by Restoration News, the coordination diverted taxpayer-funded staff time and school resources away from instruction to support a partisan event.
Photos and social media posts from campaign operatives and union officials show Democratic candidates Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, and Jay Jones delivering campaign speeches attacking their opponents beneath political banners hanging in the school library.
Although division leaders later described the gathering as a closed "education roundtable," evidence shows it was a publicly promoted political rally conducted during paid work hours inside a taxpayer-funded school.
National Education Association Vice President Princess R. Moss shares photos from a Spanberger for Governor event held at I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, VA, on Aug. 8, 2025.
Teachers Encouraged to Attend
Emails show that division administrators went further, recruiting teachers to attend the rally during their contracted workday and coordinating attendance directly with campaign staff.
On Aug. 6, Principal Teesha Sanders emailed campaign aide Annabelle Trowbridge, writing: "I have invited teachers to the event. I will also speak with them the morning of August 8."
Sanders later followed up: "So far I have 20 teachers. How many would you like?"
Earlier, PPS Chief Operations Officer Jerry Simmons told the campaign that because it was the first day back for teachers, "Ms. Sanders will be better positioned to assist with teachers/staff attending the event."
Among those present was Shawnee L. Perry-Wallace, a current PPS employee and 2024 Middle School Teacher of the Year, who publicly endorsed Spanberger from the podium.
Division policy explicitly forbids such political activity. PPS regulations prohibit employees from engaging "in any activity supporting or opposing a candidate or political party while on duty, while on school property during school hours, or while representing the school division."
By directing teachers to attend during paid work hours and allowing an employee to campaign for a candidate on school grounds, administrators appear to have violated policies designed to protect the division's neutrality and keep politics out of classrooms.
School Rules Said 'No,' Officials Said 'Yes'
The same disregard for policy extended to the use of school facilities. PPS rules limit who can rent school buildings and how.
Only local organizations based in Portsmouth, or groups whose activities directly benefit the school division or its students, are eligible. Outside groups must:
Submit a request at least 16 working days in advance.
Provide proof of insurance naming PPS as an additional insured.
Present written confirmation of security from the Portsmouth Police or Sheriff's Office.
Pay all rental and custodial fees at least five days before the event.
These safeguards ensure taxpayer-funded schools are used only for legitimate community purposes, not for political campaigns.
Emails show the Spanberger campaign failed nearly every condition. The request to use I.C. Norcom was made only eight days before the event, far short of the 16-day minimum. The campaign never submitted insurance, payment, or security documentation.
Despite those gaps, Superintendent Elie Bracy III approved the event.
Public Resources Used for Political Purposes
In FOIA responses, PPS officials claimed the event was "closed" and incurred no fees because the building was already open.
But the campaign publicly advertised the rally on Mobilize.us, where anyone could RSVP. Media outlets were also present, and photos show other members of the public and outside guests from Virginia Beach beneath "Parents & Educators for Spanberger" signage in the library—clear evidence the event was not private.
The same facility-use regulation includes strict financial safeguards to prevent taxpayers from subsidizing political events. Renters must pay for custodial and staff time, equipment use, and security services, with all fees due five days in advance. They must also provide proof of insurance naming PPS as an additional insured when requested.
FOIA records show none of those requirements were met. The district produced no rental payments, insurance certificate, or security plan, even though staff were directed to set up chairs, prepare the building, and allow campaign filming.
If those employees performed the work during paid hours, the division effectively used taxpayer-funded labor and facilities for a partisan purpose, violating both the letter and intent of the policy.
That raises the question: Did Portsmouth Public Schools' assistance amount to an in-kind contribution to the Spanberger campaign?
If so, the district's actions may have crossed not only ethical lines but also legal boundaries designed to keep public resources separate from political activity.
As for Spanberger, that would raise another question: Did she report those donations?
Legal and Ethical Consequences
The violations documented in the FOIA records may extend beyond internal rule-breaking.
Under Virginia Code § 18.2-112.1, it is unlawful for any public officer or employee to use or permit the use of public property, personnel, or funds for private or political purposes. By authorizing a partisan event inside a public school, assigning staff to assist campaign operatives, and allowing teachers to attend during paid hours, Portsmouth Public Schools administrators appear to have violated the spirit, if not the letter, of this law.
The evidence is clear: Portsmouth Public Schools appears to have violated its own policies, redirecting public resources and opening the doors of a taxpayer-funded high school to a political campaign. What should have been a day devoted to preparing teachers for a new school year became a stage for partisan messaging, all under the supervision of division leadership.
If public schools are to remain institutions for learning rather than leverage, transparency and accountability must follow. Portsmouth families deserve answers and assurance that their tax dollars will never again be used to promote political campaigns instead of serving students.
Republished with permission from Restoration News.
