Ahead of the special election for Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustee, the Orange County Register compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent the Area 5 seat. You can find the full questionnaire below. Answers may have been lightly edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some cases, to remove hate speech or offensive language.
Read also: Two candidates talk priorities, leadership in special NMUSD trustee election
Name: Andrea McElroy
City where you reside: Newport Beach
Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for heavier restrictions on smartphones in schools, pointing to studies that show the harmful effects of social media. How do you see schools restricting smartphone use? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
Our schools do not permit students in preschool through 8th grade to have cell phones on campus and high school students must keep cell phones off during instruction time, with fewexceptions. I support these policies and when elected will look into their effectiveness. I also plan to focus on modeling healthy online behavior, teaching students to understand how their digital footprint stays with them, and to understand the consequences of misuse. While I fully support consequences for poor online behavior at school, I’d like to help kids understand the best and most healthy use of devices.
How can your district better harness artificial intelligence technology for learning while also protecting kids from another tool that can be used for bullying? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
I plan to prioritize AI literacy in our schools while setting clear guidelines to ensure that AI enhances learning and not replace it. Training teachers, implementing effective practices, partnering with parents and protecting data and privacy all need to be addressed to effectively use the benefits of AI without compromising standards.
Additionally, I strongly support the bipartisan Take it Down Act, signed into law in May 2025. This legislation criminalizes the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including AI-generated deep fakes, and requires social media platforms to remove such content within 24 hours of a victim’s request. The bill also establishes criminal penalties for those who threaten to publish NCII.
California has a new law that prohibits districts from enforcing what’s been called parental notification policies, rules for school employees to contact parents if their child may be changing their gender identity. What do you see as the role of parents in education? Is there a limitation? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
I do not support this law, nor do I support our district’s policy that preceded this law, which keeps secrets from parents. Schools need to ensure that if anything comes up that relates to a child’s well-being, the parents will be notified. We need our parents to trust our schools to educate students and the schools need to trust our parents to parent their children. This is as plain as day and truly unreal that state or district leaders think otherwise.
There are efforts in the state legislature to ensure schools are protected from federal immigration enforcement. Do you support these types of efforts? (Please limit your response to 250 words or less.)
Our schools are for learning and I expect that to be their focus. I don’t expect our schools to be involved in immigration issues. If immigration officials detain someone on campus, schools should ensure student safety and cooperate with law enforcement. I would expect that district officials would consult their attorneys, not interfere with an arrest, but may request to see valid warrants, verify officer credentials, and advise students of their rights.
What are the top two needs of your school district, and how are you prepared to address them? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
First and foremost, we must address student achievement. We need to know why our test scores are not where they should be, and come up with proven solutions that will directly impact academic outcomes. Is it curriculum? Teaching strategies? Is money being spent wisely to benefit the classroom? Do new literacy programs need to be introduced or teacher training improved? We have to change the academic achievement slide and we have to do it now.
Second, we need to look at spending. Do we plan responsibly to address aging campuses, school safety, and teacher training? Do we overspend on programs without proven outcomes? Do we have the right number district administrators or are we top heavy?
The ROI on our spending needs to be looked at closely to see where improvements can be made that will directly address academic achievement and school safety.
What experiences and priorities do you bring to the table for this role? What have you learned in prior leadership roles that make you the person for this job? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
My volunteer experience in my daughter’s classroom and programs for the Arts prepared me well for this role in leadership. It gave me clarity on the importance of providing a variety of ways for students to learn and a variety of ways for students to feel a sense of belonging on campus. My involvement in our community has shown me the importance of caring for our families, jumping right in, and getting things done. I’m ready for this role, committed to our students and families, and no one will out work me.