My name is Allison Spillman, and I was a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate in 2023. I am a publicly elected official responsible for governing the public schools of Albemarle County, Virginia. As a school board member, I ensure that Albemarle County Public Schools is responsive to the values, beliefs, and priorities of our community.
I have three main responsibilities:
- Developing the annual budget to run the school system
- Setting school policies
- Hiring and evaluating the superintendent
As the at-large representative on the board, I represent the entire county. I attend school board meetings and am part of various committees. Additionally, I spend a lot of my time meeting with and talking to my constituents about the things that matter to them.
During my school board race, I jokingly called myself the “reluctant politician.” I had no prior political experience, and I wasn’t in the race for power or fame. I simply knew that I was the right person at the right time to stand up to extremism and fight for public education.
Although I first ran for office in 2023, I’ve championed gun violence prevention for years. In 2007, I lost my good friend Jayne to senseless gun violence, and I knew I had to work to make a difference. I started advocating for gun law reform in my circles and on social media. On March 24, 2018, I participated in the March for Our Lives event in Phoenix. That cemented my desire to do whatever I can to protect our kids—because every morning when I drop my kids off at school, I worry about a school shooting. We shouldn’t have to live in fear.
“Your vote matters, and it matters now, maybe more than ever before. There is so much power in casting a vote, especially in local politics. In fact, your single vote could determine the entire outcome of an election, and that is powerful.”
Allison Spillman, At-Large Representative for the Albemarle County School Board
Being a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate in the Albemarle County School Board race was such an honor and a badge I wore proudly. It demonstrated to my community that I am fighting for our kids and for their future. Personally, I have 5 kids in our public schools in Virginia. I recognize that there is a very real threat to our kids’ freedom to learn and our teachers’ freedom to teach. Every child, regardless of their past or path, should feel safe and welcome at school and have an opportunity for success.
I was constantly amazed at the resources from Moms Demand Action throughout my election cycle. Volunteers knocked on doors, showed up to debates, and walked in parades with me. The organization helped to spread the word about my campaign. I am so grateful for all the support. My race got national attention on more than one occasion—this was wild!
The whole experience was by far both the most challenging and the most rewarding experience of my life. I learned that I am stronger than I ever imagined and that one person can have a profound impact on their community. There were days when I wondered why I was putting myself through this process, but then I would quickly be reminded of the “why.”
Gun violence prevention isn’t about taking guns; it is about keeping our families safe. We all have the right to feel safe and not fear for our lives every time we send our kids to school or go to the grocery store. As a society, we should all want that and work together to achieve it. Firearm injuries and deaths are, in fact, preventable.
Because of this, passing a secure storage resolution was high on my priority list after being sworn in. I maintain that students can’t learn and teachers can’t teach if they don’t feel safe in schools. I was told that secure storage was something our school division had an interest in, but that no one had taken significant action on it. So I decided there was no time like the present!
“During my campaign, I was repeatedly shown and reminded how much people care about ensuring our communities are safe. It gives me hope that people are realizing that local politics matter and that real change can be achieved. We can start at the bottom and work our way up!”
Allison Spillman, At-Large Representative for the Albemarle County School Board
This secure storage resolution is one way our school division can help keep our schools safe for our students and staff. I relied heavily on Be SMART materials provided to me by our local advocates as I drafted this resolution. I also worked closely with our school board attorney Josiah Black. Thankfully there was no pushback on the resolution, and it passed unanimously.Passing this resolution was overwhelming. I was so proud to play a role in its implementation, and I know it has the potential to save lives. While reading and signing the final resolution, I kept thinking about my friend Jayne. Its passage made me feel like something good came out of her very tragic and unnecessary death.
Following the resolution’s passage, we have drafted a letter on the importance of secure gun storage that every family in our school system will receive. This letter will also include information on where families can obtain free gun locks and safes. We will post all information in this letter on our website and social media platforms as well.
Gun violence prevention is fueled by grassroots efforts. During my campaign, I was repeatedly shown and reminded how much people care about ensuring our communities are safe. It gives me hope that people are realizing that local politics matter and that real change can be achieved. We can start at the bottom and work our way up!
Your vote matters, and it matters now, maybe more than ever before. There is so much power in casting a vote, especially in local politics. In fact, your single vote could determine the entire outcome of an election, and that is powerful.
If someone reading this is considering running for office, I would tell them to buckle up. It’s a wild ride, but so very worth it. It is exhausting and can be overwhelming, but it is also rewarding. In fact, I wish I had known how rewarding it would be—because I might have done it sooner! One person can absolutely have a big impact.
Allison Spillman is the at-large representative for the Albemarle County School Board and is a mom to five kids. She is on the board of the Reclaimed Hope Initiative (RHI), a support and advocacy organization founded to strengthen and empower families navigating foster care, adoption, and children with disabilities. This cause is near and dear to Allison and her husband Chris’ hearts; the couple adopted their two youngest kids from foster care, and their son has significant disabilities.
