Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to get the latest news about the city’s public school system delivered to your inbox.
This year’s Newark school board candidates faced off at the city’s first public forum to discuss their positions on teacher recruitment, federal funding cuts, and district policies, among other topics.
During the two-hour forum on Thursday, candidates answered questions about Newark Public Schools policies they would revise, the board’s role in holding the superintendent accountable, and how they would manage the district’s $1.5 billion budget, and other questions asked by audience members at the annual event organized by the Newark branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Eleven candidates are running for three seats on the nine-member board, including one incumbent running to keep her board seat. Three are returning candidates and seven are newcomers, the largest number of first-time contenders in recent years. Louis Maisonave, a city firefighter on the “Moving Newark Schools Forward” slate, was the only candidate not in attendance.
This year’s election on April 15 is also a historic moment for Newark’s 16- and 17-year-olds, who will vote for the first time in a city school board election. Deborah Smith Gregory, president of the Newark NAACP, on Thursday stressed the importance of getting teens registered and educated to vote. She also emphasized the need for all Newark residents to vote in the school board election, which has historically seen around 3% to 4% of registered voters participating.
“We have to do better with getting voter turnout,” Smith Gregory said. “We have to get better.”
Here are four takeaways from the forum held in a full room at Bethany Baptist Church and moderated by Linda McDonald, former head of the paralegal department at Essex County College, Ali McBride Jr., chair of the civic engagement committee of the Newark NAACP, and three Newark high school students.
Candidates discuss revisions to harassment, disciplinary policies
Kanileah Anderson, a school board member since 2024 and member of the Moving Newark Schools Forward slate, said she wouldn’t revise any policies but would “drill down” on parent and family engagement policies because she doesn’t think the district is using it to “its fullest potential.”
Nathanael Barthelemy, a first-time candidate and member of the Prioritizing Newark’s Children slate, wants to address the district’s harassment, intimidation, and bullying policy, an issue his slate is championing. He said the policy and consequences for breaking it should be a reflection of state law that protects children in schools. Barthelemy’s running mate, Ade’Kamil Kelly, added that the policy isn’t properly enforced, particularly in light of complaints of racism and harassment in the district.
“So I say all that to say, our students go to school to learn not to be bullied, harassed and or racially attacked,” Barthelemy said.
Latoya Jackson, a two-time school board candidate running under the slogan “I got you,” said she wants to amend the district’s disciplinary policies and “stop treating our children like criminals.” She believes that change starts with improving relationships between teachers and students.
Jordy Nivar, a newcomer candidate and west ward district leader, said he wants to address policies that support student learning, particularly in literacy. Nivar added that “a lot of our kids are not reading up to grade level,” and he wants to “better engage with them, their parents, and their teachers” to build better communication.
Candidates share their plans to tackle funding cuts
The Trump administration’s vow to dismantle the Department of Education, as well as the end of federal COVID relief funds that supported summer programs and tutoring, were also major topics of discussion.
Shana Melius, a first-time candidate and member of the Prioritizing Newark’s Children slate, said her main issue regarding school funding is accountability and ensuring funds are used to support reading and math instruction.
Yolanda Johnson, an education advocate and three-time school board candidate, said she would support budget decisions that provide money for teachers to pay for classroom supplies. She also said that the district should invest in better curriculums because “we are not even capable of competing at a global level, let alone local level.”
David Daughety, a first-time candidate running on the Moving Newark Schools Forward slate, said his two main priorities are protecting essential student support services and expanding public-private partnerships. He added that mental health services, especially after school programs and special education support “must remain priorities.” Daughety also said that it’s important to create partnerships with local businesses and universities as well as organizations to support funding for career training so students who do not want to college are prepared.
“Let’s get one thing straight. Cuts at the federal level or any level of government should not impact our babies,” Daughety said. “Our students are off the table. Newark is not for sale.”
Anderson, a board member also on the Moving Newark Schools Forward slate, said the district needs to ensure that it’s never in a situation where teachers could be laid off. She added that programming expanded through federal COVID relief dollars should also continue.
Newark students ask about accountability, board power dynamics
Science Park High School seniors Breanna Campbell, Nathaniel Esubonteng, and Devin Mitchell each posed one question to the candidates during the forum. They also solicited questions from the public and asked audience members to vote for their favorite questions using an interactive live poll.
Campbell asked the candidates how they would maintain a proper balance or power between the board and Superintendent Roger León to ensure students' needs remain a top priority.
Anderson, who sits on the board, said things are “topsy-turvy” among members, referring to the school board’s attempt to remove one of its longest-serving members and decisions to roll back on paying board members’ attorneys fees, among other issues. She said she wants to see a new board that owns their power and united positions “to really hold the superintendent to task to run this district efficiently.”
Kelly, on the Prioritizing Newark’s Children slate, said the city needs board members who are courageous and aren’t afraid to “just tell it how it is.” He added that he’s running for school board because he hasn’t seen that courage from other members. He’s seen board members “wanting to be friendly with the superintendent and such instead of actually taking charge and demanding better,” Kelly said.
Dewayne Bush, a first-time contender running alone, also said the priorities should remain around children and ensuring the board and the superintendent represent the truth.
Elaine Asyah Aquil, a local chiropractor and grandmother of Newark Public Schools students, said the board should make decisions based on children’s needs, but also include their parents in those decisions.
Johnson, a community advocate, said the board will have to ask León to “relinquish his power over the board.” Board members must also recognize that “we are no longer under state control, but we are and we do have local control,” Johnson added.
Jackson, a former beauty salon owner turned full-time advocate, said it’s important for her to see board members who will “speak candidly” about the issues” and hold the superintendent, district attorneys, “and whoever else we need to hold accountable for the success of our children.”
Candidate priorities: mental health, hunger, parent engagement
Barthelemy, on the Prioritizing Newark’s Children slate, said he aims to support mental health and social-emotional learning and advocate for increased mental health services and trauma-informed education.
“Our students are suffering out here in the worst way. They don’t have the skills to cope … so they choose violence because it’s an easy expression to convey,” Barthelemy added.
Daughety, on the Moving Newark Schools forward slate, emphasized the need to address the root causes that prevent students from learning, such as hunger and housing instability, to strengthen schools and expand community involvement.
“If we don’t strengthen the community, we can’t strengthen our schools,” Daughety added.
His running mate, Anderson, who currently sits on the program and instruction committee, said she wants to continue supporting student learning in areas such as math and literacy.
Johnson, who’s running independently, said she wants to focus on creating more parent engagement opportunities and highlighting the importance of community input for student success.
“We all know that parents and the community members that drive a school district,” Johnson added.”
New voters, including youth who will be 16 or 17 by the April 15 election, can register to vote by March 25. Residents can vote at their designated polling location or vote by mail if they register for that option by April 8. Ballots must be postmarked no later than April 15 and must be received that day before polls close.
Residents can watch the NAACP Newark candidate forum in full on the organization’s Facebook page.
Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.
