Election 2022: Liwu Hong For East Brunswick Board Of Education

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — Incumbent Liwu Hong is seeking another term on the East Brunswick Board of Education.

A scientist and attorney by profession, Hong says he is the "perfect fit" to serve on all BOE committees.

Below is his candidate profile.

(All candidates were given the same questions. Answers are the candidate's own.)

Editor's Note: Patch sent out the questionnaire to each candidate's email address provided by the County clerk's office. All responses received will be published between now and Nov. 8 general election. Local candidates who did not receive the questionnaire from Patch can contact sarah.salvadore@patch.com.

Name: Liwu Hong

Age: 57

Town of residence: East Brunswick

Position sought: East Brunswick BOE

Family: My wife and I have three children attending East Brunswick Public School.

Education: Master of Science in Polymer Chemistry, Master of Science in Organic Chemistry, Juris Doctor

Occupation: Scientist and Attorney

Previous or current elected appointed office: EB BOE since 2017, first elected in 2016 and was re-elected 2019.

Campaign website: None

Why are you seeking to run for School Board?

My wife and I have lived in East Brunswick for 14 years, and I have served on the Board of Education for six years. We have raised three children who attend East Brunswick Memorial Elementary School. As a scientist, an inventor, an educator, a lawyer, a devoted father, and husband, and most relevant, a diligent Board member, I have served our district for six years. I still feel a responsibility to further serve the community and to work for the school district as a member of the Board of Education. I have a strong faith in our public school system. I want to continue to serve our children and our public schools’ system. Based on my education, and experience I believe that I am the best candidate to serve on the Board of Education and. and it is for this reason that I am asking for your vote to again re-elect me to the East Brunswick Board of Education.

COVID-19 resulted in learning loss for many students. What will you do to ensure students bounce back?

The COVID-19 pandemic certainly changed our society including our East Brunswick teachers, our students, and their parents/guardians. Our district has been implementing strategies that explicitly address students' social, emotional, and mental health needs, and allocated all needed resources for these goals. Our school has been teaching critical social, emotional, and academic skills, and promoting safe and supportive learning environments through intentionally inclusive practices. Dr. Valeski and his team have been successfully leading our district through this challenging time and deserve all credits. As a Board member, I have been advocating parents’/families’ engagement in our education process, encourage student peer interactions, emphasize efficient technology access, ensure the seamless communications among students, our teachers, supporting staff and families/guardians, which are extremely important to prevent the student from falling through the cracks. It takes the combined efforts to help our students, especially the students in the middle who are neither in special need nor are advanced proficient.

What is your view on the sex education curriculum that Gov. Murphy put forth earlier this year?

Our school district constantly checks out the state’s curriculum mandatory requirements and makes sure our curriculum complies with the state’s standards. The Board of Education must make decisions based on East Brunswick’s own situations, create a curriculum to fit our children’s needs and provide our parents with the opt-out option.

What according to you is the biggest issue facing the school district currently? How do you plan to tackle it?

More and more families with young children move to East Brunswick solely for the best public school district in the State of New Jersey. As a direct result of this growing process, the enrollment in East Brunswick school district has been increasing in recent years. Balancing the teaching/learning environments and school resources, I advocated and supported the restructuring of grade levels within the buildings and the five-year process of creating a new high school. Although the necessity is clear and critical, building a new high school is East Brunswick’s decision which would be made by all people in East Brunswick. As a BOE member, I am willing to discuss this topic with every East Brunswick resident: review the current teaching and learning situations, show people the real condition of the current high school teaching and learning environment, explain the clear trend of inflowing families with young children, analyze the property tax consequence and the direct/indirect impact to the property values. Once our people are well informed, East Brunswick people will understand the urgency of this idea. Once fully understood, every family with or without a child(ren) in our district schools, will support this idea. East Brunswick School District not only is the largest employer of East Brunswick but also the foundation of this beautiful community. The new high school is the future of the East Brunswick community. I have full faith in East Brunswick people.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

Having an education background with two Master of Science degrees and one Juris Doctor degree, being a research scientist and an inventor in a world-renowned pharmaceutical company for 14 years, currently being a well-respected attorney, I am a perfect fit for all Board of Education Committees. I have been the Chairperson for Curriculum Committee since 2020. I served as the Chairperson for Technology Committee (2018-2021), and Transportation Committee (2019). In addition to being the Curriculum Committee Chairperson, I am simultaneously serving the Policy Committee, Finance Committee and EBEA Negotiation Committee. I am the Board of Education liaison to the Middlesex County School Boards Association and East Brunswick Education Foundation. Professionally, I have been defending and advocating all kinds of juvenile, criminal and matrimonial matters which provides me with a critical understanding of complicated interactions among young students, school administrators, educators, and families. My combined expertise of wide spectrum education background, my experience as a research scientist, a litigation lawyer, a business owner, and a volunteer for multiple social organizations provide me with all the needed skills and potential tools for all Board of Education Committees.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

East Brunswick voters, please vote on Nov. 8, 2022. It is your responsibility to choose the best person with the right credentials for the most important volunteer position, EB Board of Education, in our community.

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com