Election 2022: Yash Pandya For Edison Board Of Education

EDISON, NJ — A graduate of Edison school district, Yash Pandya is seeking a seat on the Board of Education this November.

If elected, Pandya wishes to bring student input to the forefront and address issues like overcrowding and transportation.

Below is Pandya’s candidate profile:

(All candidates were given the same questions. Answers are candidates' 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: Yash Pandya

Age: 27

Town of residence: Edison

Position sought: Edison Board of Education

Family: Mother and father

Education: Bachelor's and Masters Degrees

Occupation: Entrepreneur and Corporate Professional

Previous or current elected appointed office: None

Campaign website: https://www.studentsteachersfirst.com/

Why are you seeking to run for School Board?

I am running for Edison Board of Education because I have lived here all my life and believe it’s time to give back to the community that has given me so much. As a proud graduate of the town's public school system, I believe that I can contribute when it comes to the betterment of the school district, students, and teachers. We have a real task to do in terms of making sure there’s a clear pathway for young people to help them achieve their dreams and make sure that our school system is at the forefront of it.

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

Students, teachers, and parents are still recovering from academic and extracurricular learning loss side effects from COVID-19. I will do my level best to ensure that we have all the necessary resources for our students and teachers to ensure that they can be socially, mentally, academically, and extracurricular wise supported and that help is provided.

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

In my personal opinion, I believe that providing a sex curriculum to children K-6 is not advisable. In those formative years, I believe the main focus should be on the academic and extracurricular development of students. Having a background in STEM, I feel that there should also be a focus on bringing in a stronger STEM and Arts curriculum.

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

The one and only area I would like to concentrate on is our students and educators. By incorporating independent thinking and partnering with the right stakeholders, I will ensure that resources and support are available to ensure and sustain the highest level of academic excellence. This can help us take strides with some of the core topics like overcrowding, transportation, curriculum cuts, and so forth. That is why my slate mates and I are running on the slogan of "Students, Teachers First" on Column 4.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

As a recent graduate of the Edison Public School system, I bring a new and fresh mindset. I have current knowledge of issues faced by students in regard to education and careers. As a result of this, I have been speaking to many current Edison Public School students to help coach them with academic and career-related topics, which I wish to bring to the Edison Board of Education and provide this access for all students and parents in Edison. Currently, the Edison Board of Education receives inputs from parents, teachers, and our administration but not students. As students are the primary recipients of services and changes made by the Edison Board of Education, I wish to bring student input to the forefront. I also am a portfolio manager in a fortune 500 tech company managing a $100M+ portfolio. I wish to bring my budget and financial-oriented mindset to help stabilize our large $300M+ school board budget for which the taxpayers have contributed their hard-earned money.

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

I believe we should encourage the younger generations to take stewardship of our future. As I am running for the Edison Board of Education at a young age, not only do I wish to contribute tangible knowledge and value to our Edison Public School System but I wish to inspire young men and women to become more involved and engaged in our community. This type of engagement will bring a different voice, fresh perspective, and new energy. Together, this will create a brighter future for Edison.

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