Newark School Election: What To Know For 2023 (Candidates, Budget)

NEWARK, NJ — The 2023 school election in Newark is critical for local students, families and community members – not to mention taxpayers. But less than three percent of eligible voters cast ballots last year, and it's a number that advocates are hoping to change.

Newark voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, April 25 to cast ballots for members of the Board of Education. Voters will also get to approve or deny the local school budget.

Polls in Newark will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find your local polling place here. See a list of ballot drop box locations here. See a sample ballot here. Learn more about voter registration deadlines in Essex County here. Learn more about voting in New Jersey here.

Here’s what you need to know about the 2023 Newark school election.

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NEWARK SCHOOL BUDGET

Voters will get to cast a “yes” or “no” ballot for the proposed Newark Public School District budget. The public question reads: “RESOLVED, that there should be raised for General Funds $138,314,942 for the ensuing School Year (2023-24).”

The Newark Board of Education held a hearing and approved the district’s proposed spending plan on March 29. Under the latest proposed budget, the school portion of Newark homeowners’ taxes would drop by $15 per year for the average property valued at $175,000, coming in at $1,936. Read More: Newark Will Vote On School Budget In 2023 Election (What To Know)

The school levy made up about 31 percent of the average Newark homeowner’s property taxes last year. Read More: Average Property Tax Bill In Newark Is Growing, Latest Data Shows

BOARD OF EDUCATION

This year, eight candidates are running for three seats on the board in the April 25 election. Terms on the Newark Board of Education last for three years.

A pair of local nonprofits, Newark Trust for Education and Project Ready, recently held a candidate forum ahead of the election. Watch the forum below, or view it online here.

Josephine Garcia and Hasani Council – both current members of the school board – are running on the “Moving Newark Forward” slate with Allison James-Frison, who ran for the board last year. They will face challenges from the “Newark Kids Forward” slate, featuring Tawana Johnson-Emory, James Wright Jr. and Thomas Luna, who also ran in 2022. The candidates also include Ade’Kamil Kelly, who is running under the “We Deserve Better” slogan, and Latoya Jackson, who didn’t list a slogan as part of the filing paperwork.

The Newark Trust for Education has created a “campaign central” website, which contains information about each candidate. Patch is reposting the profiles with permission below (in alphabetical order).

• Hasani K. Council (read the candidate Q&A here)
• Josephine C. Garcia (read the candidate Q&A here)
• Latoya Jackson (read the candidate Q&A here)
• Allison K. James-Frison (read the candidate Q&A here)
• Tawana Johnson-Emory (read the candidate Q&A here)
• Ade’Kamil Kelly (read the candidate Q&A here)
• Thomas Luna (read the candidate Q&A here)
• James Wright Jr. (read the candidate Q&A here)

Hasani K. Council

Hasani Council was born and raised in the South Ward of the City of Newark. Hasani attended George Washington Carver Elementary School and graduated from University High School in 2014. From a young age, Hasani has been active as a public servant and public education advocate fighting for the residents of the City of Newark. Hasani played and coached Pop Warner Football and Little League Baseball in the South Ward. He also served as a mentor and role model to others in his community.

As a student at University High School, Hasani was very active in the student walkouts and protests against an unyielding school administration. His strong belief in justice and his need to bring awareness to injustice drives his advocacy for equity and fairness.

After completing his years at University High School, Hasani began his studies at Montclair State University. Here, he became a student leader and served as a member of various organizations on campus. From the very first day that Hasani arrived on campus, he made sure that he got involved with the campus community and decided to help make positive changes that would benefit the student body.

At Montclair State, Hasani was elected as the Vice President of his Hall Council and then was elected as the Executive Vice President of the Residence Hall Association. Hasani also served as a member of the Student Government Association in the capacity of a legislator, as well as serving on three committees, one of which he served as the chairperson.

In 2016, Hasani was elected to the Montclair State University Board of Trustees where he served two years as a Student Trustee working closely with the president of the university. He was also inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success, as well as, the Red Hawk Pride Society. Hasani received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 2018 followed by his Master of Arts degree in Law and Governance in 2019.

He currently serves as Chief of Staff to South Ward Council Member Patrick Council. Hasani also serves as Democratic District Leader in the 36th District of the South Ward. Hasani formerly worked as a Legislative Aide for former South Ward Council Member John Sharpe James, the United Community Corporation as a Counselor and also worked in several internship positions with both the City of Newark and the Passaic County Democratic Committee.

Hasani is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated where he served as chapter president for his undergraduate chapter. He also served on the fraternity’s regional political and civic engagement committee. Hasani is currently a Jr. Deacon at St. John Baptist Church and is very active in the church community.

Hasani believes every student deserves great teachers and that great teachers deserve to get the opportunity to positively shape and change their students’ lives. To this end, he will work tirelessly to ensure more educational freedoms for all.

Josephine C. Garcia

Josephine C. Garcia is a community and educational leader in the City of Newark who has spent much of her professional career serving the residents of the city as an aide to numerous elected officials. She recently answered the call to service by running successfully for an elected position on the Newark Board of Education.

Garcia launched her career as a legal secretary before joining the administration of former Mayor Sharpe James in 1998. She held several positions in the James administration, including serving as the assistant supervisor of the mayor's administrative staff.

Since 2006, Garcia has worked as a legislative aide for Newark Councilman-at-Large Carlos M. Gonzalez, where she works closely with the councilman to provide up-to-date research on a variety of municipal issues and serves as his official representative at conferences and engagements.

Garcia has long been interested in education, serving as a volunteer for the parent teacher associations for Science Park High School, Robert Treat Academy and Technology High School, where her three children attended.

In April 2017, she was elected to the Newark Board of Education, garnering the most votes in a crowded field, and was immediately elected president of the board, a position she continues to hold. She also serves as the chair of the governance committee and vice chair of the legal committee.

Garcia has served as the President of the Essex County New Jersey School Board Association since May 2019.

In May 2019, she was also President of the Puerto Rican Day Parade of Newark, NJ, a nonprofit organization that celebrates Puerto Rican culture and the contributions of Puerto Ricans to the City of Newark.

Garcia takes great pride in her three children, Donavin, Brandon and Michael, who are now young men. Donavin graduated from Technology High School, and now is a United States Marine, Brandon is a Science Park graduate and is now attending William Paterson University as a double major in Biology and psychology and Michael is a current senior in St. Peter's Preparatory School and will soon be attending a University.

Garcia is a graduate of Barringer High School and attended Essex County College. She lives in the North Ward of Newark.

Latoya Jackson

Latoya Jackson was born and raised in Newark, NJ and still lives in her hometown today. Latoya has always been an advocate for education and her community all of her life. In 1990, she participated in Former Mayor of Newark Sharpe James recycling initiative as a “recycling ranger”. In addition, she was student council president and vice president at Miller Street School in 1992. While holding these position she helped changed the lunch program and helped implement uniforms for the students. These initiatives help children focus on their education rather than their financial situation.

Latoya wears many hats such as a proud single mother of two young men, a determined business owner, a former PTSA member, and a star member of her local community. Her journey in life started off rough as she fought against stereotypes and the temptations of a “life in the streets.” However, she has always wanted to “change the narrative” of what is expected from a young woman surviving in an urban community. After many humbling attempts to get through school, she graduated from Joy’s School of Hair Design in East Orange in 2006 with a cosmetology license. Her hair salon, L. Jackson Salon, has been standing strong in Newark for almost 5 years now and is very popular with the local crowd. Her salon is more than just a place for getting a “fresh hair-do”, it is Latoya’s space for holding community service events. Every year she hold an annual Book Bag Drive, supported by a diverse group of contributors, to help the youth of Newark who struggle with obtaining school supplies.

Latoya is not only vigilant in her community service work but she has also made history in her hometown by being the first black female business owner with a float in the 2019 Newark’s Heritage Parade. Her float inspired other local business owners to market themselves as supporters of the community and the unity that Newark stands for. Currently, LaToya has been an advocate for Newark Public Schools children, especially the young women and men that are incarcerated under the New Jersey Department of Correction.

Allison K. James-Frison

Allison K. James-Frison is a product of the Newark Board of Education (PreK-12th) and a proud parent of a future graduate of the Newark Board of Education (Bard High School Early College). While her daughter, a Sophomore, was valedictorian of her class in 2021, the focus of her educational experience was different. Allison struggled with a learning impairment while experiencing mental health challenges. These issues remained undiagnosed until she enrolled in college at age 47. Allison doesn't want her story to be the story of any of our children.

Allison's campaign priorities include the following five areas:

• Public Safety
• Culturally Competent Teachers
• Chronic absentees
• IEP and Mental Health Assessment
• Parent Engagement

Allison is qualified to bring a professional perspective to the board through her calling as a social worker. Currently, she works for the Department of Child Protection and Permanency. Her years of experience and training in building and restoring our families and neighborhoods prove invaluable. Allison is a champion for youth with a proven track record of helping individuals reach their highest potential. As Founder of Girls; Live, Love, Laugh, Inc., she has helped to empower over 1,200 young women in the city of Newark.

Allison serves as a Commissioner for the City of Newark’s Commission on the Status of Women as well as a former chair of the PTSO at her daughter’s school. Besides being a community servant, she is a foster parent turned adoptive parent and happily married for 10 years. Allison is a homeowner and investor in the city of Newark. You can find out more about Allisn K.James-Frison by visiting www.elect-alison.com.

Tawana Johnson-Emory

Tawana Johnson-Emory is a homeowner in the West Ward section of Newark. She is a college educated single mother to a special need 16-year-old -boy. Her son has a neuromuscular disorder that has significantly impacted their lives. Having witnessed firsthand what it is like to navigate a school system that is underfunded and not equipped for children with special needs, Tawana serves as an special needs advocate for parents across New Jersey. Much of the services her son receives is due to her relentless advocacy and unwillingness to see her son fail.

Tawana wears many hats. She is a Tower Operator for the New York City Transit Authority and has been a proud member of the TWU Local 100 union for 26 years. She also served as President of the Parent Council for 8 years at her son’s school. During her tenure she partnered with several companies and co-founded activities and programs for the Scholars. “Soo Pretty” and “Cool Young Men” are two programs that are near and dear to her. She is also proud of her partnership with Rutgers University (Newark Campus) to bring Girls Who Code, a STEM program to get girls excited about Coding. Certain not to forget about the mental health of students, Tawana partnered with a licensed Clinical Social Worker outside of her son’s school to assist students with this ongoing crisis.

Tawana would like to see someone on the Newark School Board that aligns with parents with special education and special needs children. Seeing her 16-year-old son battle bullying in school and watching the impact of it on his mental and physical health has been heartbreaking. She feels that there is no better candidate to speak for the underrepresented, disenfranchised and the forgotten students who tackle these issues daily. She believes that students deserve and needs a representative who will fight for them on the Newark School Board.

Ade’Kamil Kelly

Ade’Kamil Kelly was born in Newark, NJ and raised by a grandmother that served as the matriarch and glue of a family. Because of this, Ade learned early on the vital role that family and community plays in one’s life. The values instilled in him and his siblings throughout his upbringing have remained a guiding force throughout his professional career. Ade graduated from East Orange Campus High School in 2014. As a young person, he was heavily involved in the Newark community. He spent many days attending the Boys & Girls Club of Newark, where he had the opportunity to serve as president of the local Keystone Chapter and engage in multiple community service-based activities.

Ade has continued to serve his community into adulthood. He currently serves as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson, and Union Counties and The Boys and Girls Club of Newark. Dedicated to building up the next generation of leaders, he also donates time as a volunteer basketball coach within the city. Over the course of his blossoming political career, Ade has shown a commitment to engaging the political issues that matter. In 2018, Ade was instrumental in leading community groups that conducted surveys for the residents of Newark in an effort to improve their quality of life. This work later led to Ade being featured in the book “Guns, An American Conversation: How to Bridge Political Divides" after participating in a nationwide cohort with a conversation centered around gun violence.

Currently, Ade is working towards earning a degree in Accounting from Essex County College. As a recently licensed realtor in the state of New Jersey, Ade has done and continues to keep family and community at the forefront of his mind as he works towards building a better chance at tomorrow for everyone.

Thomas Luna

Thomas Luna is a long-time Newark Educator, resident, and community organizer. He is a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Texas State University. He has taught 7th grade/8th grade math and science for over 10 years in Newark.

Thomas has also led multiple after school programs, (robotics, ski club, drum club, and more) and has mentored many of his students even after they moved on to high school and college. As a leader and organizer with Newark for Education Equity and Diversity, he has galvanized community members and elected officials to pass policy on the state and local level. He has led numerous community programs focused on “people power”, and strongly believes in collective change. He is running for the school board to bring his experience as an educator and community organizer to the decision-making table on behalf of all kids, families, and teacher who, like him, call Newark home.

James Wright Jr.

My name is James Wright Jr. I am an Advanced Placement Environmental Science Teacher at North Star Academy Washington Park Highschool and Director of Community Engagement for the non-profit My Son is Me Inc. I am also a son, brother, uncle, cousin, friend, and most importantly Newark native. I have had the privilege to graduate from North Star Academy Washington Park Highschool with the class of 2018 and proceeded to graduate from Boston University in 3 years with a bachelor's degree in political science. This would not be possible without the village around me.

The coaches, mentors, teachers, and community leaders all helped cultivate my path. During my youth, my friends and family attended schools all throughout the city. Whether the school was Shabazz, Weequahic, Eastside, KIPP, Uncommon, or Science Park outside the uniform we are all children of Newark laying a foundation for the generations to follow. At the age of 14, I became aware of the critical needs of our community. Upon graduation from Boston University, I assisted my father James Wright through our non-profit My Son is Me Inc. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic we mentored young men, predominantly Newark Pop Warner athletes, with educational, mental health, and social services. When the pandemic struck, we adapted to answer our communities' urgent needs by providing 250 senior citizens and large families in Newark with Shoprite gift cards to combat food insecurity. In 2022, I joined the North Star Academy Washington Park Highschool campus. I took ownership of the AP Environmental Science curriculum and content creation for both the Washington Park and Lincoln Park campuses. As a result, I am grateful to educate 400 Newark students through direct instruction or content creation within my first year as a teacher. Outside of the classroom, through My Son Is Me Inc, I have gathered 30 inspiring young men who have dedicated their time to craft a community store that provides free hygienic products for the other students while receiving insight from guest speakers from the local community.

From my career as a teacher, mentor, and curriculum creator, Tawana Johnson's special education support expertise as a Newark Public Schools Parent, and Tommy Luna's 13-year teacher career and local activism and mentorship, we agree with the concerns of the community and must act to place "Newark Kids Forward." This will include:

Mandatory sensitivity training for all teachers and school leaders on diversity and race training to understand Newark's diverse and rich communities throughout all wards.

Academic externships and internships with local community businesses to develop professional and academic skills and mentor relations to visualize realistic applications of education in the real world.

Established structured mentorship and extracurricular programs that utilize alternative methods to provide social services, career, and academic resources for students.

I have seen firsthand the impact of giving back to others to break the cycle and change history. I now teach in the classroom I first entered as a high school student. The opportunity to return has emboldened my belief in the importance of the village. Each day I remind my students it takes 50 percent of those who walked the path and 50 percent of those who follow to make the future 100% possible. Together we will place Newark Kids Forward.

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