Watch Newark School Board Candidate Forum: 2023 Election

NEWARK, NJ — The 2023 school election is getting closer in Newark, and there is plenty of competition for three available seats on the 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.

Newark voters will also get a chance to cast a ballot for the local school budget in the April 25 election. Read More: Newark Will Vote On School Budget In 2023 Election (What To Know)

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.