This week, the Jersey City Reporter will profile the second three of 12 candidates (in alphabetical order) running for three seats on the Jersey City school board on April 21. Residents can vote for any three candidates.
This week’s candidates include a pastor, a candidate also running for City Council, a businessman, and an employee of the city’s Department of Recreation.
The school board election is on April 21.
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The incumbents running are Anthony Cucci and William DeRosa, while board member Edward Cheatam has chosen not to run for another term.
Also running are Sean Connors, Khaled Dardir, Eric Goldsmith, Mario Gonzalez, Charles W. Johnson, Abdul J. Malik, Azam A. Riaz, Moshe Rozenblit, Patricia Sebron, and Tom Wilen.
Board members take on an advisory role to state-appointed Schools Superintendent Charles Epps. The Jersey City school system has been under state control since 1989 due to failing test scores. But legislation was approved in 2005 that will start the process of moving control back into city supervision over the next couple of years.
Eric Goldsmith
Goldsmith, 33, lives in Jersey City with his wife and serves as Chairperson of the Community Life Committee of the Inside A Condo. Eric is a Financial Planner for MBL Financial Group and a MetDESK Specialist focusing on assisting the families of special needs children. Eric is a graduate of the University of Maryland. He spent his first three years out of college teaching Mathematics at Washington Irving High School in NYC. Goldsmith did not provide a photo for this article.
Why are you running for office?
“First and foremost, I am a concerned resident of Jersey City. I am concerned due to the high percentage of students who are failing. I would like to raise my own family one day and would love to do it in Jersey City.”
Why should the voters vote for you?
“I am privileged to be running with two excellent candidates: Tom Wilen & Moshe Rozenblit.
Together we will work as a team to help improve test scores. We will implement our strategic plan so that everyone is being held accountable for what they are supposed to be doing.”
What issue(s) will you address first as soon as get into office?
“Monitor the district’s budget and follow up on any irregularities uncovered by auditors.”
Mario Gonzalez
Gonzalez is the founder, president and CEO of The Hope Center for the Visual & Performing Arts. A product of the New York City public school system, Gonzalez has also served as vice president of a multi-million dollar high tech defense manufacturing firm. He is a graduate of Fordham University in New York City with a degree in economics. He is a long term resident of Jersey City Heights, where he lives with his wife Leigh, and his two daughters Stephanie and Sarah.
Why are you running for office?
“Firstly, I am passionate about children and the arts, and I am committed to emphasizing use of the arts to serve as a platform for instilling desperately needed discipline essential to general academic success.”
Why should the voters vote for you?
“We all know intuitively that the time has come for a revolution in our system of education. Somebody has got to step up to a system at personal risk. I have found my own peace and am willing to die on this cross. Our kids are worth it.”
What issue(s) will you address first as soon as get into office?
“Restore an emphasis on arts education system-wide. Do everything possible to better the academic performance of our kids in the classroom, and give teachers control over their classrooms. Enough is enough.”
Charles ‘Mandy’ Johnson
Johnson, 46, is a Jersey City native. He went to Public School 23, St. Anthony High School, and Marquette University. He was a star basketball player in high school and college. He played in the United States Basketball League for a short time. He has worked for the city of Jersey City for over 20 years, and currently runs programs for Jersey City’s Department of Recreation in the Jersey City Armory. He is divorced with four children.
Why are you running for office?
“My past experiences as a basketball player and working with the city of Jersey City for the past 19 years with kids, I thought I would have a better grasp of what is needed for the children in the school system.”
Why should the voters vote for you?
“People should vote for me because of my integrity, my work ethic, my discipline, and I have the best interest of the kids.”
What issue(s) will you address first as soon as get into office?
“First, as an athlete I will tackle obesity, which is the number one problem. Also, help recruit more kids into various recreational programs.”
Abdul J. Malik
Malik, 50, was born in Pakistan and has lived in Jersey City since 1990. He is a graduate of the Rawalpindi Medical School in Pakistan. He worked for a pharmaceutical company in New Jersey until 1992, when he suffered a slip-and-fall accident that has left him permanently disabled. He is married and the father of three children. He is running on a slate with fellow candidates Azam Riad and Khaled Dardir. Malik is also running for City Council as an at-large candidate on mayoral candidate Phillip Webb’s slate.
Why are you running for office?
“What I see is a huge bureaucracy in the school system that is not concerned with the education of the students but rather with their paychecks.”
Why should the voters vote for you?
“I believe in honesty, accountability, integrity and decency. And that’s what I will bring to the board if I am elected.”
What issue(s) will you address first as soon as get into office?
“Strict merit on hiring and promotion, strict control on the waste and abuse, and strict audit on all contracts awarded by the school system.”
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonrreporter.com.