Trenton Board of Education Building on North Clinton Avenue.
A letter endorsing three Trenton School Board candidates has raised concerns and concerns of impropriety.
Former Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, current Mayor Reed Gusciora, Mercer County Commissioner Sam Frisby and City Council President Teska Frisby have endorsed Yolanda Marero-Lopez, Addie Daniels-Lane and Larry Traylor.
First, let’s start at the top, where the letter states that the communication came from the offices of Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, and then identifies the others.
While many residents prefer five-term retiree Palmer still holds the city seat, in fact some believe he exists as an influencer on the City Council and enjoys power throughout Mercer County, not serving as the current mayor.
If Doug, Reed, Sam, and Teska want to support the school board candidates, they should do so without using their government credentials. The whole point of this first school board election in more than 35 years comes as a way to put more power of such a critical component of our city into the hands of the people.
Using their titles he attempts to coerce and proposes government sanctions. In the event of a school board election, Doug, Reed, Sam, and Teska will have to retire their government titles.
Critics said Palmer, who left politics in 2010 and lives in Princeton, should step away from school issues. Palmer, born and raised in Trenton, responded.
“I will always have an interest in Trenton, especially in the education of our youth,” said Palmer, whose Trenton Literacy Movement (TLM) strives to impact student reading achievement by the time they enter third grade.
Palmer recently spoke to the School Board about the New Jersey Public School Choice Program. Palmer can claim more interest in the school’s growth than most residents.
If people are being honest, a lot of plaques were formed to prevent Robin Vaughn from winning a school board seat. The former Trenton City Council member remains persona non grata even though he pushed for school board elections.
The Frisbys and Vaughn have developed a heated feud since Teska claimed Vaughn made disturbing comments about the family’s disabled son. So this school board election exists as part personal.
However, this newly formed group with an agenda should realize that residents can make up their own minds about school board members.
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Finally, but very important effort for school board elections represents a misguided initiative when one considers education statistics.
Hispanic students make up more than 60 percent of the school’s student population. Many of their parents are classified as undocumented, which means they don’t have the right to vote. So, they have no say in the direction of the city’s education.
School board elections should be open to all parents with children in the city’s education system, regardless of their citizenship status. Parents with two children who attend Trenton public schools, they say, have skin in the game.
How would that work? I’m not sure. But it’s an idea worth considering.
Finally, people who believe the city’s education system is on the upswing should look at the truancy statistics from the last two school years. Without a doubt, COVID-19 has affected attendance numbers and class performance.
LA Parker is a columnist from Trenton. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at LAParker@Trentonian.com.