Two Jersey City School Board incumbents endorse challenger slate

Two incumbents endorsed a slate of challengers seeking seats on Jersey City’s School Board Friday.

Board members Alexander Hamilton and Noemi Velázquez are backing Asheenia Johnson, Sonia Cintron and Karen Poliski, who are running on the “Change for Children” slate, who are running to oust the board’s current leadership.

“The Jersey City Board of Education is in desperate need of new and competent leadership,” Hamilton said. “I know the Change for Children candidates will bring the much needed leadership and expertise the Board of Education needs.”

Johnson, Cintron and Poliski face School Board President Lorenzo Richardson, Vice President Gina Verdibello and member Lekendrick Shaw, who are running on the “Education Matters” slate.

Both Hamilton and Velázquez ran on the “Change for Children” slate to win their seats in last year’s school board races in what the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission said was the most expensive school board race in the state’s history.

Johnson is a former aide to Assemblywoman Angela McKnight (D-Jersey City), while Cintron ran an unsuccessful bid for School Board last year. Poliski is the race’s only first-time candidate.

“The Change For Children candidates’ focus on a decision-making process driven by proactive planning and fact-based science will be a much welcome change to the Board,” said current Jersey City Board of Education member Noemi Velázquez. “I couldn’t be happier to endorse Asheenia Johnson, Sonia N. Cintron, and Karen Poliski, and look forward to working with them on the Board.”