Former Gov. Jim McGreevey, now a candidate for Jersey City mayor, announced his support for the “For Stronger Schools” Board of Education team, becoming the second mayoral contender to back the slate after Ward E Councilman James Solomon endorsed them the week before. Both men, considered leading candidates to succeed outgoing Mayor Steve Fulop, have chosen to unite behind the same group of challengers in the city’s upcoming school board election.
- Jim McGreevey and James Solomon, both running for Jersey City mayor, endorsed the “For Stronger Schools” Board of Education slate.
- The team includes Aimee Sharrock, Brandan Doohan, and Lorenzo Richardson, who will face incumbents Noemí Velázquez, Christopher Tisdale, and Afaf Muhammad.
- The Board of Education, mayoral, and city council races will all take place on November 4th.
“For Stronger Schools” Candidates and Endorsements
The “For Stronger Schools” slate consists of Aimee Sharrock, Brandan Doohan, and Lorenzo Richardson, whom McGreevey described as experienced, honest, and committed to reform. Sharrock is a former Parent-Teacher Association president and currently serves as Neurodiversity Chair at Public School No. 37, while Doohan is treasurer of Public School No. 28’s PTA and president of the Riverview Neighborhood Association. Richardson, a lifelong Jersey City resident and graduate of its public schools, previously served nearly a decade as a trustee before losing re-election in 2023.
Solomon, citing statistics about student performance, said fewer than half of Jersey City students are proficient in reading, only a third are proficient in math, and more than 25 percent were chronically absent. He linked those figures to growing voter dissatisfaction and presented his endorsement of the slate as a response to demands for change.
McGreevey’s Education Plan for Jersey City Schools
In connecting his endorsement to his broader campaign, McGreevey outlined a series of education initiatives he would pursue as mayor, saying his administration would focus on early childhood literacy interventions, expansion of after-school programs, and greater transparency in partnerships among public, charter, vocational, and faith-based schools. He stressed the importance of close collaboration with the Board of Education to ensure that every child can read at grade level, every school has the resources it needs, and every family has a meaningful voice in shaping their child’s education.
Jersey City School Board Race: Incumbents and Independent Candidate
The “For Stronger Schools” team will face competition from three incumbents who are running for re-election under the banner “Education Brings Solutions.” Board of Education President Noemí Velázquez, Vice President Christopher Tisdale, and Trustee Afaf Muhammad previously campaigned together in 2022 under the “Education Matters” slogan, and they are now seeking another term.
Although the Jersey City Education Association has endorsed Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea in the mayoral race, the union has not yet taken a position in the school board contest.
Alongside the slates, one independent candidate has also joined the race. Sumit “Sam” Salia, who is running independently for the third time, is the seventh candidate overall and the only one not aligned with a team.
November 4th Election in Jersey City
The filing deadline for the Board of Education race was July 28, and the November 4th ballot will include elections for mayor, city council, and three school board seats, each carrying a three-year term on the volunteer board. Mayor Steve Fulop, who has held office since 2013, is not seeking re-election, having instead run for governor earlier this year, where he finished third in the Democratic primary in June.
