James Solomon, Jersey City’s Ward E Councilman and a candidate for mayor, has endorsed Brendan Doohan, Aimee Sharrock, and Lorenzo Richardson for the Jersey City Board of Education. These three candidates are running as a team under the name “For Stronger Schools.”
This endorsement follows Solomon’s support of Matt Schneider and Tia Rezabala in the 2024 school board election. Schneider and Rezabala were also part of the “For Stronger Schools” slate and won their races. Solomon and Council President Joyce Watterman both endorsed them, but Solomon was mainly credited with leading their campaign and was present at their victory party.
In a joint statement, Doohan, Sharrock, and Richardson, all parents, thanked Solomon for his support and shared their goals to manage the school budget responsibly, maintain school facilities, and ensure teachers, students, and staff have the resources they need to succeed.
- James Solomon endorsed Brendan Doohan, Aimee Sharrock, and Lorenzo Richardson for the Jersey City Board of Education.
- Solomon supported “For Stronger Schools” candidates Matt Schneider and Tia Rezabala in 2024, who won their races.
- Seven candidates are running for three Board of Education seats in the November 4 election.
Education Performance and Voter Concerns
Solomon explained his endorsement by pointing to student performance data. He said that fewer than half of Jersey City students are proficient in reading, only one-third are proficient in math, and more than 25% of students were chronically absent. He went on to mention that voters are unhappy with these results and want change. He linked this to the election of Schneider and Rezabala in the previous year and said the same reason applies to the current slate of Doohan, Sharrock, and Richardson.
Solomon’s endorsement came shortly after he introduced a citywide plan focused on public schools. His plan includes the creation of a deputy mayor for education. He also expressed support for professional leadership on the school board. This information was first reported by Hudson County View.
Seven Candidates Competing in November 4 School Board Election
The 2025 Jersey City Board of Education election will be held on November 4. Voters will choose three members to serve three-year terms. The election is non-partisan and will take place on the same day as the city’s mayoral and city council elections.
There are seven candidates in the race, including the “For Stronger Schools” slate of Doohan, Sharrock, and Richardson, and three incumbents—Board President Noemi Velazquez, Vice President Christopher Tisdale, and Trustee Afaf Muhammed—who ran under the “Education Matters” slogan in 2022 and are now campaigning with the new slogan “Education Brings Solutions.”
Sumit “Sam” Salia is also running. He is not part of a slate and is the only independent candidate in the race. This is his third time running for the school board.
As of now, the Jersey City Education Association (JCEA) has not endorsed any candidates in the 2025 school board election. The JCEA is supporting Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea, a Democrat from District 2, in the mayoral race.
