In a letter to the editor, Jersey City Board of Education candidate Luis Felipe Fernandez says “we must continue to develop a culture of excellence throughout our schools,” stressing this is not a one-person effort. 
Dear Editor,
Jersey City public schools have noticeable disparities. We are home to some of the top schools in the state, while we also have priority schools in desperate need of support.
Regardless of the challenges the district faces we have many things to be proud of. Our dropout rate are decreasing and graduation rates are increasing. Our success must be celebrated and should continue to expand across all of our schools.
We celebrate these achievements and I commend everyone who contributed toward these accomplishments: teachers, students, parents, administration and everyone else who plays a key role in the developments of our schools. However, I believe that we still have room for improvement.
Most school facilities in our district are in need of attention and repairs. Proper heating and air conditioning systems are not available in every building, and student meal choices must be improved. We must continue to develop a culture of excellence throughout our schools and this is not a ‘one person jobâ€.
The Superman complex plagues our political scene from the presidential race all the way to our local hopefuls. Not one person will “fix†this, this must be an effort of community and unity. We must ALL work together in order to improve our schools, and through them, impact our communities. If our schools succeed we ALL succeed.
We must provide support to our teachers, celebrate our students, and engage our parents. We must continue to unite, build trust, and win together. We must equip our students with strong academics and powerful life skills that will help them succeed in every field, even beyond college.
We must support our teachers who help students on a daily basis, and really make it happen. We must provide creative ways for parents to be actively involved in their child’s personal and academic growth. We are doing well, but we can do great.
We must make our schools the center of our communities, then as the school succeeds the whole community benefits. I am running for Board of Education to contribute toward the success of our schools.
I am not “the one†who will fix it, but my commitment is to be your voice and represent the best interest of our students. This is a team effort, together we can! Si se puede!
Luis Felipe Fernandez #Fernandez4jcboe
Candidate for Jersey City Board of Education
Pastor Fernandez,
In the spirit of “togetherness,” would you be able to directly call upon the “Superman†involved in ethics violation complaint proceedings with a sitting trustee of the Jersey City Board of Education to withdraw himself from the legal proceedings? He then could play his part in a healing process and avoid adding to the “toxicity†that has fueled some private citizens and several students to run for office this year. We understand you may not have control over this “superman†also referred to most recently in another letter as “ one man cheerleader–troll.“ But if you can publicly come out requesting a withdrawal from the proceedings, you will actually be practicing what you preach. This is what your congregation at your church will expect and this is what I believe citizens of Jersey City expect of you — if you want to be taken seriously. In conclusion, while as students we will pray for your success in convincing the legal withdrawal, it is rumored you will be running on the same slate with “Superman.” I hope you will allow your spiritual foundation to rise above your political aspirations this election season.