The Jersey City Board of Education (BOE) held its annual reorganization meeting last night, where Noemi Velazquez was re-elected as president, while Dejon Morris was named vice president.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Norma Fernandez began the meeting by explaining that Acting Board Secretary Maryann McKenzie would temporarily lead the public session.
She congratulated Velazquez, last year’s board president, for winning re-election, as did Trustee Afaf Muhammad. They were backed by the Jersey City Education Association (JCEA), while Lorenzo Richardson, a part of the “For Stronger Schools” team, also won.
Richardson is a former trustee who had a successful comeback after coming up short in 2023, opting not to run in 2024.
They were sworn in one by one, as was a new student trustee, Gwenyth Friedman, before Fernandez addressed the board.
“A new year is a period of immense possibility. Let us embrace this movement with a shared vision of love,” she said.
Fernandez noted she was appointed to Jersey City Mayor-elect James Solomon’s Education & Youth Committee, part of his Transition Policy Committee, to applause.
“We are proud to serve students who speak more than 40 languages … this rich diversity is one of our greats institutional strengths,” she noted.
Fernandez also mentioned she is also on Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill’s transition team as well.
The Board then took turns reading the Code of Ethics before Board Counsel Ramon Rivera open the floor to take nominations for board president.
“I would like to put forth the name of Noemi Velazquez for the Presidency,” stated Trustee George Blount, who was seconded by Trustee Alpa Patel.
Velazquez was re-elected by a 5-4 vote, with Trustees Richardson, Muhammad, Tia Rezabala, and Matthew Schneider voting no. Rezabala had nominated Schneider, but that didn’t receive a vote since Velazquez’s nomination was approved.
McKenzie then said Velazquez would subsequently oversee the meeting to applause before Rivera opened up nominations for vice president.
“I would like to nominate Trustee Dejon Morris for vice president,” Trustee Natalia Ioffe said, with Patel again seconding the nomination.
The measure was approved 6-3. with Rezabala, Richardson, and Schneider voting no. Rezabala had sought to nominate Richardson, but the board did not act on it after Morris’ nomination went through.
“I’d like to thank everyone. We have a great board … I welcome everyone back …
I’m glad to be back and continue what we in one year started,” Velazquez expressed.
“We had such an amazing year last year, and we’re going to have an even more amazing year this year. Thank you again, and I can’t wait to get to work,” Morris added.
During the public comment period, former BOE President Mussab Ali said he wanted to present American flag pins to the trustees.
“It’s a thankless job … No one makes a salary from this job. There are very few speakers who come here to thank you … Focus on the welfare of our children, our students are watching,” he stated.
Former Trustee Dr. Christopher Tisdale, who lost to Richardson in November, also wished his ex-colleagues luck, urging them to put the students first.
Additionally, former Board President Joel Torres noted the importance of the democratic process.
“This is important to showcase … when individuals like myself are being dragged through the streets, improperly kidnapped, and what they call detained, and individuals who look like Noemi are unfortunately shot and killed in our streets,” he declared.
“It’s important to show our youth we serve each other …Make sure they have all the tools and resources to excel.”
JCEA President Ron Greco wished everyone a happy, healthy new year, thanking them for taking on a tough job that is essential in making the public schools run.
“Thank you and your team for the great, collaboration and partnership that we can relish together,” Velazquez replied.
The roughly two-and-a-half hour public session concluded with the board going into executive session.