In a letter to the editor, Hoboken parent Tammy Li Peng says the “Leadership that Listens” Board of Education slate are already improving our schools.
Dear Editor,
Leadership that Listens candidates are transparent, experienced, and already improving our public schools.
Transparency. It is a word that is being thrown around a LOT in this Board of Ed election. But what does it actually mean for our Board of Ed candidates to be transparent?
Definitions for being transparent include “readily understood,” “free from pretense or deceit,” and “characterized by accessibility of information.”
All of these things hold true for the Leadership that Listens slate and have always held true to me for superintendent Dr. Christine Johnson as well.
My first conversation with Dr. Johnson was in 2018 at a Hoboken Public Education Foundation Moms Night Out when my older son was still only in Pre-K.
I was immediately drawn into her detailed vision to serve kids of all socioeconomic backgrounds and raise the academic level of the middle school.
Witnessing progress in these goals and a plethora of other accomplishments in our district has been a huge part of what has kept my family in Hoboken, and this sentiment is shared with all of the public school parents I interact with.
But after a failed referendum earlier this year to fund a long-range facilities plan, it is obvious that there is a lack of trust and communication with a part of our community.
I am confident that the Leadership that Listens slate has the integrity and breadth of experience to mend and improve this.
Board of Ed meetings have always been open to the public, however, LTL has stated a platform on their website that calls for the meetings to be live streamed in real time.
Furthermore, Leslie, Antonio and Alex call for all strategic plans and monthly financials to be published for public consumption.
They also want to conduct regular community roundtables. These are all incredibly direct ways to build more transparency with our BoE. They’ve already started this transparent and accessible culture by scheduling multiple Meet and Greets all through town!
When I searched for ways that the other slate suggests making the BoE more transparent, I only find platitudes but no actionable items and a very sparse social media channel.
On a personal note, Leslie and my older sons have known each other since they were toddlers in daycare.
I know that she is principled and operates with a no-nonsense approach, both in her career as a securities lawyer focusing on infrastructure finance (isn’t this the added voice and exact experience we want in the BoE for discussing a future plan for facilities needs?) and as a citizen.
Her wealth of knowledge is astounding and her ability to explain it in layman’s terms is just as impressive. I know she will scrutinize and challenge every decision the BoE has to make, and we will be better for it.
Leslie, Alex and Antonio have already proven their commitment to the Hoboken public school district for over a decade by sending their kids from Pre-K through high school and personally putting in blood, sweat and tears to improve the schools, whether through the PTO, the Hoboken Public Education Foundation, or the Board of Ed.
Their long track record as committed and humble public servants with no hidden agendas or political aspirations is as clear as day, and I am thankful and proud to vote for them for our Board of Education.
Tammy Peng has been a resident of Hoboken since 2008 and volunteers on the leadership team of the Hoboken Community Center Pantry. She and her husband have two kids in the public school district.
Links:
Leadership that Listens: https://www.leadershipthatlistenshoboken.com/
Hoboken Public Education Fund: http://www.hobokenpef.org/
Meet and Greets: https://www.leadershipthatlistenshoboken.com/events
Leslie, Alex and Antonio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc5suH2tNPo&t=3s