In a letter to the editor, Jersey City Board of Education candidate Brendan Doohan, of the “For Stronger Schools” slate, explains why he’s running.
Dear Editor,
As a parent of a Jersey City Public School student, I am continually disheartened at the ongoing mismanagement of the Jersey City Board of Education. There is a glaring need for more resources and better leadership.
This is urgent since, as federal and state funding sources decrease, the budget for the district will increasingly rely on the local school tax levy.
With this change in funding, the Board needs to operate more efficiently and responsibly while also vetting vendors more thoroughly. The time for change is now.
A bit about me. My ancestors immigrated to Jersey City from Ireland more than a century ago. I grew up in downtown Jersey City and currently live in the Heights with my wife and son.
Education has played a large role in my life: I graduated from Saint Peter’s Prep, earned a degree from Rutgers, and later completed a graduate degree in clinical therapy. Currently I work in technology.
Today, as the parent of a Jersey City Public School student, I see firsthand the urgent need for change in our schools.
Too many classrooms still lack basics—bathroom stall doors, maintained athletic fields, working HVAC systems—all this while the Board of Education had provided insufficient review of the budget.
Repeated audits have exposed the same financial failures year after year: “missing contracts and inaccurate payroll records to outdated asset inventories and unrecorded expenses.”
These are not isolated mistakes. They reveal a systemic lack of oversight that drains resources away from students.
My vision for the district is simple: every student should have access to the resources they need to succeed.
This includes strong STEM programs, trade school pathways, extracurriculars, and athletics. Achieving this requires a Board guided by four pillars:
Accountability – We must demand accountability in every contract and program. Trust – We must rebuild trust by making budgets transparent and understandable.
Communication – We need open communication so parents, students, and teachers are heard.
Success for all students – We must measure every decision by whether it helps students.
To combat this rampant oversight I will do three things:
1) Audit any contract over $50,000 to see how it is being used and if JCPS students are directly benefiting from it
2) Vote “No” on contracts where either the program is not meeting its goals or does not have a measurable goal; and,
3) Analyze current spending for any other opportunities for greater efficiencies and alternative funding sources.
These steps will ensure that the historic budget of the Board brings results for students and the JCPS staff. With state and federal funding declining, Jersey City will inevitably rely more on the local tax levy.
But that reliance must be gradual and responsible, not reckless. If we ask taxpayers to shoulder more, every dollar must be justified.
As a board member, I will push to cut waste and explore funding alternatives, redirecting funds into programs that directly serve the students and staff.
Having an independent Board that only answers to the students of Jersey City is essential for progress. With the right focus and discipline, we can build a school system that lives up to the promise our children deserve. That is why I’m running.
Last, I am not doing this alone. With Lorenzo Richardson and Aimee Sharrock, I am running on the “For Stronger Schools” slate.
If you also feel frustrated with the direction of the Board, please join us. You can get involved by:
● Finding us on Instagram at @forstrongerschools and on Facebook at https://facebook.com/forstrongerschools.
● Donating at Aimee Sharrock, Lorenzo Richardson, and Brendan Doohan — Donate via ActBlue (any amount helps)
● Most importantly, voting for all three (3) of the For Stronger Schools slate (myself 6F, Aimee Sharrock 7F and Lorenzo Richardson 5F) on November 4, 2025. Early voting starts on October 25 and runs until November 2nd.
Together we can bring the change the students deserve.
Brendan Doohan
Jersey City Board of Education candidate