Asbury Park City Council Member Endorses the Improve Learning Now Ticket
The Coaster 9/19/24
Support for the Improve Learning Now Ticket
I am endorsing Stephanie Ackerman, Dominic Latorraca, and Jessie Ricks for the Asbury Park School Board in this November’s election.
I am currently on the Asbury Park City Council, and have had considerable experience with the Asbury Park school system. I was elected to the Asbury Park School Board in 2011 and served as board president in 2012-2013 and from 2016-2021. During this 5-year period, a divided and dysfunctional board became unified and made progress on improving student academic achievement.
I have known Jessie Ricks, who is seeking re-election to the Board, for many years. She is a long time Asbury Park resident who has been active in the community, has served on various local boards, and worked in the Asbury Park School District for decades. She has seen the need for teachers and staff to meet the challenge of improving learning first-hand, has always openly communicated with the community, and has a record of only voting in favor of expenditures that support the children.
Dominic Latorraca and I worked together on the Asbury Park School Board from 2016-2021. He developed working relationships with all board members to make the Board more effective, and eventually took the lead as the Board and administration cut the budget over $20 million due to loss of State funds. His prior experience in educational management is critical in dealing with the need to fairly and accurately evaluate our workforce so that student test scores improve.
As I have gotten to know Stephanie Ackerman, I am impressed by her analytical approach to solving problems, her legal expertise in financial matters, her background in non-profit board management, and her professionalism in dealing with everyone. She displays a serious concern for providing a better education for our children.
Based on my experience, I have strong opinions on what needs to be done to improve our school district. I know what it takes to have a professional board working together. I am convinced that Stephanie Ackerman, Dominic Latorraca, and Jessie Ricks bring the skills and experience necessary to improve student test scores in a fiscally responsible way that will include much more community engagement.
Please join me in endorsing and voting for the Improve Learning Now! ticket of Ackerman, Latorraca, and Ricks.
Angela Ahbez-Anderson • Asbury Park City Council member
Danielle Petrucci, Sean O’Scanlon
Asbury Park Education Association
VIA EMAIL daniellepetrucci@gmail.com; soscanlon@hotmail.com;
CC: ewheeler@njea.org
RE: APEA Candidate Screening Invitation
Dear Ms. Petrucci and Mr. O’Scanlon:
Thank you for reaching out to us regarding a potential endorsement of the Improve Learning Now! ticket by the Asbury Park Education Association (“APEA”). We have discussed the potential endorsement as a group and with our legal advisors.
The New Jersey School Board Association provides guidance on the potential impact of endorsements, citing two Advisory Opinions by the New Jersey School Ethics Commission. As you are no doubt aware, candidates may be endorsed by a local school employees’ union, however, “accepting such an endorsement may restrict the candidate’s ability to participate fully in certain discussions and votes of the board of education.” NJSBA, Asked and Answered: Candidate Endorsements, https://www.njsba.org/new-website-topic/asked-answered-candidate-endorsements/ (last visited Aug. 30, 2024).
While the endorsement of a candidate by a local union does not create an automatic future conflict for school board members, each situation must be examined “on a case-by-case basis” to consider relevant factors. Factors considered include the level of support provided by the local union, whether the local union’s support could be construed as intending to influence the board member in the member’s official duties, whether the member could receive some benefit for actions on a particular matter, and/or whether the member provides unwarranted privilege, advantage, or employment to political supporters. (See New Jersey School Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion A10-18 dated June 26, 2018, p.2); see generally New Jersey School Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion A13-02 dated Dec. 2, 2002 and November 26, 2002.)
Based on the above, we have determined that accepting an endorsement from the APEA could create a potential conflict of interest not only for us, but for the APEA as well. This potential conflict could limit both ours and the APEA’s ability to participate in certain matters before the school board. I am sure you will agree that the School Board and the APEA should have an open and transparent relationship where both groups may engage fully in furtherance of our common goal to provide the students of Asbury Park with the best education. Therefore, we will not be seeking, nor accepting if given, an endorsement from the APEA.
If elected, we look forward to working with the NJEA and APEA to develop strategies to provide the best possible academic environment for Asbury Park’s students. To that end, we welcome the opportunity to meet and discuss our thoughts as to how the APEA can work more effectively with the community to raise the level of student academic achievement in Asbury Park.
Again, thank you for the opportunity and we look forward to working together in the future.
Sincerely,
Dominic Latorraca, Jessie Ricks, Stephanie Ackerman