As residents of New Jersey we deal with so much, from rising costs of utilities, rising costs of food, rent that is becoming unbearable, and taxes that have us all praying for relief. When you add in the gubernatorial election that has national implications, many of us Newark residents believe this is not the time to increase anything.

Instead our school board, which is supposed to represent us, is determined to spend more money and waste more time on failed leadership instead of paying attention to what our students need.

Tomorrow evening at the the Newark Board of Education public meeting, the school board, as always following the whims of Newark Public Schools superintendent Roger Leon, is ready — once again — to renew his contract without public approval or, as far as we can tell, any thought. Think about it:  Our children are not reading on grade level, yet Leon wants more money. Leon has wasted millions on lawsuits and, yes, he wants more! And now he wants an extension on his contract that still has three more years to go.

Residents of New Jersey are not receiving what they deserve but Newark Public Schools Superintendent Roger Leon will have his contract extension. While we are dealing with so much in our state and in our country, he believes this is the time to give himself MORE.

My question to the members of the Newark Public School Board is: why now?  What do you owe the Superintendent to vote for this increase?  What has he promised you in exchange for your vote on this contract extension? We, the people of the city of Newark and taxpayers of the state of New Jersey, do not deserve to bear the burden of your inside deal.

Instead, we deserve a proper public evaluation of his current contract. In 2019, one year into his three year contract, you gave him a two year extension to 2023. In July 2023 you  automatically renewed his contract to 2028. Now he is asking for an extension to September 30, 2030. This is ridiculous. By every measure Newark Public Schools needs to improve and deliver a better education for our children. 

Have you forgotten that only one out of three Newark district students is at grade level in reading and only one in four is at grade level in math? Why aren’t you spending the meeting talking about necessary reforms instead of using a meeting to satisfy Leon’s whims, locking this city and state into a leadership style that ignores student achievement and wastes our money on frivolous antics?

Roger Leon and the members of the Newark Public School Board need to defer this extension until a later date. There are state and municipal elections in 2025 and 2026;  why not at least wait until after the elections? Locking in a contract extension now could cost all of us later. This is bad business.

The average Superintendent in New Jersey has a tenure of three to four years. Leon has already surpassed that benchmark. So my simple question is WHY NOW? Newark Public School Board Members and residents of NJ, I ask you WHY NOW?

We can’t afford our utility bills, food, rent, and taxes. Our children can’t afford five more years of Roger Leon.