That’s Lavar Young, Newark City Director for the Black Alliance for Educational Options, who told the Star-Ledger, “I think it was really a coming out party for the collective group, or for the charter community to say we’re here, we’re not really going anywhere and we want a piece of the pie.”

The Ledger piece notes the sweeping victory of the Unity Slate, which garnered 62% of the vote in a field of 12 candidates and the impact of Parent Coalition for Excellent Education. The Unity Slate was comprised of Kim Gaddy, Tave Padilla, and Leah Owens. Gaddy (chosen by PC2E) and Padilla (chosen by City Councilman Anibal Ramos Jr. of the North Ward) are charter school supporters, while Owens, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s pick, has called for a moratorium on all charter school expansion.

Mashea Ashton, CEO of the Newark Charter School Fund, said, “I think it’s confirmation that what parents and Newark communities want is better education options across the city, They are tired of the politics, the business as usual, the us versus them.”