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Thomas Ellis (New Jersey)
Thomas Ellis was a candidate for at-large representative on the Newark Public Schools Board of Education in New Jersey. The general election was held on April 19, 2016. Ellis was defeated in the general election with Leah Owens, Tave Padilla, and Deborah Kim Thompson-Gaddy winning the available seats.
Biography
Ellis is a United States Air Force Veteran and is active in the Newark community. He is the founder and president of the anti-guns and anti-violence coalition Enough is Enough. Ellis also coaches little league, teaches acting, hosts What's up Newark, and is an outreach minister. Previously, he worked at the Apollo Theater.[1]
Elections
2016
- See also: Newark Public Schools elections (2016)
Three of the nine seats on the Newark Public Schools Board of Education were up for at-large general election on April 19, 2016. No incumbents filed in the race. Newcomers Jason Dotson, Thomas Ellis, Carole Graves, Tamara Moore, Leah Owens, Tave Padilla, Jody Pittman, Juan Silva, George Tillman, Deborah Kim Thompson-Gaddy, Jimmie White, and former candidate Sheila Montague faced each other for the three seats. Owens, Padilla, and Thompson-Gaddy defeated the remaining candidates and won seats on the Newark board. All three of these candidates were members of the Newark Unity slate endorsed by Mayor Ras J. Baraka. There was no primary.[2]
| Newark Public Schools, At-Large General Election, 3-year terms, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Deborah Kim Thompson-Gaddy |
21.92% | 5,909 |
| Tave Padilla |
21.86% | 5,892 |
| Leah Owens |
18.62% | 5,018 |
| Sheila Montague | 9.56% | 2,576 |
| Carole Graves | 8.09% | 2,180 |
| Tamara Moore | 6.59% | 1,775 |
| Thomas Ellis | 3.32% | 896 |
| Jody Pittman | 2.95% | 794 |
| Juan Silva | 2.29% | 618 |
| George Tillman | 1.87% | 505 |
| Jimmie White | 1.68% | 452 |
| Jason Dotson | 1.25% | 338 |
| Total Votes | 26,953 | |
| Source: Essex County Clerk, "2016 School Board Election," accessed May 10, 2016 | ||
Funding
Ellis reported no campaign funding in the election.[3]
Endorsements
Ellis received no official endorsements in the election.
Campaign themes
2016
The following survey was included in a candidate profile written on Ellis by the Newark Trust for Education.[4]
| “ |
Based on your qualifications and experience, what makes you a suitable candidate to serve on the Newark Public Schools Advisory Board? I am a family worker in early childcare and have been for the past 11 years working with children, parents, teaching staff, and school administration. I have a passion for education and want to see a better Newark Public School system for the future children, and I'm a community leader and advocate for children and parents and have been for 9 years now in the City of Newark. What are your reasons for running? I am running because I believe that all the children deserve quality education, excellent schools, better public school system and someone active from the community on the board to represent the children, parents, community, and the future of Newark Public Schools. Are you running with an organizational slate? I am not running with a slate. I am an independent candidate, my platform is public safety in and around Newark Public Schools, and community, increasing the graduation rate for middle and high school students, public health, qualified teachers in all Newark Pubic School classrooms, reducing classroom sizes, improving Newark Public Schools, providing remedial assistance to students that need academic assistance, improving test scores for all children, and getting the resources needed to all the schools, and especially those lacking materials, so that each child and school has a opportunity to provide the best teaching, and learning environment possible. What are your priorities for the district in the coming year? My priorities is to ensure public safety in schools, create better parent engagement, offer parent workshops to increase parenting skills, and create GED classes for parent we many young parents that may need to upgrade their educational level and this would be a great way to assist them. these are just a few What attributes and qualifications do you consider essential for effective school board members? The attributes are clear experience, passion, and putting the Newark Public Schools children education first and not politics[5] |
” |
| —Thomas Ellis | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Thomas Ellis' 'Newark Public Schools'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Newark Trust for Education, "Thomas Ellis," accessed April 11, 2016
- ↑ Mandy Gillip, "Email communication with Martha Jones, Newark district secretary to the superintendent," March 9, 2016
- ↑ New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, "Public Information," accessed June 24, 2016
- ↑ Newark Trust for Education, "Thomas Ellis," accessed April 11, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| 2016 Newark Public Schools Elections | |
| Essex County, New Jersey | |
| Election date: | April 19, 2016 |
| Candidates: | At-large: Jason Dotson • Thomas Ellis • Carole Graves • Sheila Montague • Tamara Moore • Leah Owens • Tave Padilla • Jody Pittman • Juan Silva • George Tillman • Deborah Kim Thompson-Gaddy • Jimmie White |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
