Dear Editor,

There is too much talk about the search and the process for our Jersey City Public Schools circling around the city among our residents, parents, voters, teachers and of course the taxpayers.

But, if you talk to a wise person, they will tell you that the search and the process must be ceased immediately until we find a better candidate and that is my advice for many reasons:

Financially, we as taxpayers are paying for the former superintendent until June 30, paying for an interim super until September 1 and looking to pay for a new super also, all of them right now at the same time. Can we really afford to pay for a new super and her entourage?s salaries?

Once again, we will let a new outsider in to run our schools system when we have over qualified people living here within our city, Jersey City. Enough is enough.

Taxes went up high for the past two years without there being any need to raise them. We paid for the administration?s salary for a failing district. I think taxpayers should get a refund from the JCPS or tax credits for the next two years because they spent our monies for their own purpose.

The Interview Committee for the candidates was conducted by the board of trustees only which I believe was not the right thing to do. Where are the parents, teachers that live in our district, students, the local union? They all should be included in the committee, not only the trustees. Hopefully that will change for the next time we conduct a new search.

Elections, the chance of having a new president, new governor and new mayor all in 2013, are getting closer every single day. We know what that means: a new vision for our country, state, and city education system for the next school year.

That is why for all of the above I?m asking our BOE trustees to freeze the search and the process for at least one more year until we see the outcomes for the next years elections and the new vision for our country, state and city. Rushing for a new superintendent now is counterproductive and will harm us all, indeed.

Sincerely,

Nabil Youssef
Former City Council Candidate
Jersey City
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... ntendent-can-harm-us-all/