Edison GOP Backs 'Nonpartisan' School Board Candidates

EDISON, NJ — Three Board of Education candidates have picked up endorsements from the local Republican party, raising questions about the nonpartisan nature of the election.

In New Jersey, school board candidates do not run or govern with a party. There is no primary, and they declare separately. These governing bodies are designed to be nonpartisan.

The Edison Republican Organization recently sent out flyers endorsing Manoj Jaitly, Doug Schneider, and Brian Rivera who are running under the slate ‘Champions of Students.’

“Now more than ever, our schools need leaders like Manoj, Doug, and Brian who share a clear vision for our children’s future,” the flyer said.

Jaitly also happens to be a committeeman of the Republican Party in District 33.

“Together with Doug Schneider and Brian Rivera, Manoj will continue to support school expansions with no impact to taxpayers, advocate for parental rights and create a clear path for every student to achieve success,” the flyer said.

The endorsement was signed by Sylvia Engle, Chairperson, Edison Republicans; Keith Hahn, former Republican mayoral candidate and Committeeman of District 27; and Chris Lugo, current BOE member and District 5 Committeeman.

This initiative has raised many questions about where partisan politics come into play for nonpartisan school board elections.

Hahn said the endorsement was all about supporting the best candidate for the job. “Two of the three people that I’m endorsing are Democrats. So the endorsement is nonpartisan. It’s really about who we think is gonna represent the district best and look out for the interest of the children,” Hahn said.

Hahn also noted that last year, he had supported candidate Jerry Shi for a BOE seat.

Politics has been part of school board elections and has become a new battleground in American politics, with many nonpartisan races becoming increasingly polarized and gaining national attention.

Politics also comes into play because school budgets are large and money is spent in ways similar to towns and other local government entities, through capital contracts.

But for Edison BOE candidates, the endorsement reflects the focus on candidates' merits rather than political affiliations.

For Schneider, a registered Democrat, the endorsement reflects shared values in education and fiscal responsibility. He also noted that Rivera is a Democratic Committee person in District 24.

“It shows that people in town are looking at the candidates themselves and not the political parties. It reflects shared values as it relates to education and the stewardship of tax dollars. It should never be partisan,” Schneider said.

“I'm very proud to get any endorsement, to be honest with you, and this one in particular, because it shows that there are people out there that truly are just looking at candidates and not party.”

Schneider also dismissed all talk of partisanship creeping into the election.

“Some years ago when the Board of Ed moved their election from April to November, I think it gave people the perception that it's more political than it should be. But this is a bipartisan ticket and is not necessarily aligned in the way that other elections are.”

In New Jersey school board candidates continue to run and govern without a party affiliation and many embrace nonpartisanship for the betterment of the district.

However, many residents have viewed this endorsement as “unusual” and “unethical.” But the involvement of partisan groups and the choice of candidates to seek their help is legal, according to Micah Rasmussen, director of Rider University's Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.

“There’s no specific prohibition against a political organization campaigning on behalf of a candidate, that is not against the law. It also is not unusual,” Rasmussen said.

“Maybe you would even say that it is inevitable, since we moved most of our school board elections to November, which is mostly a partisan election, it's not surprising that you would see an endorsement of somebody on the ballot.”

Speaking on the ethics of it, Rasmussen thinks it raises the question as to whether or not the candidate should accept the help or the endorsement of the political party.

For many, a political endorsement could mean the influence of partisan politics on school board decisions.

"I think you'd have to look at the specific ethical rules of that school board to determine whether or not there is any kind of an ethical dilemma here,” Rasmussen said.

“I do think if a candidate is trying to respect the nonpartisan nature of the school board elections and of the school board, they probably want to steer clear of a party's help. But having said that, again there’s no prohibition against it.”

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