Candidate Profile 2021: Jiten Patel, Bensalem School Board

BENSALEM, PA — Jiten Patel, the owner of an eco-friendly product manufacturing business, is running for School Board Director of the Bensalem Township School District.

Also in the race are Stephanie A. Gonzalez Ferrandez, Alana Hardison, Jaime P. Devery, Scott Endicter, Kim J. Rivera, Jack Meyer, and Joe Pettyjohn.

Here's Patel's profile, as filled out by the candidate:

Age (as of Election Day)

41

Party Affiliation

Republican

Family

Wife and 10yrs old and 13yr old

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

NO

Education

BHS Graduate, Temple Univ Graduate

Occupation

Eco Friendly Product Manufacturing Business Owner

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

School Board Director

Campaign website

https://www.bensalemrepublican...

Why are you seeking elective office?

I would like to serve my community and the district in which I live by and truly believe in. You can talk about the change or get involved and make the change. Simple as that.

The single most pressing issue facing our district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Ensuring we keep our students and staff in the classroom for in-person learning -- safely and responsibly

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I simply want to give back to the community I grew up in and make Bensalem a great place to live and have a school district that is reputable and respected throughout the state of PA.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

Transparency

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Leadership roles in many organizations with complete transparency.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Don't just talk about it, go out there and do it.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Committed to improving the quality of education in our community
Willingness to support and defend local students / parents / community
Confident to make tough decisions that will be in the best interest of the student / school district
Skills to incorporate the consensus, needs, and priorities of the community into strong policies
Work as a team to create a vision for the district and set measurable goals to achieve that vision
Understand finances and budgets and regularly monitor the fiscal health of the district
Focus on the true bottom line: student achievement and implementing policies that ensure success for all students
Inform the public regularly on the district’s progress and challenges
Collaborate with others and be respectful of the full leadership team
Advocate for the value of a strong public education system at every chance and at every level of government
100% Transparency between school board & parents (No personal agendas / motives should be involved for any members at any time)