Seven candidates have met the filing deadline to run for three seats on the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education.
Election day is November 5. Every year, three seats on the 9-person governing body are up for election. Terms are for three years.
Today, incumbents Dr. Qawi Telesford and Arun Vadlamani filed to run — along with Bethany Joseph who will join their slate.
Qawi Telesford and Arun Vadlamani
Bethany Joseph
Also filing today: Former teacher and Maplewood Democratic District Leader Paul Stephan, who announced his candidacy on July 17.
Read more about Stephan’s filing here:
Paul Stephan
On Friday, three other candidates filed to run: former BOE member Jeffrey Bennett, along with Bimal Kapadia and Deirdre Gleeson Brown. Bennett, Kapadia and Brown submitted a bracketing letter to run together on a slate.
Read more about Bennett, Kapadia and Brown’s filing here:
Bimal Kapadia, Deirdre Brown and Jeffrey Bennett
Reached for comment on today’s filing, Telesford sent the following statement on behalf of himself, Vadlamani and Joseph:
Qawi, Arun, and Bethany are dedicated members of the SOMA community, united by a shared vision of community, collaboration, and stability. Our mission is simple: to build an inclusive and supportive educational environment where students can thrive both academically and socially.
To achieve this goal, we are committed to working closely and in concert with the new superintendent and our teachers to lead the district toward excellence. We are committed to as much Board transparency as possible within the constraints of education and employment law, and to listening to parents and students to ensure that every voice is heard and valued. We believe that our schools should embody the diverse and inclusive nature of our community and be a central part of realizing our shared values.
Above all, we hold that stability and reliability in our school system are paramount to ensuring student success and the flourishing of our community.
Read Vadlamani and Telesford’s previous candidates’ statements here:
- South Orange-Maplewood BOE Candidate Statement: Qawi Telesford
- South Orange-Maplewood BOE Candidate Statement: Arun Vadlamani
Per LinkedIn, Bethany Joseph is an “Experienced leader in Social Work, Case Management and Operations with a demonstrated history of working in the health care industry.” Read more here.
Village Green has reached out to all the candidates for updated profiles and statements and will post them as they are received.
NOTE: Although candidates can form slates, campaigning and fundraising together, voters select candidates individually on the ballot.
