Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad and James Davis
To the Editor:
I’m writing to express my enthusiastic support for James H. Davis III & Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad in their candidacy for the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education. The election is November 8. James and Stephanie bring extensive experience to the board at a critical moment for our district.
Having served on the board with Stephanie for the past year, I’ve been impressed by her grasp of the issues and her passion for ensuring the best possible educational experience for all our children. I admire Stephanie’s ability to bring clarity of thought and a voice of reason to the board’s deliberations, no matter how contentious the issue. If you’ve attended board meetings or watched them on TV, you know what I mean.
I’m thrilled that James has decided to run with Stephanie. I’ve known him since he moved to town in 2008. I was immediately impressed by his sharp mind and quick wit. James has four children who attend our schools. Many of you have probably seen him on the sidelines during soccer season, since he has coached (or assisted coaches) on all four of his kids’ soccer teams.
James is also a music lover, and he’s shared that passion with his children, all of whom are instrumentalists. So you may have seen him at music events, most recently helping out raising money for Achieve’s program to provide additional instruments to the district.
I think our district will benefit greatly from James’ passion for effective governance. He is a regulatory attorney with extensive experience in both government and business. He brings a unique set of skills around negotiation, collaboration, and leadership that will benefit our district immensely. After nearly a year on the Board, I have learned the importance of having people at the table who can listen effectively and forge agreement out of competing views. James is a person who can do that.
James H. Davis III and Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad are the sort of people we need on the Board of Education to help drive our district forward in the face of its many challenges. I encourage you to visit their website, www.boe2016.com, to learn more about their backgrounds and positions on the issues. And I hope you will join me in voting for James H. Davis III & Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad on November 8th.
Chris Sabin
Maplewood
