This fall, four candidates are vying for three seats on the 9-member South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education: Trish Azeez, Liz Callahan, Kevin Diaz, and Will Meyer. Village Green is posting endorsements for candidates from current and former elected officials who hold or held townwide office or higher, as well as endorsements by local organizations. Read more election coverage here.
Will Meyer and Liz Callahan. Photo by Tracy Sham.
I’m supporting Elizabeth “Liz” Callahan and Will Meyer for reelection to the South Orange–Maplewood Board of Education, and I hope you will too.
Liz and Will have helped guide our district through leadership transitions, tough budgets, and important changes. They bring experience, independent judgment, and a commitment to making the Board more transparent and accountable. With another difficult budget ahead, that experience matters. Their approach has been collaborative and pragmatic.
I especially value their commitment to integrated schools, students with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ students and families. They’ve been visible and vocal about protecting students and making sure every child gets the support they need to belong and succeed.
They also understand that strong schools and strong communities go together. As a councilmember and former mayor, I appreciate their commitment to closer collaboration between our towns and our district, and to responsible stewardship of public dollars.
There’s more work to do. Transportation and paraprofessional setbacks deserve honest scrutiny and follow-through. Liz and Will recognize that, and they’re committed to using what they’ve learned to deliver better results.
Please join me in voting for Elizabeth Callahan and Will Meyer.
Dean Dafis, Esq., he him his
Maplewood Township Committee Member; former Mayor
The views expressed here represent Dean Dafis and not the Maplewood Township Committee as a whole.
