NY Working Families Party Endorses Five Community Activists for East Ramapo School District Board

By: Jennifer Korn

With the ERCSD (East Ramapo Central School District) board elections underway, the NYWFP (New York Working Families Party) has announced its endorsement of five community activists and public school parents.

“It’s high time East Ramapo students have community-rooted champions like these five women on the school board,” said NYWFP State Director Sochie Nnaemeka.

The special election, scheduled for Feb. 2, was called for in response to the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the district’s voting at-large system violated the Voting Rights Act. The court ordered that the elections now operate on a ward system where in the town is divided into election districts, with each district or “ward” nominating and voting on their own candidates.

The candidates endorsed by the party are: Sherry McGill for Ward 3, Carole Anderson for Ward 9, Linda Valentine for Ward 4, Sabrina Charles-Pierre for Ward 2, and Ashley Leveille for Ward 1.

“I want our students to know that their school board works for them,” said Valentine. “With the support of the Working Families Party, I believe that we can flip this school board and finally focus on what these students actually need: fully-funded classrooms and restorative justice.”

“Every child deserves a fair education, and I’m thrilled to be among the candidates that the NYWFP is endorsing to ensure that finally becomes the case in East Ramapo,” said Charles-Pierre.

The incumbents, Charles-Pierre and Leveille, are running unopposed.