This Saturday's election will determine the next 4 years of educational policy in New Orleans. We know that our students deserve better and we deserve better. This election is expected to be very low turn out so what matters most will be getting people out to vote. Can you take a minute to call or text 10 friends to make sure that they GeauxVote on Saturday?
UTNO endorsements which were voted on at our general membership meeting are posted on the top of the page on UTNO.org can you share the endorsement list on your social media channels?
You can see your polling location and your full ballot to make sure you know how you plan to vote by downloading the geauxvote app or visiting geauxvote.com.
In addition to the OPSB races, a millage proposal that would gut our public libraries (learn more on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), and the future of the criminal justice system are on the ballot- local elections matter- get your folks out to vote!
UTNO's OPSB endorsements:
District 2: Dr. Chanel Payne brings a wealth of experience in education to this race. As a teacher, literacy specialist, interventionist, and administrator, she knows firsthand the challenges our schools face. As the most qualified candidate for District 2, she believes school board members should be hands-on and actively engaged with the schools they oversee; “the position should be taken seriously to ensure that students are educated effectively, treated equally, and are safe and secure in our schools.” She stressed the need for culturally relevant pedagogies, noting that too many resources are not designed to serve the students our schools serve. Dr. Payne’s campaign website is drchanelmpayne.com.
District 5: Antoinette Williams is the only candidate in any of the races for school board who has experienced being a student in New Orleans charter schools. As a student, she saw firsthand how the current system works for some students and not for others. Those persistent inequities continued to trouble her after she graduated McDonogh 35 as valedictorian, so she’s focused her college studies on education. She’s worked with New Orleans Public Schools and InspireNOLA to ensure that students’ voices are valued and heard. Her election as District 5 representative will bring a powerful—and much needed—voice for students throughout the city to the school board. She says, “We need to ensure that each charter is providing a real, quality education to their students.” Antoinette’s campaign website is antoinettefor5.com.
District 7: The name Nolan Marshall is well known to generations of New Orleans who attended public schools. Nolan was in the business of making memories. His work supporting yearbooks and selling class rings brought him into many schools and he developed many, lasting relationships with teachers and administrators. As a school board member for District 7, he’s been raising a wide variety of concerns for years. “Funders believe that quality education is passing tests and getting kids ready for college or career, but it’s much more than that. Too many kids get out of school without a sense of their own identity.” He knows that school board members must work in communities to forge solutions, such as stronger PTOs and broader coalitions of stakeholders in our schools. Nolan’s campaign website is https://www.nolanmarshalljr.com/