Joshua Weiner - a Statement to Randolph Residents

I wanted to take the opportunity to speak to you, the residents of Randolph Township. The Board of Education is intended to be non-partisan. To that end, I believe that the political affiliation of a board member is irrelevant. What is relevant is how a board member approaches the role. It is about how they engage and interact with fellow board members both in private and in public, and how they handle the responsibility and burden of ensuring that our children are provided with the necessary tools and resources to succeed - all while managing to do so within an informed and purposeful budget.

I believe that as stewards of 70% of our property tax dollars, all board members have an obligation to carefully scrutinize and question each and every aspect of the school district’s budget. I have always been a fiscally cautious, prudent individual with my own finances and as a taxpayer. I am not a “pay now, worry later” individual. I will never accept a budget proposal or line-item expense simply because it has been presented and vetted by the administration.

I believe providing a child with a proper education is an investment in our future. I believe in a board that does everything in its power to ensure that all students, regardless of their personal, medical, social, or economic circumstances, are provided the skills, tools, and education they need to maximize the abilities they have and navigate an increasingly complicated world. I believe we can achieve educational excellence with prudent planning, not reckless rubber stamping. To do this effectively, I believe we must remember the superintendent works for the board, not the other way around. I believe in civility, compassion, empathy, and a willingness to listen to others. I believe that an uninformed decision is always the wrong decision, even if you get lucky enough to be right once in a while.

It is for these reasons that Sheldon Epstein asked me to be his running mate, and it is for these reasons that I chose to run.

I humbly request you vote position #1 and #2 on your ballot to bring accountability, fiscal prudence, and student focus back to Randolph Township Board of Education.