21 Candidates for 3 School Board Vacancies – It’s Enough to Make Your Head Spin
If you’re overwhelmed by the number of people running for the Detroit school board this year, rest assured you’re not alone. Who has time to do research on the 21 candidates vying for three vacancies? That’s why we’re grateful to Chalkbeat Detroit, a news magazine covering education, for publishing a brief bio for each one to guide our decision-making.
If you want to know more about where the candidates stand on the issues, you can read their answers to Chalkbeat’s comprehensive questionnaire here. Not all of the candidates responded to Chalkbeat’s requests for information. We were unable to find any biographical or campaign-related information for several of the candidates listed below. One candidate, Jason Malone, is still listed on the ballot but has recently dropped out of the race. Here are the others:
Monique Bryant
-District parent
-Nonprofit executive
-Ran unsuccessfully for school board in 2022
Sherisse Markeita Butler
-Senior VP & Executive Director of City Year
-Serves on board of directors for Detroit Promise Zone Authority and Teen HYPE Youth Development
Richard Carl Clement
-Computer consultant
-Previous experience as precinct delegate
-Candidate for state office
-Political volunteer
-Ran unsuccessfully for school board in 2020 and 2022
Nicole Conaway
-Longtime math teacher in DPSCD
-Fired because she refused to teach in person until Covid was eradicated
-Vocal critic of DPSCD policies
Sherry Gay-Dagnogo
-Incumbent elected in 2020
-Former state rep
-Director of Government Affairs & Academic Outreach for Team Wellness Center
Victor B. Gibson
-Retired DPSCD teacher
Marie Hill-Nixon
-No information available
Tabrian Joe
-Mail handler for USPS
-Former reading interventionist in Highland Park
Christopher B. Johnson
-District parent
-Retired, taught medical assisting and billing at the Academy of Inkster and Lawton Business School
-President of the Bagley Community Council
Toson Knight
-President and founder of Caught Up mentoring program
-Division Director for Prevention and Diversion for Wayne County
-Former District 4 Deputy Manager in Department of Neighborhoods
-Worked as a Dean of Culture at East English Prep Academy @ Finney and at Western
Eugene Lewis
-No information available
Aliya Moore
-Education advocate
-District parent
-Frequent critic of DPSCD
-Ran for the board in 2022
Jennifer Nixon
-Graduated from DPS in 2005
-Works for Delta Dental of Michigan
Faustine Onwvneme
-Real estate agent
-District parent
-Owner of Oluchi African Hair Braiding
-Founder of Detroit chapter of Sheroes Union, which provides mentoring to youth
-Vice President of African Unity Caucus of Michigan
Benjamin Royal
-Former DPSCD teacher and frequent critic of the board
-Lead name on a lawsuit that sought to prevent the district from holding in-person summer school classes in 2020
R. Amir Short
– No information available
Ida Carol Short
-Served on board previously
-Has been a professor of English at Schoolcraft College and WCCC
Tawanna Simpson
-Community activist
-Former member of DPS board
-Ran unsuccessfully for DPSCD
-Long-term substitute teacher at Riverside Academy charter school
-Previous paraeducator and basketball coach in Detroit district
Jeremiah Steen
-Philanthropist
-Youth advocate
-Career pathway developer
Boyd White III
-Personal injury lawyer and partner at Dykema
-Founder and pastor of The Ark Detroit church
-Board member of Detroit Public Theatre
