The Newark Board of Education failed to approve a new five-year contract for Superintendent Roger León during a special meeting on Thursday, September 25, 2025. The proposal, which would have extended his leadership through 2030, fell one vote short of the five-vote majority required for passage.
Key Takeaways
- The Newark Board of Education voted 4-0 in favor of a new contract for Superintendent Roger León, but it failed because a five-vote majority was needed.
- Two board members abstained, two recused themselves due to conflicts of interest, and one was absent.
- The vote followed a public hearing where 40 community members voiced both support for and opposition to the superintendent.
- León's current contract remains in effect and is set to expire in June 2028.
Vote Breakdown Reveals Divided Board
The final vote tally was 4-0, a result that did not secure the necessary majority on the nine-member board. The motion to approve the new contract ultimately failed due to a combination of abstentions and recusals.
Board Co-Vice Presidents Vereliz Santana and Allison James-Frison, along with members Josephine Garcia and Louis Maisonave, cast the four votes in favor of the extension. However, their support was not enough to overcome the lack of a fifth vote.
Abstentions and Recusals Determine Outcome
Two of the board's newest members, David Daughety and Melissa Green, chose to abstain from the vote. Daughety was elected in April, and Green was appointed in June to fill a vacant seat. Their abstentions were critical in preventing the measure from passing.
Adding to the complexity, Board President Hasani Council and member Kanaleah Anderson recused themselves. Both cited conflicts of interest, as they have family members employed by the district who are indirectly supervised by the superintendent. Board member Helena Vinhas was not present at the meeting.
Vote Summary
- Votes For: 4
- Votes Needed: 5
- Abstentions: 2
- Recusals: 2
- Absent: 1
Public Hearing Exposes Community Concerns
Before the vote, the board held a public hearing at Ann Street School, where a crowd of over 200 people gathered. Approximately 40 individuals addressed the board, presenting a wide range of perspectives on Superintendent León's performance and the proposed contract.
Supporters of León emphasized the need for continuity and stability in the district's leadership. They pointed to his role in navigating the district through the COVID-19 pandemic and his ambitious school construction projects.
"He brought us through COVID," said Lucious Jones, a former district advisory board member. "He built a brand new high school in almost every ward in the city."
Conversely, critics raised significant concerns about transparency, responsiveness, and student achievement. The most frequently mentioned issue was León's refusal to release the "CREED report," an independent investigation into allegations of anti-Black discrimination at the School of Global Studies.
"My recommendation is to table the vote," stated Debra Smith Gregory, president of the Newark NAACP, referencing the unreleased report. Other opponents questioned the urgency of approving a new contract three years before the current one expires.
Previous Contract Controversy
This vote stands in sharp contrast to León's last contract renewal. In 2023, his initial five-year contract, signed in 2018, was renewed automatically without a public hearing or vote. The renewal occurred because the board missed a deadline to take action, a legal but heavily criticized process that drew condemnation from transparency advocates.
León's Accomplishments and Criticisms Weighed
At the start of the meeting, Superintendent León highlighted his administration's achievements. He noted the construction or approval of 13 new schools as part of a 10-year facilities plan he introduced in 2020. This plan is scheduled to conclude in 2030, the year his proposed contract would have ended.
León also cited increased student attendance, improving test scores, and millions of dollars in college scholarships secured for Newark students. He mentioned that several district schools have earned prestigious Blue Ribbon designations from the U.S. Department of Education.
Concerns Over Spending and Transparency Persist
Despite these accomplishments, León has faced criticism beyond local issues. Lawmakers from South Jersey have questioned what they describe as lavish spending on travel, meals, and other expenses. These concerns are amplified because the state provides more than 80% of the district's $1.57 billion budget through state aid.
Critics at the hearing also spoke of a perceived lack of responsiveness from district staff and the superintendent himself, contributing to a broader narrative of insufficient transparency.
What Happens Next for Newark Schools
Following the failed vote, Superintendent León left the meeting without addressing the board or the public and did not take questions. Board President Hasani Council also declined to comment on the outcome, citing district policy that limits press communications to his office.
The decision means that Roger León will continue to serve as superintendent under his current contract, which is not set to expire until June 2028. The board's inability to muster a majority for an early extension leaves questions about his long-term future and the board's confidence in his leadership. The focus will now shift to whether the board will reconsider the matter as the 2028 expiration date approaches.
