Who is Mohammed Rashid, the newest member of Paterson's Board of Education?
PATERSON — Mohammed Rashid was something of a mystery man in the city’s recent Board of Education election.
In an interview this week with Paterson Press, Rashid acknowledged he had never attended a Paterson Board of Education meeting. He didn’t participate in the handful of candidate forums that took place. Local education advocates said they had never heard of him.
But plenty of Paterson voters had seen Rashid’s face.
Backed by Washington super PAC
That’s because he was one of three candidates backed by a Washington, D.C.-based super PAC called America’s Future First, a group tied to influential Democrats, which produced about six campaign mailings during the weeks leading up to Election Day.
Rashid ended up finishing first in the field of nine candidates, including seven rivals who previously won Paterson school elections.
“Three thousand people knew who I was,” Rashid said in an interview on Monday, slightly inflating his vote total of 2,834.
The super PAC mailings focused on pocketbook issues, especially the recent series of double-digit-percentage school tax increases in Paterson. Joel Ramirez, another candidate endorsed by the PAC, also won. The third person supported by the PAC, Flavio Rivera, finished sixth.
Kenneth Simmons, a 12-year incumbent who won the third school board seat up for grabs this fall, expressed skepticism about Rashid’s education credentials.
“I can’t say that I think he’s familiar with the issues,” Simmons said.
Lost Paterson city job during campaign
Rashid ended up having some extra hours to devote to his school board campaign. That’s because he was fired from his job in Paterson city government about a month before the election.
“It was a blessing for me,” he said of his termination. “I had more time to knock on doors.”
Rashid said he immigrated to Paterson from Bangladesh in 1999 and had attained accounting degrees in his homeland. He said he worked for almost 20 years at a bank, before his position was outsourced, and then was employed at FedEx and Bob’s Furniture.
City payroll records show Rashid originally was hired by Mayor Andre Sayegh’s administration in September 2022 and worked as an inspector in the Economic Development Department.
Several months ago, a position requiring accounting skills opened in Paterson’s Community Development Department. Rashid said he transferred to that job, which involved federal funding applications. But he said he was terminated in October.
Rashid said he is collecting unemployment and plans to start looking for a new job now that the election is over. School board members are not paid.
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'I have many things to learn'
In recent years, Rashid said, he has done some substitute teaching in Paterson schools. He said the district needs to address its problem with teaching vacancies. He also said he thinks the district should improve access to mental health resources and expand emotional support service offerings in schools.
Rashid said he would strive to be a good “teammate” on the school board, acknowledging that other members have more experience than he does.
“I’m the new person on the board,” he said. “I have many things to learn.”
Ramirez, who works as director of health and human services for city government, called Rashid “a very hardworking individual.”
“The results of this election speak to his dedication to community outreach,” Ramirez said. “I am sure he will transfer that energy and commitment to his work on the board. I look forward to serving alongside him as we meet the needs of all our district's children.”
Rashid’s strongest vote totals came from Paterson’s 2nd Ward, which includes the city’s highest concentration of Bangladeshi immigrants. His candidacy was backed by 2nd Ward Councilman Shahin Khalique.
“Mohammed Rashid's candidacy for the school board reflects a positive response to the growing Bengali student population, aiming to ensure fair representation and address the community's unique needs in education,” Khalique said. “His advocacy may focus on cultural inclusivity, language support and creating a more welcoming environment for Bengali students and their families.”
Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson: Who is Mohammed Rashid, newest member of the school board?
