NYC Council District 39 Race: Jessica Simmons Seeks Seat

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — Voters in New York City's 39th Council District, which extends from the Columbia Waterfront District down to Borough Park, will see seven names on their ballots when they vote in the June 22 primary election.

One of those names will be Jessica Simmons, a local teacher and principal who is the secretary on the Community Education Council for District 13.

Patch reached out to all candidates in the election to create these profiles. Simmons' responses are below:

Age (as of Election Day)

45

Position Sought

City Council

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Neighborhood of residence (i.e., East Village, Astoria, etc.)

Park Slope

Family

Husband - Liam, 45; Son - Sam, 8

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Nope!

Education

BA in Women's Studies/English from University of Rhode Island and MA in Women's Studies/Literature of the African Diaspora from San Diego State University

Occupation

Educator 22 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Elected to Community Education Council 13 2019-2021

Campaign website

https://www.jessicasimmonsforbrooklyn.com/

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am a working parent, a former teacher and principal bringing a fresh perspective. I believe that we need more elected officials that listen to residents first, and take action in response. In our district, every resident should be heard. As an administrator, I'm experienced in navigating systems to get to solutions and I want to do this for my community - not just for us but for my son's generation as well.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Education - If this is your #1 issue, I should be your #1 rank because while everyone running has ideas about what to change, I'm the only candidate who knows HOW to make these changes. Short term - we need consistent access to in-person schooling so families can get back to work and students can get back to normalcy (there is more that needs to be spelled out as the plan stands now at the end of May from the Mayor and DOE). We also need to accelerate learning for students to address learning loss from COVID and also attend to their social-emotional needs - ALL students should receive these supports, not just certain students (although we need additional professionals in place to support students who've lived through particularly tough trauma during this time). In the long-term, we need to be working toward a city-wide vision of schools that provide rigorous, safe environments for ALL children that prepare them for 21st century college and jobs. To do this, we need to be fighting for 100% of schools to receive Fair Student Funding and supporting districts in innovating solutions to integrating their schools. I have taken these actions on CEC 13, and will continue to make the tangible changes we need to provide equitable education for all students in our district as councilperson.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

In addition to being the only candidate who talks about education who's WORKED in education, I am the most accomplished candidate. I've founded a middle school where I served as principal, partnered with families to ensure they're getting the equitable education their children deserves, advised school systems across the country on how to re-start school with COVID, and have parented a child for whom I had to navigate the special education system. I have the day-to-day experience navigating bureaucracies along with building coalitions across groups of people that disagree to get to solutions - which will be one of the key strengths needed to be a successful councilperson.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

We need to have a community where everyone can thrive and to do that, we need equal access to education, health care, and housing. COVID-19 exacerbated the existing inequities in our cities, and the responses of some of our elected officials (e.g. the Mayor closing school for months on a Sunday leaving teachers, administrators, students and families stunned with items left back in their classrooms) showed us that there is often a gap between the lived experience of a New Yorker and our elected officials. As councilmember, I pledge to listen to community first and THEN get to work, so that each decision I'm making isn't about me or my job or money, it's about serving the people in our community first.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I have experienced firsthand how difficult it has been to navigate parenting and full time work in this pandemic, which was difficult enough before the world went into lockdown. Having navigated the educational system as a school leader for my students and then my son, I believe you shouldn’t have to be a principal to figure out how to best serve your child’s needs.
As a former principal and teacher, I have the experience leading communities and problem-solving that will lead us out of this time of twin pandemics - COVID-19 and our country’s racial reckoning, and work across groups to bring our community back to a place where EVERYONE can thrive.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I would argue middle school principal gave me experience with the drama, emotions, scheduling changes, budget constraints, employment issues, community engagement and innovative thinking necessary to succeed as a city councilperson!

The best advice ever shared with me was:

To use my privilege to advocate for others - we're not free until we're all free.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I'm a working parent who gets things done. I am a practical progressive who will work within the system to advocate for equity for all. COVID-19 has exacerbated inequities in our community. It’s shown us the role government plays in our lives - from whether or not we get our unemployment check to whether or not we get our vaccine. As someone who works daily on accelerating learning given the learning loss from COVID, I know what it takes to set a vision, put plans in place, and hold everyone accountable to seeing the outcomes that truly put students on a successful path in life. This is the approach we need to take to city government - identify the gaps, work together to implement the solutions that put our neediest communities at the forefront, and then assess our progress along the way.
As an educator who leads with community partnership and equity at the center, and as a mom who is parenting and working full time, I have the experience and expertise to lead us into positive change and create a community where EVERYONE can thrive.