Amber Moye, who planned to challenge Darnell Goldson for his spot on the Board of Education, has decided to withdraw her candidacy.
Moye, a 27-year-old teacher, made that announcement in a Facebook Live video shared on her campaign website on Thursday evening, after cancelling an announcement party that was supposed to be held at Manjares Bistro in Westville that night. That video is posted at the top of this article.
In the brief-five minute video, Moye thanked her supporters for standing by her, and she told them her involvement in the city’s schools wasn’t over.
“I am not withdrawing from the fight. I will continue to attend board meetings and hold every member accountable for doing what’s best for our kids, our parents and our community. I will continue to work closely with parents to better understand the needs of our community and advocate on their behalf. I will return to this fight in the next cycle and ensure that people are represented,” Moye said.
Paul Bass Photo
Amber Moye.
“The fight is not over. We have not lost. We are only changing course because there is significant work to be done,” she went on. “As many of you know, the commitment of an educator never ends.”
Moye, a Hillhouse grad who used to work at Celentano School through a Teach for America fellowship, had filed papers to seek the Democratic nomination for an elected seat on the Board of Ed, representing roughly the northern half of the city in Wards 1, 2, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 and 30. She said, if elected, she would put the focus on “constructive leadership.”
Goldson, the school board’s current president, has held that spot for the last four-year term, after he became one of the hybrid board’s first two elected members in 2016. He said he plans to focus on getting more money for the school system if reelected.
At the party nominating convention held in mid-July, the ward co-chairs picked Goldson over Moye, 18 – 6. Moye would have needed to collect 1,034 signatures, according to Democratic Registrar of Voters Shannel Evans, to qualify for the ballot in the Sept. 10 party primary.
Moye did not return a phone call and a text message on Friday afternoon.
Goldson said that he hopes to see Moye “become more involved in New Haven’s educational system.” “The Democratic Party and our school system needs emerging talents like her to contribute to the growth of this system,” he said in an email. “She is a young teacher who represents an emerging population, my son’s age, who are caring and energetic.”
Goldson added that he wouldn’t be changing his approach, now that it looks like he won’t have a primary challenger. “The needs of the district remain the same,” he said. “My approach to this campaign and the position will not change and were never affected by her and anyone else’s candidacy.”
Click on the Facebook Live video below to watch a recent interview Moye gave about her now cancelled candidacy on WNHH’s “Dateline New Haven.”
Good move for Amber. She can study the problems and work with others to hold the board, Mayor, and staff accountable. Goldson has done some good work despite his admission that the Birks selection was a mistake. Few politicians admit errors and we should give him credit for doing so. He stands up to the Mayor, Kimber. He supports teachers and staff and was a big voice in supporting the Fair Haven teacher who was abused by the system and an indifferent majority of the school board at the time. Can someone tell me who was the President of the board when this happened? Goldson would have pushed back and saved us half a million at least.