Setting The Record Straight

By Jerry Grier Wiggins

Wiggins Supporters Eye Reelection

Jerome Wiggins

Supporters Eye Reelection

Contact: 510-658 2137/510 682 4096

Supporters of Jerome Wiggins, one of two Blacks on the Alameda County Board of Education, are making plans for his reelection bid. The election is slated for March 5,2002.

Wiggins has picked up a key endorsement from San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, who called Black elected officials "an Endangered Species..."The other African American on the board is President Gay PlairCobb, who is CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council.

Wiggins' District Includes Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, and North Oakland." I understand and appreciate the importance of educating our youth in a safe learning environment that effectively and efficiently supports student success," said Wiggins.

Community leaders say more African Americans need to be in power positions. The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, D.C., a Black think tank, has reported that Blacks are only 1 percent of all the Nation's elected officials.

Wiggins has served on the Alameda County Board of Education since 1992 and was elected President of the County Board in 1994 and 1999 and currently serves as Vice-President of the Board.

In 1996, he was elected President of the California County Boards of Education, a statewide organization that represents all 58 Counties and over 350 County School Board members. Wiggins also was on the Board of Directors of the powerful California School Boards Association, which represents over 1000 School Districts and County Boards of Education statewide.

Wiggins is also a member of the Board of the Alameda County School Board Association and since 1994, Wiggins has represented the Association on the Board of Managers, CIF/NCS, which oversees high school, sports programs in the East Bay.

A graduate of U.C.Berkeley, a former New York City Urban Fellow, father of two young men educated in the Berkeley Public Schools, he is married to community activist and veteran educator, Dorothy Wiggins, Principal, Claremont Middle School, Oakland Unified School District.

"I remain committed to supporting a curriculum that meets the multicultural educational needs of the diverse student population of Alameda County," said Wiggins, who has already secured endorsements from Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Former Assembly member Tom Bates and Former Alameda County Superintendents of Schools Augie Scornaienchi and Cheryl Hightower.

"I am aware of the challenges we face in preparing our children for the future," said Wiggins. "Today, we have more sophisticated problems in our schools. I am committed to finding solutions to these problems and more importantly implementing change.

My priorities during my next term are: serving the needs of local school districts; the needs of "at risk" students served by the County Board; safe school environments; student achievement and success

"No one individual can do it alone. It requires the combined effort of every concerned citizen to make sure our schools meet the needs of our children so they can meet the needs of our future society.

"I am soliciting your support during this campaign so I can continue to wage the struggle for a safer and more efficient educational environment. This will be a rigorous campaign. This seat is being sought by individuals representing special interests contrary to the well being of all children in Alameda County.

Wiggins is currently a Transportation Representative for the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, Office of Planning and Program Development, San Francisco _ providing technical assistance, coordination, and guidance to transportation operators and metropolitan planning organizations for operating and capital programs involving formula and discretionary grant programs.

He is a former planner/analyst for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in Oakland, where he provided technical assistance and expertise to San Francisco Muni and BART for operating and capital programs.

Among his other supporters are:

Gay Cobb, President. Alameda County Board Education; Marsha Skinner, Albany Unified School District; Steve Lustig, former BUSD board member; Reverend Marvis Peoples; A. Abbott, former OUSD board member; R Stevenson of the Break the Cycle program; Maudelle Shriek, Berkeley City Council Member; Sylvester Hodges, former Oakland Board of Education Member, Cheryl Hightower, former Alameda County Schools Superintendent; Bill Patterson, East Bay Municipal Utility District Board member and former Oakland NAACP president; Gene Hazzard, West Oakland Community activist; Larry Reid, Oakland City Council member; Alice Creason,former Piedmont Mayor and Current AC Transit Director; Gus Newport, former Mayor of Berkeley

Detailed List:

B. Lee (Congresswoman); M. Skinner (Albany USD); K. Worthington (Berkeley City Council); M. Shriek (Berkeley City Council); K. Carson (Alameda County Board of Supervisors); Gay Plair Cobb (President ACBE); V. Fukson (former Berkeley City Council); S. Hodges (former OUSD Board); Carole Davis (former Berkeley City Council); A. Schornaienchi (former ACOE Superintendent of Schools); C. Hightower (former ACOE Superintendent of Schools); A. Chandler (former Berkeley City Council); J. Anthony (BUSD Teacher); J. Hower ton (Lee Advisory Comm.); B. Thomas (former Treasurer Dellums); B. Woodstock (Community School Advocate, Berkeley); B. Patterson (EBMUD); K. Epstein (Educator); C. Robinson (former Berkeley Commissioner); Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 192; G. Hazzard (Community Activist); S. Shabaka (Community Activist); B. Traylor (Community Activist/OUSD/Teacher); S. Dyke (Berkeley Businessman), A. Abbott (former OUSD Board); L. Halterman (Lee Campaign); J. Cecil (School Advocate, Berkeley); R. Stevenson (Break the Cycle);D. Spees (Oakland City Council); N. Nadel (Oakland City Council); L.Reid (Oakland City Council); R.Brauer (former Dellums staff); G. Newport (former City of Berkeley Mayor); A.Creason (former Piedmont Mayor and current AC Transit Director);W.Brown(Mayor SF);S.Lustig(former BUSD Board);T.Bates(former Assembly member);M. Peoples(Minister)John George Demo Club;D. Johnson(BUSD);G.Hodge(OUSD Board)