I am writing to enthusiastically endorse Isaac Cheng in his run for the West Windsor-Plainsboro school board. A longtime acquaintance of Mr. Cheng, I am a native of Plainsboro who now lives and works in Quincy, Massachusetts, where I have taught 10th and 11th grade history for several years.
Mr. Cheng has three characteristics that I, as a teacher, admire in public servants who are directly involved in education:
1. As a product of the school district he aims to serve, he has a deep and personal concern for the current and future students of the district.
2. As someone who actively listens to the community, he has a nuanced understanding of the various faculty and staff interests and concerns extant in the school system.
3. Finally, he has a sharp, analytical mind, which helps him to approach problem solving with an unparalleled pragmatism.
I have spoken at length with Mr. Cheng about his candidacy and am pleased to report that he is well acquainted with the reality I face in the classroom every day, namely the struggle to provide high-quality educational opportunities for students of all ability levels — to appropriately support learners who struggle, learners who excel, and all learners in between.
Mr. Cheng understands that the school board must always act with the realities of the classroom in mind and its members must therefore work actively to stay in touch with the development of those realities. In short, Mr. Cheng has his priorities in order and offers a fresh, unique perspective which is precisely what the West Windsor-Plainsboro school board needs.
James C. Ikeda
History Teacher,
Quincy High School
Editor’s Note: The writer was born and raised in Plainsboro, where his parents still live. He notes: “I have been in regular contact with Isaac Cheng for several years, which is why I am interested in his candidacy.”
