John A. Brown Sr. (Louisiana)
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John A. Brown Sr. (Democratic Party) was a member of the Orleans Parish School Board in Louisiana, representing District 1. Brown assumed office in 2015. Brown left office on March 7, 2022.
Brown (Democratic Party) won re-election to the Orleans Parish School Board to represent District 1 in Louisiana outright in the primary on November 3, 2020, after the general election was canceled.
Brown resigned from the board after his daughter became a candidate for superintendent.[1]
Biography
Born in New Orleans, La., Brown grew up in the Lafitte public housing development and later moved to Uptown. The Times-Picayune reported from an interview with Brown that "he didn't fully learn to read until the third grade."[2] Brown graduated from Walter L. Cohen High School in 1966. He earned a bachelor's degree in business education from Winston-Salem State University in 1970.[3]
He began working at Rabouin High School but was drafted a year later in 1971. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1973. He returned to New Orleans to work as a supervisor and coach for the New Orleans Recreational Department (NORD), but he left to work as a special education business teacher and administrative assistant at Fortier High School.[3]
In 1977, Brown completed an M.Ed. in special education and school administration at the University of New Orleans. He went on to work as an assistant principal and principal before his retirement in 2003. He was temporarily displaced to Chicago, Ill., following Hurricane Katrina. He returned to New Orleans in 2006 and became the fellows director for the School Leadership Center (SLC) of Greater New Orleans.[3]
Brown is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and St. Peter Claver Catholic Church. He has three children with his spouse, Wynella.[3]
Elections
2020
See also: Orleans Parish School Board, Louisiana, elections (2020)
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Orleans Parish School Board District 1
Incumbent John A. Brown Sr. won election outright against Patrice Sentino in the primary for Orleans Parish School Board District 1 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | John A. Brown Sr. (D) | 52.0 | 10,751 |
Patrice Sentino (D)  | 48.0 | 9,915 | ||
| Total votes: 20,666 | |||
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2016
Seven seats on the Orleans Parish School Board were up for by-district primary election on November 8, 2016. District 1 incumbent John Brown Sr., District 2 candidate Ethan Ashley, District 3 incumbent Sarah Usdin, and District 5 candidate Benjamin Kleban ran unopposed and won election to the board without appearing on the ballot. District 4 incumbent Leslie Ellison defeated challenger Walter Umrani. Morris Reed Jr. originally filed to challenge Ellison but withdrew from the race before the election. Despite his withdrawal announcement, his name remained on the ballot. District 6 incumbent Woody Koppel won re-election to his seat by defeating David Alvarez, and District 7 incumbent Nolan Marshall Jr. also won re-election after defeating Alvin Crusto Jr. and Kwame Smith.[4]
Results
This race was canceled due to a lack of opposition and did not appear on the ballot.
| Orleans Parish School Board, District 1 General Election, 4-year term, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic |  John A. Brown Sr. Incumbent (unopposed) | |
Funding
Brown reported $2,150.00 in contributions but no expenditures to the Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, which left his campaign with $2,150.00 on hand in the election.[5]
2015
One of the seven seats on the Orleans Parish School Board was up for special election in 2015 due to the resignation of District 1 incumbent Ira Thomas following charges of bribery conspiracy. John A. Brown Sr. (D) was appointed to fill the vacancy until a special election could be held. He faced fellow Democrats Keith Barney and Shawon Bernard in the primary election on October 24, 2015.
Brown and Bernard advanced from the special election to a runoff on November 21, 2015, as no candidate received a majority of the votes cast. Brown won the runoff and the remainder of the unexpired term.[6]
Results
| Orleans Parish School Board, District 1 Special Runoff Election, 1-year unexpired term, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | John A. Brown Sr. Incumbent |
56.9% | 7,321 | |
| Democratic | Shawon Bernard | 43.1% | 5,536 | |
| Total Votes | 12,857 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "Unofficial Results," accessed November 21, 2015 These election results are not official and will be updated when certified results are available. You can submit certified results by contacting us. | ||||
| Orleans Parish School Board, District 1 Special Election, 1-year unexpired term, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | John A. Brown Sr. Incumbent |
37.7% | 3,792 | |
| Democratic | Shawon Bernard |
31.3% | 3,151 | |
| Democratic | Keith Barney | 31% | 3,122 | |
| Total Votes | 10,065 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed November 21, 2015 | ||||
Endorsements
Brown received no official endorsements during the election.
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John A. Brown Sr. did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2015
During the process which led to his appointment on the board, Brown was interviewed by The Times-Picayune. He told the paper that Orleans Parish's schools had been improving prior to Hurrican Katrina and that he felt it had not been adequately acknowledged. He stated that prior to the storm's landfall, "We had a large number of schools that were going to be recognized for our improvement. We had a lot of great teachers who are now in other cities who are performing outstandingly. ... Katrina just expedited the process."[2]
Brown also defended the district's board against concerns of returning corruption. The resignation of Ira Thomas, whose seat Brown was appointed to fill, followed accusations that he had conspired to accept a bribe. The accusations concerned many who saw it reflecting past corruption issues in the district prior to Hurricane Katrina.[7] While Thomas later pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy, Brown stated at the time of his appointment that corruption was not unique to the district.[8] "It's with city. It's with the state. And it's with the country. I think we all need to be prudent in our actions whenever we represent our communities," Brown stated and asserted that a system was in place to handle misconduct.[2]
Brown also stated his intention to support the district's new superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr.[2]
See also
2020 Elections
External links
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Footnotes
- ↑ NOLA, "After daughter becomes superintendent candidate, Orleans Parish School Board member resigning," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Times-Picayune, "5 things to know about New Orleans' newest School Board member," April 16, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Orleans Parish School Board, "Board members," accessed October 7, 2015
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Candidate Inquiry," accessed July 27, 2016
- ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "Louisiana Campaign Finance Reports," accessed October 24, 2016
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions After an Election," accessed October 24, 2015
- ↑ The Times-Picayune, "'Will this ever stop?' New Orleans school corruption charge distresses readers," March 9, 2015
- ↑ The Times-Picayune, "Ira Thomas' friends, prosecutors aid him at sentencing," September 30, 2015
