Topically Yours - Senate candidate Robert Jackson

Host Deardra Shuler interviews candidate Robert Jackson who is running for a Senate seat in the 31st district in Manhattan.

Robert Jackson served as a Community School Board President, City Council leader and Education Committee Chair.  He has built a record of hard work and integrity and knows how to get things done.  He has a record to prove it.  Jackson is presently running for State Senate to help provide good schools for children to make certain every child has the same chance to succeed as he had.  Jackson continues to fight for workers rights, human rights and to pass the Women's Equality Act, the NY DREAM Act and for an increase in minimum wage. As a marathon runner, Mr. Jackson recently ran a 12.8 mile run for peace.

As a Community School Board President, Robert Jackson filed a lawsuit against the state to fix an inequitable New York State school funding distribution formula that was cheating NYC schools and undermining our children’s future. He walked 150 miles to Albany to highlight the cause and won a court judgment that awarded $16 billion for NYC schools.  In 2001, Robert Jackson was elected to the City Council. He was reelected 3 times.  He was chosen to Chair the Education Committee and Co-Chair the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus. On the City Council, he effected more than 4,000 new openings for pre-k, fought to prevent thousands of teacher layoffs and helped start the Drop Out Prevention Initiative. He worked to increase jobs by sponsoring legislation to protect small businesses, create a community manpower training program,  fought to budget senior centers, libraries and keep fire stations open.

Born and raised in Manhattan, Robert and his family have lived in Washington Heights since 1975. He attended New York City public schools and graduated from State University of New York at New Paltz. He is  married and a dedicated father of three daughters.