Candidate Announces for Aisha Carr’s Former School Board Seat

James Ferguson II. Photo from the campaign.

A candidate has announced for the Milwaukee Board of School Directors seat left vacant by Aisha Carr.

James Ferguson II announced his candidacy for the seat Monday, which has been vacant, since early May, when Carr resigned her seat after a series of controversies, including an investigation by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office into whether she lived in the district she represented on the board.

Ferguson publicly launched his campaign on the anniversary of his father’s passing, according to a statement announcing his campaign, which also said, “He has vowed to use this date to champion the issues of those less fortunate and those in need, honoring his father’s legacy of service and compassion.”

District 4 represents the central city and includes high schools like North Division and James Groppi.

Ferguson is a native Milwaukeean who attended the Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Marquette University and Marquette University Law School.

“With a strong background in entrepreneurship, a passion for lifelong learning, and a commitment to serving the community, James is ready to bring positive change to Milwaukee Public Schools,” Ferguson’s campaign said. “He is determined to prioritize academic excellence, fiscal responsibility, student safety, and diversity and inclusivity to empower all students to succeed.”

Ferguson is the chief operating officer of Kingdom Partners Alliance, which is described on its website as “a family of faith based service providers committed to working collectively and cooperatively in order to maximize impact and expand capacity.”

He previously ran for the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors in District 10, but did not advance beyond the primary election.

The special election for District 4 will be held on Nov. 5, the same day as the fall general election.