Shavar Jeffries facts for kids

Shavar Jeffries is an American civil rights lawyer. In January 2023, he became the CEO of the KIPP Foundation. This group helps train teachers and leaders for KIPP public schools. They also provide tools and ideas to make teaching and learning better.

Before this, he was the president of Democrats for Education Reform. This group supports things like more charter schools and better funding for public education. Mr. Jeffries was also an Assistant State Attorney General. In 2014, he ran for Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. After the election, he became a partner at a law firm called Lowenstein Sandler.

About Shavar Jeffries

Shavar Jeffries grew up in the South Ward of Newark, New Jersey. He faced a tough time when he lost his mother to violence. His grandmother, who was a public school teacher, raised him.

He first went to schools in Newark. Later, he earned a scholarship to attend Seton Hall Preparatory School. This school is in West Orange.

His Education Journey

Mr. Jeffries earned his first degree from Duke University in 1996. After that, he went to Columbia Law School. There, he worked on the Columbia Human Rights Law Review. He also helped the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. He finished law school in 1999. Today, Shavar Jeffries lives in Newark with his wife, Tenagne Girma-Jeffries, and their two children.

Shavar Jeffries' Career

After law school, Shavar Jeffries worked for a judge named Nathaniel R. Jones. He then worked as a lawyer at a firm called Wilmer Cutler & Pickering. Since 2001, he has been a lawyer at Gibbons P.C. in Newark.

Teaching and Public Service

Since 2004, Mr. Jeffries has been a professor at Seton Hall Law School. From 2008 to 2010, he took a break from teaching. During this time, he worked as an Assistant Attorney General for New Jersey. He led important departments like the Juvenile Justice Commission. This group helps young people in the justice system. He also led the Civil Rights Division.

In April 2010, Mr. Jeffries was chosen to be on the Newark Public Schools Advisory Board. This board helps guide the public schools in Newark. In 2014, he became a partner at the law firm Lowenstein Sandler. In 2015, he became the president of Democrats for Education Reform. This group works to improve public education. They support ideas like more charter schools and fair teacher evaluations.

Running for Mayor of Newark

Shavar Jeffries announced he would run for mayor on May 20, 2013. He was not very well known in Newark at the time. Usually, people run for a city council seat first.

Campaign and Election Day

In October 2013, Mr. Jeffries shared his plan for public safety. By January 2014, he had raised a lot of money for his campaign. The election happened on May 13, 2014. Shavar Jeffries was defeated by Ras Baraka.

Mr. Jeffries had a team of eight people running with him for city council. This team included current council members and new candidates. Many important people and groups supported him. These included members of the Payne political family in Newark. He also had support from the Teamsters union. Other supporters included State Senator Teresa Ruiz and Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor-Marin. Even actress Eva Longoria endorsed him. The newspaper The Star-Ledger also supported his campaign.

On election night, Shavar Jeffries accepted that he had lost the race.

Donna Johnson Memorial Scholarship

In 2015, Shavar Jeffries started the Donna Johnson Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship helps young people who have lost a parent or loved one due to violence. It supports their education.

Success Academy Charter Schools

Shavar Jeffries left the Board of Directors for the Success Academy Charter Schools in 2017. He had different views from some leaders of the Success Academy. He was a critic of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and President Donald Trump.

His resignation happened before a board member made some controversial comments. These comments caused a lot of discussion. Mr. Jeffries' departure was related to these different viewpoints on education and politics.