Juanrique Hall, CMS Board of Education District 2 candidate, answers our questions
To help inform voters in the Nov. 4, 2025, election, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The Charlotte Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Juanrique Hall
Age: 53
Campaign website or social media page: www.voteforcoachjuan.com
Occupation: Community organizer
Education: FAA Certified Helicopter Weight & Balance, Performance
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought or held):
No (Candidate answered no, but he recently ran for school board in 2022)
Please list your highlights of civic involvement:
NC Certified Peer Support Specialist, completed A.N.S.W.E.R., obtained certificate of achievement for Mental Health Recovery Seminar Wellness Recovery Action Plan through A.N.S.W.E.R., completed Stop the Bleed Course through American College of Surgeons, completed NC H.O.P.E. Peer Support Specialist Certification, coached at West Charlotte
What are the most important issues in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools today, and how would you address them?
Combating Illiteracy: Prioritizing early reading and targeted interventions to ensure every student can read proficiently, breaking the cycle of academic failure. Restoring Discipline: Advocating for clear, fair discipline policies that create safe and focused learning environments while addressing root causes of behavioral issues. Rebuilding Trust in Public Schools: Addressing the crisis in public education by promoting transparency, accountability and community involvement in decision-making.
How can the district improve student performance, close achievement gaps and get schools off the state’s low-performing list? (There were 56 CMS campuses on the low-performing list during the 2023-24 school year, and 32 during the 2024-25 school year):
It is critical that we prioritize early reading and targeted interventions to ensure every student can read proficiently, breaking the cycle of academic failure. Illiteracy is the real proline to prison, and we must insure all students can read.
How should the school system handle decisions by the federal government that you may disagree with or that negatively affect the district? And how should the district communicate with the public about the effects of those decisions?
We do not get to pick and choose the laws that we get to follow. We must make sure that all laws and directives are followed and complied with whether we agree with them or not.
Teacher shortages remain a challenge across North Carolina and the nation. What do you believe CMS needs to do in order to attract teachers and keep experienced ones in the classroom?
Behavior issues in the classroom are the main reason teachers are leaving, and the shortage will not be alleviated until this critical issue is addressed. Teachers just want to be able to teach their subject material. They don’t want to spend so much of their time managing behavior, and the best thing we can do for them is end restorative justice practices and bring back real disciplinary practices.
What separates you from your opponents and makes you the best choice on November’s ballot?
I have a history of working in the community and bringing people together. This is not about politics. It’s about the kids and putting them first. What happens in public education affects us all, and that is why we should all care. I am the man for the job, not the man for the agenda. It’s time to get BACK TO THE BASICS.
