HHS board candidates are unopposed

By Charles Sercombe
Three candidates for the Hamtramck Public School District Board of Education won’t have to campaign to win a seat on the board.
That’s because they are all running unopposed.
Current Boardmember Mortadha Ali-Mudhaffar Obaid is the only incumbent running.
Boardmember Showkat Choudhury did not file to be a candidate, and Boardmember Evan Major, who was appointed to a seat vacated by a prior boardmember, Ramsey Hussain, chose to remain on only as a temporary member.
Ramsey Hussain was elected to the board over two years ago, but resigned soon after taking office.
Before being appointed, Major had also previously served on the board. Major told The Review that he is focusing on his family.
“It has been an honor to serve the Hamtramck community for nearly eight years as a board member, but this phase of life has called me to focus more on my new family and continue my activism with HPS as a parent,” Major said.
Showkat Choudhury told The Review that he has to concentrate on his business, which is owning and operating two parking lots in downtown Detroit, and that board duties were getting in the way.
“I’m going to focus on my business,” he said.
Also running for the board are newcomers Abdulmalik Mohamed Algahaim and Victor Davantae Farris. Both have filed for a regular, six-year term.
Obaid is filing for a partial term that was vacated by Hussain. That term has four years remaining.
Algahaim, Hamtramck High School graduate, said the reason he’s seeking a seat on the board is “to give back to my community.”
His goal as a boardmember would be to “spend more resources to bring more teachers.”
Farris is also an HHS graduate, and has similar goals for the district.
“I just want to do more for the students,” he said.
The election is Nov. 8 of this year.
Posted Aug. 26, 2022