Poe Middle School Administrator Announces Candidacy for Alexandria Council

John Chapman, an administrator at and president of the Alexandria Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, told Patch on Tuesday that he is running for City Council as a Democrat.

Chapman is the 10th Democrat to enter the primary race.

“I love all the candidates, but I think there really needs to be someone that can get messages across to certain communities better,” Chapman said. “I think with my experience with the NAACP and other community groups, I think that’s something I can work toward.”

The 30-year-old Alexandria native was elected president of the local NAACP chapter in November 2010 and installed in that role in January 2011. He has worked toward getting the chapter more involved in matters in and with the Alexandria School Board.

“I think we have started the ball rolling and upped the ante there,” Chapman said, identifying the NAACP’s involvement in preserving the city's adult education programs and being active in discussions of affordable housing and the Beauregard Small Area Plan. “I think the new test is getting some other folks involved. I think we’ll take a more active role in the [Fiscal Year 2013] budget process.”

Chapman said he has recently met with city officials, including Police Chief Earl Cook and Fire Chief Adam Thiel, about community outreach and “laying the groundwork for a bridge” between those departments and the NAACP.

Chapman believes his experience as an educator gives him good insight into the school-family relationship.

“Growing up I heard horror stories about students and families and their relationship with ACPS,” . “Parents were often complaining about not connecting with school officials. We still hear rumblings of that from time to time and we want to make sure… there is communications with parents. A lot of times people just don’t know who to go talk to.”

He grew up at 823 Patrick Street and moved into the Quaker Hill public housing community. In 10th grade he lived in a shelter for about six months while his mother, Michele, saved money to buy a house.

She succeeded, and they moved into the Taylor Run neighborhood.

Both he and his sister attended St. Stephens and St. Agnes School through the help of a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that places low income students in area private schools and covers the tuition.

The Democratic primary for council is scheduled for June 12, but a pending lawsuit over Virginia’s redistricting and the need for the U.S. Justice Department to approve the new districts might move the primary into August.