“Do what is right, not what is easy nor what is popular.” Roy T. Bennett, author

Human nature teaches us to take the path of least resistance, which in most cases means to avoid facing insurmountable odds. For 18-year-old Jaylen Custis, however, facing those odds is his comfort zone.

The recent Forest Park High School graduate made headlines when he announced his intentions of running for the Prince William County School Board next year in the Woodbridge District. While some may believe that he is too young to pursue such a lofty goal, he told the PW Perspective that the time is now to make a run.

“I believe that members of the school board need to understand how the schools operate from the inside,” said Jaylen. “We need people who have been in it from a recent standpoint, and this is a great time to run, because the community needs someone who has a deeper knowledge of how policies have impacted the schools.”

After he announced his candidacy, which has been in the works for quite some time, the feedback he’s received has been positive. “A lot of the responses, whether it’s from friends or former teachers have been, ‘It’s good that young people are finally running for the school board,” he said. “I want to bring that energy and serve the community in this capacity.”

Custis brings to the table an assertive yet forward thinking mindset. One reason he’s running is so he can be a source of information when people have questions. “When I was in government class,” he said, “I would often ask, ‘Who do we go to when we have issues?’ That question became a passion of studying the Board of County Supervisors, the School Board, and learning more about how local government operates. “I like to take action, and people need to step up as leaders.”

He’s spoken with his soon-to-be opponent, incumbent Loree Williams, about his plans to run, as well as with other state and local leaders, such as Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Franklin. “I wanted to get a better sense of how the critical issues were being handled’,” he said.” This helped me to understand the necessity of being a go-to service for those seeking answers to their questions.”

Some of those critical issues involve lowering the failure rates at several schools in the county. “How is it that Mary G. Porter [Traditional School] has a single digit failure rate, but R. Dean Kilby is at 30 percent?” he asks. “That just cannot be in a county that has often touted itself as one of the top places for education. We need to look into the root causes and see what systemic changes can be made.”

Also, he wants to look into improving the communication between schools and families who are renters. “We need to change the image that, for them, school is only a temporary solution. How we get them more involved is critical to making sure their children are successful in their academic endeavors.”

So, how did he come to have this desire to get involved in government when his peers are getting ready for their freshmen year? “It started in my eighth-grade civics class,” he said, “that I began to understand the roles of government. However, it wasn’t until my government class in 12th grade when my teacher inspired me to consider running.”

“I would talk with my principal and ask about the code of behavior, and how it could be changed? He said to me, ‘It’s out of my hands, that’s up to the school board.’ For many parents and their children, they need to know who they can rely on for that source of information.”

That was a role he often found himself in serving on student government, as his classmates would come to him and ask what they’re supposed to do when they feel they’ve been wronged. “My teachers inspired me to do it,” he said, “I started speaking with the Black Student Union. While my focus wasn’t strictly on a pro-Black perspective, I saw how people were being unfairly treated. Whether it was the dress code, or patterns of behavior, there was a clear distinction that I felt needed to be discussed on a greater level.”

When he’s not campaigning, he is often watching the news to get a greater level of understanding about the world around him. “During the pandemic, I really began immersing myself in authors such as Malcolm X and James Baldwin,” he said. “It got me to think more about myself as a Black man and how I could make a difference. I continue to watch politics on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News, so I can learn about different viewpoints.”

Jaylen hopes that through his candidacy, it will inspire more young people to become active in politics, “I want to be an encouragement to young people to get involved,” he said. “I see a lot of them walking in protests, whether it’s against discrimination or abortion rights, and that’s outstanding, but we have to take it to the next level. It can’t be all about holding picket signs, we have to get out and vote, and then consider running for office. That’s where the change really happens.”

He continued. “The system will always remain the same if we don’t try to get in position to alter it.”

His campaign platforms involve increasing security, raising the test scores, and becoming an active listener to the voters. “Students shouldn’t have to go to school asking themselves, ‘Am I going to get shot today?'” he said. “Yes, we need to ensure that our students are in a safe environment for learning, and support our teachers so everyone reaches their goals. The system can change if we go out and do the work.”

Although he has been involved in the Democratic committees across the county, he insisted he will not echo partisan talking points. “I have my own ideas and will bring a fresh viewpoint that doesn’t lean towards one side of the political aisle. I want to hear what everyone has to say in regards to how we improve our educational process.”

For more details on Jaylen Custis’ campaign, visit his website.