David I. Daughety

David Daughety is a lifelong resident of Newark and a proud graduate of First Avenue Elementary School and Arts High School. His journey from student leader to public official reflects a deep commitment to youth empowerment, justice, and educational equity. Raised in a family that migrated to Newark during the era of segregation, witnessed the Newark Rebellion, and contributed to the city’s reconstruction, David inherited values rooted in faith, hard work, and the belief that community transformation is possible through collective action. His family’s journey—from the Jim Crow South to homeownership in Newark—instilled in him a lifelong dedication to equity, opportunity, resilience, and self-determination. He lives by the mindset that service to all mankind is the truest form of leadership.

At Arts High School, David served as Student Body President, Senior Class President, National Honor Society Vice President, Debate Captain, Youth Court Judge, and the Arts High Student Representative to the Board of Education. He was also a leader of the Newark Students Union, where he helped lead a citywide campaign for a “Students’ Bill of Rights,” calling for student voice in all levels of school governance. This work laid the foundation for the policy he authored that created the district-wide Student District Governance Committee (File Code 9130), reforming the student representative process and ensuring student representation in every high school.

David has worked across Newark’s civic and education spaces, serving as Program Coordinator for the Abbott Leadership Institute’s Youth Media Symposium, Career Pathways Facilitator at the Newark Youth Career Pathways program, Judge at the Newark Debate Academy, and Youth Impact Program Coordinator at the Center for Justice Innovation. In these roles, he mentored Newark youth, expanded access to post-secondary and career pathways, and helped shape local and national youth justice policy.

David currently leads the Youth Impact Program at the Center for Justice Innovation, where he advances restorative justice in partnership with schools, courts, and police departments. Under his leadership, the program trains high school students to facilitate restorative and transformative justice practices for peers facing low to mid-level offenses—focusing on healing, accountability, and opportunity rather than punishment. David’s connection to this work is deeply personal: originally referred to the program in fourth grade due to behavioral challenges, he later became a Youth Court Judge in high school, and now runs the very program that once changed his life.

In addition to his role on the Board, David serves as Vice Chairman of Newark’s Civilian Complaint Review Board, where he advocates for transparency, accountability, and fairness in policing and public institutions.

David is currently completing his degree in Sociology and is one of the youngest members ever elected to the Newark Board of Education—the city’s first Gen Z official. He is guided by the belief that students are not the leaders of tomorrow—they are the leaders of today, and every young person deserves a seat at the table where decisions are made. David believes that a stronger school system begins by listening to the voices of those it serves—our students and families. He is committed to building a school system where policy is shaped with—not just for—our young people, and remains steadfast in ensuring that Newark’s students are not only heard, but trusted as full partners in creating a more just and equitable future.