[3] Jackson sought assistance from the school board's attorney, Michael A. Rebell; they founded the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, and in 1993 filed suit in CFE v. State of New York.

Justice Leland DeGrasse accepted that solution, and in 2007, the Legislature established the Foundation Aid Formula to distribute the requisite funds, phased in over a period of four years.

He served parts of his three terms as Education Committee Chair and co-chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus with Council Member Fernando Cabrera.

[21] His opponents in the Democratic Primary were former city council members Jessica Lappin and Gale Brewer, as well as small business owner and former Chair of Community Board 1, Julie Menin.

In the September 2014 Democratic primary election, he lost with roughly 43% of the vote to Espaillat's 50%, and Luis Tejada's 7%, in a race described by the New York Daily News as "his second shot at a campaign in less than a year.

In November 2018, Jackson easily won the general election in the heavily Democratic district with 89% of the vote, becoming the first Muslim state senator.

Elected officials repeatedly neglected to acknowledge City Councilman Robert Jackson, who represented the area.

[37] Finally, when black mayoral candidate Bill Thompson greeted State Senator A. Espaillat, Assemblywoman G. Rosa, and Councilman Y. Rodriguez, Mr. Jackson called out, "I'm not part of the Northern Manhattan team?

"[38] Thompson responded that he had no intention of ignoring Jackson, and referred to him as a "hero" for his fight for NY City schools.

The Jacksons claimed Faika tripped over a downed stop sign in front of the Harlem location of the market in April 2010.

[40] Jackson and Senator Rachel May received criticism in March 2022 after attending a rally organized by NY Renews, where they posed with a sign that compared climate change to the September 11 attacks.