MARLBORO – The overriding battle for the White House may be overshadowing school board races, but not everywhere. And certainly not in this Monmouth County town of about 41,000.
A recent social media post making the rounds highlights Marlboro’s “safe nurturing environment.”
But wait! That peace and tranquility is being “threatened” by out of town “left wing extremists” who seek to control public schools.
There is nothing unusual about the rhetoric. Local school boards became a political prize two years ago.
This is only one school board race in a state that has hundreds of them. But it does seem like a microcosm of a larger philosophical battle. As stated, it may be a bit under the radar in a presidential year, but passions remain high here and, in all likelihood, in other towns as well.
Adding to the mix was Monday’s state Senate committee vote along party lines endorsing the Freedom to Read Act. Opponents said it allows school libraries to distribute “pornography.”
This district is no stranger to controversy. Marlboro, along with two other districts in Monmouth County – Middletown and Manalapan-Englishtown – were sued by the state last year because of their transgender policies.
The current fight involves six candidates for three seats on the 9-member board.
There are two slates.
One is called Partners Improving Education. Running on that team are Nirav Kadakia, Jenna Corraro and Brian Cohen.
The other – Marlboro Values Protected. That is the slate responsible for the relevant post. Running on that team are Danielle Bellomo, Aldo Patruno and Gill Iny. Bellomo and Patruno are incumbents.
In the post, the candidates commit themselves to “keeping outside politically motivated influences from infiltrating Marlboro schools.”
One of those outside influences is identified. He is Michael Gottesman, the founder of the New Jersey Public Education Coalition. Its goal is simple: to combat right wing extremism in public schools.
In truth, Gottesman’s group was a latecomer to the party.
Republicans and conservative groups in general seemingly began paying attention to school matters in 2021 when Glenn Youngkin used the issue quite effectively to win the Virginia governor’s race.
For a while, Democrats seemed to ignore the issue, but no longer, as is seen by the New Jersey Public Education Coalition.
Gottesman declined to respond directly to the post in question.
A look at recent history shows that last year, three candidates unaffiliated with the philosophy of the Marlboro Values Protected slate were elected.
The post warns that if that reoccurs, the public school landscape will be changed and that students will be in danger.
Curiously perhaps, the post doesn’t explain precisely what awful things may befall students if the opposition wins the election other than a general fear of schools “co-parenting with the government.”
Corraro of the Partners Improving Education slate said in an email:
“This is an exciting time, and we’re committed to serving our community. We will not engage in fear-mongering or cyberbullying of candidates, and when necessary, we will always respond with factual, defensible statements. As grassroots candidates with no prior experience running for elected office, we are fully supported by local residents who want change.”
An email to the Marlboro Values Protected slate was not answered.
A debate among the candidates is set for Oct. 16.
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The Marlboro School Board Collision: Details Revealed by Insider NJ
In a shocking turn of events, details of a collision involving members of the Marlboro School Board have been revealed by Insider NJ. The incident, which took place last week, has sent shockwaves through the community and raised questions about the behavior of those entrusted with making important decisions for the school district.
According to Insider NJ’s sources, the collision occurred when two members of the Marlboro School Board were leaving a meeting at the district’s headquarters. Both board members were driving separate vehicles and were involved in a minor fender bender in the parking lot. While no one was injured in the collision, witnesses reported that tensions were high and words were exchanged between the two individuals involved.
The incident has sparked controversy within the Marlboro community, with many residents expressing concern over the behavior of their elected officials. Some have called for the resignation of the board members involved, citing their lack of professionalism and inability to work together for the betterment of the school district.
In response to the incident, the Marlboro School Board released a statement condemning the behavior of the individuals involved and promising to take appropriate action to address the situation. The board has also announced plans to review its policies and procedures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
As news of the collision continues to spread, residents of Marlboro are left wondering how such a situation could have occurred among their school board members. Many are calling for greater transparency and accountability from their elected officials, and are demanding that those responsible for the collision be held accountable for their actions.
In the wake of this troubling incident, it is clear that the Marlboro School Board has some serious issues to address. The community is looking to their elected officials to take swift and decisive action to restore trust and confidence in the board’s ability to govern effectively. Only time will tell if the board is able to rise to the challenge and regain the trust of the community it serves.
