By Thane Grauel
WESTPORT — The Republican Town Committee has made some changes to its slate of candidates for the Nov. 7 election, including nominating Camilo Riano for the Board of Education.
If Riano’s name sounds familiar that’s probably because he’s been a frequent and outspoken critic of the current school board and Supt. of Schools Thomas Scarice.
When the board has discussed social emotional learning as well as school equity and climate surveys, fought over efforts to ban books, and addressed other issues tangled up in the nation’s culture wars, Riano has pushed back hard, going as far as to accuse the board and administrators of “grooming” children.
Also nominated by the GOP for the Board of Education is Jamie Fitzgerald. The two will be up against Chairwoman Lee Goldstein and Neil Phillips, Democratic incumbents, for three seats.
In the Board of Finance contest, Republicans Liz Heyer (presently the school board’s vice chair), Rich Hightower and Perry Winter (recently appointed to fill a vacancy) are now up against Democrats Danielle Dobin (the current chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission) and Jeffrey Hammer, who also was recently appointed to fill a vacancy.
The RTC filed its candidates’ paperwork Monday with the Town Clerk’s Office. There were no changes to the other local races, though there is a Republican slot unfilled for the P&Z.
Riano has four children in the public schools, and seems steadfast in his positions.
“My opinions are public,” he said. “I have been participating in the Board of Education for more than two years as a parent.”
“I have been trying to defend American values, trying to defend the rights of parents for having full information,” he said. “I have been critical of the Board of Education for the lack of transparency, and also for this concept that … that the education is something that professional educators are responsible for, and that the parents are just stakeholders.”
“I have been very clear on my position that our kids belong to the parents,” Riano said. “And that it is our main responsibility to educate them. We might delegate some authority to other people but ultimately, we are responsible, we’re the parents and we want to get back that concept to the Board of Education.”
“The Board of Education has been taken by the radical left,” he said.
Riano recently filed a complaint with the town against what he calls the “illegal” plan by the Board of Education to add two non-voting student members this year.
Last year, Riano and fellow resident Zack Alcyone challenged the composition of TEAM Westport, the town’s multi-cultural advocacy committee, contending its membership failed to comply with Town Charter rules on representation for minority political parties and residency, among others. First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker, acting on the advice of Town Attorney Ira Bloom, subsequently revamped the committee largely along lines of the Riano/Alcyone complaint.
The positions on issues Riano is adamant about have been heard at local school boards around the country, in what some would say is a concerted effort by the radical right.
The Westport Journal asked Riano if it might be difficult to work with Scarice and other board members if elected.
“We have two candidates and we expect to win,” he said. “We’ll be in control of the board. We’re not going to be a minority — we’re going to win the election and then there’ll be a new way of dealing with things.”
“We have to go back to common sense,” Riano said.
Democratic Town Committee Chairwoman Michelle Mechanic could not be reached for comment. Same for RTC Chair Joseph Sledge.
Thane Grauel grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond for 35 years. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.
Mr. Riano sounds like just what the doctor ordered. I hope this is the beginning of a new direction for Republicans in Westport
It is disappointing to now see now that commentators are being personally attacked. I can assure Ms Medina of two things: 1) who I am married to has no baring on my own opinions, and 2) I stand behind and reiterate my direct criticism of Mr Riano’s disturbing and homophobic attacks on the district’s leadership. I reserve the right to criticize people running for public office, particularly those will have direct control over my children’s educational environment and curriculum.
It is clear from Ms Medina’s comments that she lacks a basic grasp on reality, much like a certain other “stable genius” of the same ilk. I’ll leave it at that.
It is disgusting that Mrs. Alloy not only lies about a running BOE candidate but she now chose to attack disagreeing parent personally.
She should have been apologizing for her husband’s actions after he insulted Jewish and Slavic critics of “equitable outcomes” and pornographic materials at schools and called us as “fascists” or “Nazi”.
Instead, she chose to double down on insults in her comment here.
I am still curious to know what her husband meant when he stated that the critics of “equitable outcomes” and pornography at schools are “good people to be attacked”.
Should I worry, Mrs. Alloy?
What kind of attacks is your husband contemplating?!
Also, I would ask Mrs. Alloy to share instances of “vitriolic homophobic” comments or actions which she claims Mr. Riano is guilty of.
I know she wouldn’t because they are none.
And this is precisely why parents like myself don’t want radical left to force-feed our children’s minds. We don’t want your lies, your personal attacks, your insults, your threats, and your improprieties to be imposed on our children.
The Board of Ed is now controlled by the 1% Afro-Americans on TEAM Westport and the Westport 10. There aren’t enough Afro-Americans who can afford to buy here so the push is on for Multiculturalism in affordable housing. The residents on Hiawatha Ln and the Linxweiler heirs have had to hire their own lawyers to fight the town attorney who should be their advocate, not their opponent. Parker Harding will be the scene of road rage, the downtown merchants will lose their shirts mugging pickpockets larceny and carjacking will be daily events because crime is not committed by the 99% .
I think an article is in order to praise Mr. Riano’s efforts in serving Westport residents.
Not only he challenged illegal uniparty composition of TEAM and its unelected leader and other members who their leader personally handpicked so that they all push for radical leftist changes which already destroyed so many cities, towns, villages across the States.
People like Mr. Riano stand for our rights and freedoms.
I especially admire Mr. Riano because he is a first generation minority immigrant who has guts to challenge the illegalities while everyone else are closing their eyes on such or simply are afraid to speak up due to insults, threats, and unlawful demands coming from local radical left such as for Mr. Riano and other critics of “equitable outcomes” and sexualised education to leave town.
One of such critics, pornographic books’ challenger, was forced to relocate to a district where parental rights are respected after she was was defamed and personally attacked by local radicals for many months.
Here “loving and tolerant” left stroke again by ousting out of Westport a law-abiding, tax-paying family with three excellent students who also are great athletes. This deserves an article by itself.
And so Mr. Riano, board members two of whom are Jewish, other parents who shared our experiences with communist “equity” and criticized displays made of books containing sexual scenes, promoting gross bodily mutilations, normalizing sexual encounters with adults, coaching kids to register on apps where adults search for sex partners. All of these are in the challenged books which were on two displays for the children as young as 13y.o. at Staples.
It is only logical that Mr. Riano and other parents asked for their removal.
And instead of criticizing an upset parent over the word “grooming”, we should be investigating who allowed said displays to take place and why.
I shiver when I think someone wants to teach oral and anal sex to my children at the tender age of 13. And to coach them to register on adult sex apps! Or to hate their bodies!
Our children are not a fresh meat on a market. And we will always protect them regardless of their sexual orientation and preferences.
Also, when books’ challenge took place, existing BOE majority constituents immediately attacked the challengers all of whom are patents of multiple Westport students. We were called “fascists”, racists”, “nazi”, “white supremacists”, “Christian nationalists”, and so on, and so on. We were told to move out of Westport and threatened by a statement that we are “good people to be attacked”.
I wrote to BOE several times about this asking them to stop providing a platform to those who cannot talk without insults and threats.
Only a couple of people replied and no action was taken.
And now the offending radicals are crying wolf over the word “grooming”?! Give me a break!
To those who want to make their own judgment I suggest to contact Riano and Fitzgerald at 2023boecandidates@gmail.com so that they email images from the books to you.
See, no social platform or media wants to publish these images because they are pornographic in nature.
My friends were blocked for “distributing pornography” by Facebook and instagram when they’ve tried to raise awareness about what is going on in public school districts and shared some of the images from the books.
So, adults cannot share and view said images but our 13y.o. children can!? This doesn’t make sense.
Just so I’m clear here, the same people who claim that these materials in the school consist of “obscenity” are volunteering to electronically disseminate said obscenity? By their own standards, would they not be breaking the law? If they are not, then they are saying that the materials are not obscene.
Unfortunately Chris many well intentioned but under informed people have no idea of the depraved and perverted nature of the “literature” being provided to very young students in the schools. In the interest of protecting children this material must be made available to ADULTS who can then decide if it is appropriate for children. We have seen videos of parents reading excerpts to school board members who appear shocked and revolted as they chastise the speaker for reading such vile passages to them. The same thing happened in Congress when Senator John Kennedy read similar passages during hearings on the subject. The truth shall set us all free. But first the truth must be revealed. My thanks to those brave enough to speak it.
The books in the Banned Books display weren’t Required Reading. You seem to be confusing what students are required to read with books that some communities forbid students from reading.
I believe (correct me if I am wrong) that a parent can ask the school library to not allow their child to check out specific books that they identify. Obviously, this is not about an individual parent’s rights to supervise what his/her child reads, but about a few parents in Town who would supervise what everyone else’s children would read.
PEN America has good coverage of attempts to ban books in schools:
https://pen.org/report/banned-usa-growing-movement-to-censor-books-in-schools/
“So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.” (Genesis 19:35) Scandalous!
I guess you didn’t hear the passages read by Sen. Kennedy. They make your Genesis reference sound like Goldilocks by comparison. Furthermore children can read books in the library that are not necessarily being checked out at the desk. Nothing is being “banned”; you can purchase any of this material in a variety of ways. It’s simply not appropriate for school libraries any more than other pornographic books or magazines
Good to know you think you are the one qualified to control what goes into school libraries. You’d love the Taliban.
Seriously, this is the best you can do in a debate? You start attacking when you’re losing the argument. Why are you so afraid to consider the possibility that this material is harmful to children? That is what is going on in the BOE. There are people who make decisions about what should and should not be in school libraries. I am not on the BOE and never said that I and I alone should make that decision even if I were. Parents have a right to know what their children are being exposed to and petition that board accordingly. You seem to be personally threatened by that process. The more information parents and the public in general has, the better. Perhaps you can make the case for graphic and /or homosexual content being helpful to our developing children.
If “our developing children” have questions about their bodies or feelings, and they’re uncomfortable talking to parents or adults like you—who deny and denigrate their very existence—I’d imagine these books would be a godsend.
If you have to tell people you are winning arguments, you aren’t.
The BOE has reviewed the material and made the decision that the books could stay in the school library, against the objections of you and yours. The process worked. You are the one who doesn’t seem to accept it.
Parents know what’s in the library (and the students do, too because people like Ms Medina and Mr Riano don’t stop talking about it).
You object to the mere existence of books on the school library shelves even though parents can request that their children do not have access.
Parental choice to you seems to be about the choice of conservatives to prevent anyone from accessing materials with which you are uncomfortable. Nobody is requiring that students read the books to which you object.
This is a pretty simple concept.
It is not for me to justify what other people think is helpful to their developing children – and I certainly have no need to justify it to the likes of you.
If Mr. Riano wants more than a snowball’s chance in hell of getting elected, he needs to show he is interested in more issues than this single one that put him on the local map.
Both you and Chris seem very invested in this subject but your skills in debating the issue are very weak. Point out to me where I denigrated and denied anyone’s existence? The introduction of this material is relatively recent and many people are unaware of it. The more details emerge about the content the more pushback you will see as we are beginning to see around the country. Winning the argument requires staying in the argument. Bringing up the Taliban and false accusations about what I have said will not be a winning strategy. Try again!
While “banned books” were not a required reading, the organizers of two displays at Staples made sure that EVERY child saw them.
Also, suggesting that local parents “denigrate” the very existence of their children is beyond ill and insulting.
I don’t know what is so hard to understand: parents will protect their children regardless of kids’ sexual preferences.
We love our children and we do not wish to co-parent with radicals.
I’m pretty sure most Westport parents don’t want to “co-parent” with fascist book-banners.
I’m bored.
Why do leftists ALWAYS resort to name calling. If you can point out valid reasons to put pornographic material in schools, have at it. The film industry has ratings that determine the age that is suitable to view adult content movies. Why would any reasonable person object to standards in our schools? This is why many people think there is some kind of agenda here that is not in the best interest of children.
Sharon,
Who called, our Superintendent a “child groomer”? Oh, yes, it was Camilo Raino!
Was this a name calling incident or a real accustation? He better answer to all of Westport bc we all want to know!
Well, does the shoe fit? It’s not baseless name calling such as I have been called with zero evidence of being a bigot, racist, Taliban supporter, etc. If the schools are showcasing pornographic material to children ,then that would fall under the heading of ” grooming” in the current lingo. Pornography is defined as material intended to sexually excite. Why on earth would that be considered a good idea by anyone, even the most misguided leftist, much less parents of school children.
Oh!!!!
Romeo and Juliet titilated and excited me! It turned me on!
Better call the porno police!
The last thing I want to do is get in the middle of a debate between you two. Talk about the two sides of the same coin.
Sharon, “that would fall under the heading of ”grooming” in the current lingo” is complete nonsense. You have invented this false definition of “grooming” and now claim it as “current lingo?” That is simply wrong.
Grooming is a very specific behavior that occurs in very specific steps. It is one-on-one behavior when a specific predator targets a specific victim.
https://safechild.org/understanding-grooming/
That a book you don’t like is in a library or banned book display isn’t grooming. It could be a completely vile book that 99% of the population didn’t want in a school library and it would not be grooming. You are using the term incorrectly and now falsely claiming it is “current lingo” because you don’t know what it means but keep repeating it.
Well then sharon…
You just might have a court case on your hands and Camilo’s hands!
It is slander!
I think the Superintendent should sue you all, or just perhaps the name calling and sue happy camilo himself.
Your Moms For Liberty playbook is getting OLD!!
How can all these superintendent s be groomers, lady? You are literally taking away from the actual word groomer by calling every teacher and superintendent across this land a groomer.
We the people have had enough if your attacks and name calling.
To the polls we go!
The Bible has some prettty sexually arousing scenes. Ban that book!
Ao anythjnf that my daughter reads for school that “excites” her is “porn”? I can not! Lol!
Relax,Stephanie. Take a deep breath. Find your Zen zone. Undoubtedly, Mr.Riano will not be elected. The stellar leadership of the BoE will prevail. Affordable housing will be built on every postage stamp of open space. Property values will rise . Taxes will decline. Crime will be non-existent. Anyone looking to relocate from Anywhere ,USA will choose Westport,Ct. Hands down.
Really Chris? I looked up sexual grooming and found many different definitions. One of them, in the current lingo, as in slang ,from slang.org is”the act of preparing younger people for sexual acts”. The kinds of books we are talking about are very explicit, a primer if you will,on how to perform these acts. If that doesn’t constitute ” grooming” I can’t imagine what does.
You looked it up? Sharon, I provided a link to an organization that’s cause is the protection of vulnerable children.
Here’s a page on a lawyer’s website better explaining it from a legal perspective. Grooming is a one-on-one activity.
https://www.whitelawpllc.com/blog/is-grooming-a-crime/
This will be my last time to explain something that you don’t want to understand because it doesn’t conform with your world view.
We can all agree that child pornography is a heinous thing, right? By your logic, child pornography is “grooming,” right? Well that is factually incorrect. That does not make it less heinous. But you can’t just go around making stuff up.
I don’t need you explaining anything to me , least of all a term recently invented from another term the etymology of which is clearly defined in dictionaries. Your sources all support your agenda. Having said that, I haven’t “made anything up”. By the way, how do you know for a fact that grooming is always one on one? Go to the YouTube interview of Desmond is Amazing where two drag queens, presenting as men in this case, are obviously influencing a very young kid. One of these individuals, Alig, was convicted of murder. Watch it and consider what might be going on when the cameras are not rolling..
What is “my agenda?” I can easily say something is right or wrong without defining it incorrectly. A child advocacy group explains grooming and you suggest agendas? Well, yeah, they are child welfare advocates and they know better than you what defines “grooming.” So do lawyers.
“Consider what might be going on when the cameras are not rolling” is a pretty weak argument and has nothing to do with the subject of “grooming.” The long history of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church – that’s involves grooming. The long history of sexual abuse in the Scouts – that involvess grooming. Sports coaches and physicians who sexually abuse those in their charge – that involves grooming. Those one on one behaviors between an individual who is in position to coerce another individual into sexual activities are grooming.
As Mayor Koch famously said, I can explain it to you but I can’t comprehend it for you. But go ahead and have the last word – at least until Stephanie opens her email.
Promoting pornographic material and inviting kids to talk about it with you can be defined as grooming by any honest individual. Talking about what goes on when the cameras are not rolling is a weak argument. So I guess you were there when the priests were molesting the kids too, maybe in the scout leader tent, hmm. Here’s another famous quote for you, “pornography, I know it when I see it”. As for sexual grooming ,since it will get you thrown in jail it’s probably going on surreptitiously. Hence one must look for the smoke in order to find the fire.
Sharon , have you ever been disgusted by anything “pornographic” in our school libraries that wasn’t LGBTQ themed? Or is it only that this is pornographic?
Have you or is it all good? All I have seen so far has been homosexuall in content but it’s very heartwarming to see you all circling the rainbow wagons.
Sharon,
Are you taking this very serious accusation up with the police or with a lawyer? That accustaion has serious consequences on many levels.
Is Camilo going to sue our schools or town for a third time? Is this going to be a record for him?
Instead of constantly responding in a hair on fire way why don’t you just consider the possibility that Camilo Riano is trying to protect children. I don’t personally know the gentleman so I am not privy to his litigation plans. But I do see a father willing to stand up to vicious condemnation from leftists who seem very protective of a small minority of confused people at the expense of children. A iittle introspection is probably in order here.Get your priorities straight.
It’s been years since I attended a PTA meeting. My children have completed grad school. They are members of the Harvard Club,the Yale Club and the Princeton Club. But they graduated SHS when teachers gave grades,not hugs. So assuming Mr.Riano is correct in saying the children do not receive grades , each child is awarded the same certificate of excellence in math,and each child does well equally is that not in direct opposition to the latest leadership agenda? The very definition of a leader is someone who excels . So if the message to the students is you are all the same :,equally intelligent,equally athletic,equally talented ,equally popular is that not the antithesis of leadership ? In this world of absolute mediocrity how do children develop leadership skills or more importantly how do they exit this cocoon and live in a competitive world?
The second contradiction concerns the placement of SSO in each school. If the children are attending these non graded classes in which there is no competition and therefore no jealousy,why is there a need for greater security ? Is this armed security officer on staff to protect the children from outside forces ? Or is their presence necessary to avoid fights between the students themselves?
And as we move forward to increased multicultural diversity and more importantly economic diversity how do we achieve uniformity ? Do we give each child a red ribboned BMW on their 16th? Do we have them wear uniforms as I wore having attended private school from K-12? A uniform dress code is a great equalizer. Worth considering?
Caroline, You’ll be pleased to hear then that the teachers still give out grades and not hugs!
Can someone please list the colleges that Staples seniors were accepted to this year?
This will put an end to the idea of equal outcomes that some erroneously claim we want.
Well said Caroline, This celebration of mediocrity has been going on for quite awhile. My kids graduated from Westport schools in the early 2000s. I remember my son coming home with a trophy from soccer. While he seemed to be enjoying himself playing I didn’t anticipate a career there. Then I found out that everyone gets a trophy, ahhh! Similarly a few years later my daughter was struggling with math and I was told she just learned differently. Well, my advice to her was, don’t get a job where math skills are a necessity. We still laugh about that to this day. Reality and the truth do not cause mental breakdowns. Your kids can handle it ifsomebody is better than them at something. They will figure out what they are good at and should be praised and rewarded when they do well.
Lauren, thanks for the update. Mr Raino indicated the opposite. But his children are 9 and under. Is it strictly in elementary school that grades are not given? If so, at what level in their educational career are students given grades,class rank and their parents made aware of their child’s strengths and weaknesses as compared to their peers?
Please list the colleges that Staples class of ’23 were admitted to…
All the same?
All equal in requirements to be accepted?
Caroline, Our schools provide extensive information and evaluation starting in K. Three times a year parents are given evaluations of both their children’s behaviors and academics. The behaviors are measured by C, S and R – consistently, sometimes and rarely demonstrated the listed behavior Academics are rated 1-4 as far as their progress. There are many items on the evaluation – around 50 I would say – and they are given a benchmark reading level as well as their students reading level from A to Z. (Like the class is at an L/M now and your son is an M). Parents meet with teachers in person to review what is being done and these evaluations. It would be up to the parents to decide if those evaluations are shared with the students. I recall admonishing my son on behaviours and not commenting on the academics at such an early age. Beginning in middle school students and parents both have real time access to grades. They are given for every subject and in some cases almost daily depending on the homework. In middle school the child is held much more accountable for homework etc. In both elementary and middle there are advanced programs , as well as programs for those needing some assistance. I can assure you Mr. Riano has feedback on his childrens performance – if he’s listening.