Editor’s note: following is an opinion submitted by Westporter Camilo Riano.
Two years ago, the Westport Democrats took a 5-2 majority in the Board of Education by illegally supporting a write-in candidate that presented herself as an “independent.” By doing so, they broke the established rule of the Town of having only simple majorities in all its elected boards, stole the seat of republican Jamie Fitzgerald, and deprived more than 2,500 residents of representation in the most important board in town.
The consequences of such opprobrious actions are now evident. We have had two years of continued deterioration of the schools’ academic performance, unfettered indoctrination of our children, and a conflictive environment where many important issues, such as the bad treatment of our Special Education families, are surrounded by secrecy and lack of transparency.
Party affiliations and endorsements do matter!
When it comes to selecting candidates the Westport Democrats follow the same pattern as their national-level organization. While Republicans select based on merit and experience, Democrats are looking for loyalty to their extreme agendas. As a result, the Democrat Party has lost touch with real America while the Republican Party has become a coalition that now includes groups that traditionally have voted for the Democrats.
In Westport, we are experiencing a similar situation. Hispanics, and for sure other minorities, now find more affinity with the Republican ideals. We are not afraid of voting for the Republican candidates. We want public schools to defend our American values. We want public schools to give our children the best academic education. We want to be treated equally and not as a quota to pretend that Westport schools are more brown than what they really are.
None of this can happen in a Board of Education controlled by extreme, left-wing Democrats.
Westport Democrats handle the Board of Education as Pelosi used to manage the House of Representatives: no dissent is allowed among Democrats. In the more than four years during which I have closely followed the proceedings of the Board, I do not remember a dissenting vote of any Democrat on any important issue. They either voted as a block or found an excuse not to upset the Party.
It is time to change all that! We, republicans, are voting for all four: Hordon, Hopson, Frankel, and Zucaro for Board of Education.
But voters do not have to become Republicans to select four candidates that, once elected, will have the independence, experience, and character to do what is right for the children of Westport. It does not matter if you are affiliated, unaffiliated, republican, independent, or democrat. Voting for all four is the right thing to do!
Camilo Riano
Canterbury Close
Westport
THIS!!!!!!!!! THIS IS WHY I AM VOTING FOR ALL DEMOCRATS!!!!! WE CAN NOT LET THE EXTREMISM OF CAMILO RAINO INTO WESTPORT PUBLIC SCHOOLS!!!!
THIS RIGHT HERE IS A RED FLAG!
THE TRUMPLICAN / MAGA PARTY IS WHY I AM NOT GOING TO STOP TEACHING REAL HISTORY AND FACTS! CAMILO RAINO IS A DIRECT THREAT TO THE CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY OF WESTPORT. WE WILL NOT STOP TEACHING FACTS! WE WILL NOT WHITEWASH HISTORY! WE WILL NOT TEACH PRAGER U CARTOONS THAT SLAVERY WAS JUST THE THING EVERYONE WAS DOING! WE WILL NOT STOP TEACHING EMPATHY, SYMPATHY, KINDNESS AND INCLUSION AS TEACHERS! WE WILL NOT GET RID OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.
TRUMPSIM IS A DIRECT ATTACK ON EDUCATION!
PERIOD!
VOTE BLUE ALL DEMS FOR EDUCATION. OTHERWISE, WE MAY NEVER HAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION. I AM GLAD CAMILO SHOWS HIS EXTREMISM OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
Jan 6th, Slavery, Epstein, No Kings, Federalist Papers, voting records and responses to school shootings, Fake electors, Rudy Giuliani, Charlottesvile ” The Jews Will not Replace us” , Text threads of Young Republicans, Kristi Noem shooting her dog, JD Vance calling Trump, ” America’s Hitler”, and so much more ALL CAN AND SHOULD BE TAUGHT AS DARK PARTS OF AMERICAN HISTORY! THESE ARE NOT THINGS TO BE PROUD OF! WE DO NOT TEACH PATRIOTISM! WE TEACH FACTS OF HISTORY!
Stephanie Frankel, you do not seem able to comment on any article with out misspelling my name and attacking me personally.
Please, let me clarify that I am not a politician, I am not running for office, I am not a public figure, I am not a member of the leadership of the Westport Republicans, I am not a member of any Committee, and I did not participate in the selection of republican candidates for this election cycle.
As such, you do not have any special protection when it comes to libel and slander, and I will not hesitate to take you to Court if you do not stop immediately your defamation tactics.