Roxbury BOE: Exposing Unfavorable Conditions

Cordial Communication and Compromise; Is it Possible

As an American, a mother of three, and the eldest to a mixed family of six younger siblings, I write this “offering of perspective” to other parents and community members to provide a wider view of what went down inside the Roxbury May 23^rd BOE meeting. My recent experience of going to the Roxbury School District BOE meeting left me feeling a mixed array of emotions. Appalled, inspired, disheartened, motivated, and yet I still believe in the Power of The People. My concerns relate to how we choose to exemplify leadership, how we choose to communicate, and how we choose to involve ourselves in our children’s education and overall wellbeing. How do we as adults convey our message and express our thoughts with dignity, integrity, and conviction?

I will not call people I do not agree with names, I will not address people as their affiliated groups, as to me personally, they are my brothers and sisters, but I will willfully engage, respectfully communicate, and acquire a certain curiosity that doesn’t impose on another’s freedoms to express themselves. However, there is a need to be engaged with your local communities, especially if you’re a parent with children in your school district. Moreover, it’s important to continue showing up for the other families in your district and local communities across New Jersey, considering you most likely still pay municipality fees and taxes.

In the aftermath of the Roxbury BOE meeting, while researching online to find what people on both sides might be saying, supporters of the parents can be found online expressing details of their own encounters, stating, “Those for the books all tried to broaden the argument and defaulted to either

(a) book banning is wrong and un-American

(b) libraries are places of diverse opinions and discovery (

c) or removing them is silencing the LGBTQ and trans community and everyone needs to be represented for “safety”.

These arguments seemed off target and emotional…had nothing really to do with the 11 books in question or the fact that it is a school district, not the public market. Parents narrowed the argument and continuously pointed out that this is about porn and 11 books out of thousands…it has nothing to do with LGBTQ or Trans. And that this is an issue about sexually explicit materials to MINORS in school, period. That there is no attempt at so called “book banning.” 

To add to this, as a parent who sat in on this entire meeting from 7:30pm to its closure at 11:55pm and saw the events unfold in real time, I would agree to this gentleman’s statements. The librarian involved in the legal case against parents did speak, as did many of her supporters and supporters of LGBTQi+ groups and organizations. Many of them said to have come from other counties and districts, many of whom were encouraged via emails from the librarian to write a methodical written statement and to speak in support of “no book banning”. Many of their spoken words from my memory were “word for word’ and multiple people mentioned “marginalized groups” and “race” in their statements as well. Not once did parents in opposition speak to race, and if these people are implicating that “disadvantage kids” need access to material books such as ‘Gender Queer’ by Maia Kobabe, they have some hard truths coming their way. There were people dressed in full rainbow garb with their outspoken and at times volatile rhetoric towards those who are looking to not only protect their children from harmful content in schools, but also the well-being of these kids they speak to that are so dire for connection, validation, and a yearning to be seen in the LGBTQi+ communities.

I’ll leave with this, owner of Diamond Disposal and President of the Mount Arlington-based Blue Diamond, John Shortino, spoke first, after the standing of the National Anthem, which was a palpable experience, exposing the Roxbury District for a choice they are looking to outsource a trash company that would “cost almost $19,000 more than the fee proposed by Blue Diamond” according to an online ‘TAPinto Roxbury’ article . The board claimed during the meeting their choice was to be based on the incentives of “sustainability” that this company had previously proposed. There was one gentleman who offered a prayer over the BOE members, with most of the auditorium standing in praise with their arms lifted upwards and facing towards the front stage where they sat. At the very least, standing in solidarity. Whispers of praise and prayer could be quietly heard from voices strewn all throughout the room. After some other oppositional speakers in support of the librarian left the podium, a mother spoke to her faith as she exposed her signs displaying the graphic material parents are so concerned about. Her son following, who had been sitting behind me the entire time, I noticed his old torn Bible early in the meeting and had a feeling he was going to speak. I’m glad he did. He spoke a 3-minute sermon and it was inspirationally and boldly communicated. There were police officers all around the perimeter of the auditorium as they watched their fellow Americans fight against the evils that are infiltrating our country and children’s minds.

My point in this detailed rundown?

GO TO YOUR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS.

Look into what happened in Colts Neck the next day on May 24^th, parents are rising all around the state and country! Are you going to be a bystander? Are you going to be able to look back and say you did all you could for your children, your communities, your nation? Time will tell.

Click below to watch the Video of the Roxbury BOE meeting. Listen to the activists and the parents state their case.