An informed electorate is the greatest bulwark of democracy.
Westporters understand this is a very important election. “06880” is doing our part, to help Westporters understand candidates’ perspectives on a variety of issues.
Once a week, between now and Election Day, we’ll ask the men and women running for 3 important boards — Selectmen/women, Planning & Zoning, and Education — one specific question.
We’ll print their responses verbatim.
This week’s question for the Board of Education is:
What are the biggest misperceptions you’ve heard about your candidacy for the Board of Education, and/or your prior service to the town?
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Democratic Party-endorsed candidate Abby Tolan (incumbent) says:
The charge that the board rubber stamps our superintendent has come up a few times in this campaign.
The truth is, any board must operate in a civil and collaborative way in order to get things done. This board has done that. We ask questions of our superintendent and our administrators, and we work together to come to decisions and, sometimes, to compromise. I am proud to have been part of that work.
Abby Tolan
The board must hire a superintendent whose vision and philosophy align with community needs, and evaluate his performance regularly. The fact is, we agree with a lot of what Superintendent Scarice does.
Some candidates may be upset by making the high school phone-free during the day. Some might not be happy with the outcome of the soccer coaches’ contract non-renewals. Others are opposed to our social and emotional learning.
My work on the Board of Education and my candidacy have not been about my personal agenda, but have been about how I can advocate for every child in the Westport schools so they can achieve and thrive.
I am a former educator. I am versed in special education, and I care deeply about the success of the whole child — academic, social, emotional and ethical.
As a Board of Education, we have important work to do. We must provide the opportunity for academic achievement to every child in a fiscally responsible way for the town. We will look at how artificial intelligence will impact teaching and learning.
We will continue to help address our children’s mental health in concert with families in a complex and changing world, and we will work with other town boards to make sure the quality of our facilities matches the quality of our education.
And, as happens every year, we must be nimble and able to pivot to address pressing issues that we couldn’t have anticipated. I would be honored to do this work on your behalf.
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Robert Harrington (incumbent) was not endorsed for re-election by the Republican Town Committee. He is running as a write-in independent candidate. He says:
There are 2 big misconceptions about my candidacy: that I treat education like a business, and that I am always critical of our administration.
The first misconception likely comes from my professional background in finance and digital assets. Some people assume I see education through a corporate lens. In truth, my focus has always been on fairness, transparency, and doing what’s right for students, staff and families.
Robert Harrington
Fiscal discipline isn’t about cutting — it’s about respect: respect for the teachers and staff who make our schools great, and respect for taxpayers who expect accountability. We need to make sure that every dollar goes to the most effective areas — the classrooms, programs, and people that have the greatest impact on learning. My experience simply gives me the tools to ask tough, data-driven questions and ensure decisions are grounded in evidence and good judgment.
Over the past 4 years on the Board of Education, I’ve built a record of doing exactly that — asking hard questions, demanding clarity, and speaking up when something doesn’t sit right. That includes times when I’ve been openly critical of the superintendent and the board majority.
I voted against the 4% pay increase and early contract renewal for the superintendent — an increase higher than what was awarded to custodians and school nurses — because I strongly believed it was the wrong decision. It sent a terrible message to the employees who keep our schools running every day. This was the wrong year to make that award.
I’ve also been outspoken about the handling of the Staples soccer and tennis coach non-renewal hearings in 2025, where key process steps were missed. Unfortunately, the BOE turned its back on the former Staples soccer coaches.
It’s fair to make coaching changes — but it’s wrong to undermine the reputation of loyal, hardworking educators, employees, and community members in the process. Fairness and due process should apply to everyone.
In addition, I’ve been critical of several investigations related to the coaching situations and other serious matters, including bullying and antisemitism cases, where the process lacked consistency and where the so-called “safety plans” set up by the administration can sometimes appear to reward the bully while hurting those being bullied.
These are deeply important issues. When students and families feel that systems are protecting aggressors instead of victims, trust erodes and confidence in leadership declines. Every student deserves to feel safe, supported, and heard.
However, the second misconception — that I am always critical — is simply not true.
In most situations, I have been a strong supporter of our superintendent and administration. I’ve been one of the leading board members cheering on his forward-thinking and visionary strategic plan, and I’ve encouraged him, both publicly and privately, to take bold risks and lead with conviction.
The new cellphone ban and inclusion of AI in the district’s strategic plan are good examples of courageous policies I’ve fully supported. I also stood by him when parts of the community pushed back against the Equity Plan and social-emotional learning (SEL) in our schools.
I also backed the superintendent when he sought more resources for the facilities team, even when both Democratic and Republican board leaders would not. That kind of support doesn’t make headlines, but it reflects my belief in empowering leadership while maintaining accountability. When I see something wrong, I call it out. I won’t apologize for asking tough questions—but I also give credit where it’s due.
And finally, I’ve consistently put talent and leadership ahead of party loyalty. I’ve voted for Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated candidates. I’m the only person in this election openly supporting both a Republican (my former running mate) and 2 unendorsed Democrats (Jodi and Stephen) alongside my own candidacy.
When my former party nominated two extreme candidates last election, I broke ranks and supported Jill Dillon, Lee Goldstein and Neil Phillips. I often disagree with Lee and Neil — but when it truly mattered, I put our school system ahead of politics. I paid a price for that decision when Republicans didn’t renominate me, but I have no regrets.
At its core, my candidacy is about integrity, independence, and putting students first. Westport deserves leaders who think critically, act fairly, and stand up for what’s right — no matter the politics.
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Republican Party-endorsed candidates Dorie Hordon (incumbent), Michelle Hopson, Andy Frankel and Kaitlin Zucaro say:
The biggest misperception about our candidacy is the suggestion that this election is about partisan politics. It is not.
The issues in this campaign are hyper-local. This is about leadership, not party affiliation, and what is best for the students and taxpayers of Westport.
Each one of us – Dorie, Andy, Michelle and Kaitlin – is an independent thinker with distinct backgrounds and perspectives. Yet we share common values: the importance of respectful civil discourse, the need to listen to parents, and the responsibility to focus on issues that matter most. We want to improve our schools, prepare our students for the future, and ensure accountability in how decisions are made.
From left: Michelle Hopson, Dorie Hordon, Kaitlin Zucaro, Andy Frankel.
Few matters are as local as the direction and operation of a town’s schools. That’s why we were surprised to see the “Harris-Shackelford BOE 2025” campaign committee’s financial disclosures showing more than $31,000 in campaign contributions.
Even more surprising—as of October 10 nearly $25,000 of these donations came from lawyers at Susman Godfrey – Mr. Shackelford’s law firm – living in Houston, Austin, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, New York and elsewhere.
These are individuals with no apparent connection to Westport schools. All told, excluding the candidates themselves and their spouses, less than $3,000 of their $31,000 came from Westport residents.
By contrast, contributions to our campaign have come from Westport residents who share our vision for improving our schools. In this digital age, running for local office does not require extravagant spending. Our entire budget so far is about $5,000, enough to cover lawn signs, community coffees and outreach materials.
Fiscal discipline is not just a talking point; it reflects how we operate. We are also deeply grateful to the parents and residents across town who have enthusiastically volunteered their time and energy in support of our efforts.
It is worth noting that Susman Godfrey, which reported revenues of more than $528 million in 2024 and profits of nearly $1.9 million per lawyer, is the same firm that represented the soccer coaches in their dispute with the school district over the non-renewal of contracts. The coaches, now claiming lack of due process, were represented by a Harvard-educated Susman Godfrey attorney who clerked for the US Supreme Court.
Our district is now defending against a frivolous lawsuit brought by another firm, consuming time and taxpayer resources. Having played a significant role in fueling that controversy, Mr. Shackelford now claims the Board should have a “partnership” with the superintendent and “mutual respect.”
Whatever the merits of their candidacy, lawyers in Texas, California and New York should not be funding or influencing the outcome of Westport’s Board of Education election. Is this what we want our local elections to become? Our schools and our children belong to this community.
We need a board that listens, respects, and collaborates and provides direction and oversight to the administration. We need a board that restores focus on academic excellence and the issues that matter most — and can actually get things done. That is why the 4 of us are running.
Early voting has begun. Come out and vote.
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Two Democrats will be on the ballot as petitioning candidates, having secured over 400 signatures. Jodi Harris and Stephen Shackelford say:
One of the biggest misperceptions we’ve heard about our candidacy is that this race is about replacing the superintendent.
It is not. This election is about leadership at the Board of Education, and the future of Westport schools. It’s about whether the BOE can govern confidently and proactively, working with our superintendent to overcome blind spots and protect our public schools.
Stephen Shackelford and Jodi Harris.
Another major misperception has to do with “endorsed” candidates.
The Westport Democratic Town Committee endorsed 2 candidates for the Board of Education, highlighting their vetting process. In August, one of those candidates withdrew from the race. The other candidate, who is an appointee on the current board, has access to party-provided resources like funding, voter data and campaign coordination.
We did not receive the 72-member DTC endorsement, so we don’t have access to party resources. But we wouldn’t trade our route to the ballot for anything. We earned our spot by securing the handwritten, in-person signatures of more than 440 registered Westport Democrats. That grassroots effort represents real people valuing choice beyond party-appointed candidates, and it allowed us to hear directly from residents about their most pressing concerns.
This choice between party endorsements and grassroots-driven candidates is playing out across the entire race. While 5 candidates have been endorsed by official political committees (including 4 Republicans), the other 3 candidates for the BOE are challenging that system: the two of us, who petitioned our way into the race, and Robert Harrington, who is running as a write-in candidate after the Republican Town Committee shut him out. We believe Westport deserves a choice that places people over politics.
Another misperception is that protecting special education requires direct personal SpEd experience. While one of us has unique personal experience, the real issue is systemic. We’ve heard from many families about their enormous, costly challenges securing the services their children need.
Though some experiences are positive, this uneven access to support has festered for years. The board needs independent voices willing to challenge this status quo and its high costs to both families and taxpayers. We will be those voices.
This brings us back to the larger misperception: that this race is about one person, one event, or one group of stakeholders. It is not.
It is about whether the BOE has the strength, skills and independence to set direction, manage risk, and provide effective oversight. When boards lose confidence in their own role, they invite chaos. When they fail to lead, they leave the administration and community vulnerable to missteps.
Healthy debate is not dysfunction; it’s how good governance works. The real danger comes when boards avoid deliberation, shy away from transparency, or operate without clear priorities.
That vacuum leads to confusion and unnecessary conflict. It also creates an opening for louder, more ideological voices to dominate the conversation — voices that want to bring national culture wars into local classrooms, question professional educators, and erode support for public education itself.
Between us, we bring deep experience in law, communications, negotiation, strategic planning and community leadership. We are not running to dismantle the system, but to strengthen it — by restoring accountability, elevating standards of leadership, and ensuring decisions are made transparently.
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For last week’s “Where We Stand” story, click here.
For the second “Where We Stand” story, click here.
For the first “Where we Stand” story, click here.
The attacks here by the Republican candidates on Stephen and Jodi are deeply disappointing. However, I simply don’t believe the Republican candidates are actually writing these statements. These words don’t reflect the good people who showed up and spoke thoughtfully at last night’s debate.
I’ve been strongly endorsing my board colleague and former running mate – Dorie.
If they truly stand by these comments, I hope they will clearly state that these are their words — not those of their campaign manager.
It appears their campaign manager, Rob Hordon, is likely directing these political attacks agains Stephen and Jodi. Rob has been one of the individuals who, in recent years, has effectively taken control of the local Republican Party. He also managed the Republicans’ extreme BOE slate two years ago — the same campaign that led to Jill Dillon’s successful write-in candidacy. One of those former Republican candidates just came out this week to strongly endorse all four Republican candidates.
It’s unfortunate to see what’s happening to the local Republican Party. During the Republican nominating committee process this summer, Rob made his views unmistakably clear — including his emotional and personal involvement in the soccer situation. I entered the soccer non-renewal hearings with no such personal ties.
I believe community and Republican leaders such as Jen Tooker, Don O’Day, and Andrea Moore should speak out against this kind of political behavior and attacks.
The Westport Republican Party — and our town — are better than this.
and this is why I do not support Dori. It says a lot that even Jen Tooker did not support Camillo Raino! The fact that Dori’s husband supported that extremist who hates Westport with a passion, spreads MAGA propaganda and disinformation, and writes for an extremist right wing publication that has called Westport the seat of communism, says it all.
The idea that anyone running in today’s election is “upset” about niche issues, rather than staring the big problems square in the face and considering solutions, is preposterous. We had a 10% drop in 5th grade math scores in the district, achieving a 7 year low. (We also gave our Superintendent the maximum raise after receiving that outcome, and two candidates, Robert and Dorie, voted against that for sound reasons.) We have transition grades which often face major culture and academic shell shock when they reach the next level, who need better preparation. We have questionable oversight on academic standards and consistency- across grades, teams, or courses. We have a cluttered, multi-directional, confused take on technology that will not serve our students well as they enter post-secondary school life. We have some very major facilities concerns and capital improvement requirements coming our way. And we have a board both very far away from many of these issues (due to either having children who have fully aged out of the system or not in the system at all) and unwilling to engage the public civilly and with transparency. I frequently write to the Board of Ed and find letters back to me asking for the documentation. Why? Because at this point, of the current, seated board members running, only Dorie Hordon has a child in our public schools and one member of our Board has taken her children out of the system, but is not encouraged to give up her seat. Jodi Harris has served as PTA president or Exec Board member at every level, and Stephen, having put four children through the district, offers the perspective that comes from seeing the dots that connect elementary school all the way to high school. These are the types of fresh perspectives that are needed to address some of today’s core concerns, not the niche ones that serve as distractions. If people are “upset,” they are upset that several of the issues the board elevated to the top of the priority list recently provided a rightful distraction from the real things that plague the district – things that parents have every right to be concerned with, to call the board to task on and that many candidates in today’s race are committed to opening the dialogue on once again. Additionally, we have dirty politics being played in town over our most costly and important department – so much so that, even in this article, a Democrat won’t acknowledge the other Democrats on the ticket? Jodi and Stephen worked incredibly hard this summer to engage registered Democrats (and approximately 200 independents) and secure their place on the ballot because they believe the “big ticket” issues must be revisited and prioritized. That’s the kind of Board of Education our families deserve in order to bring our children into a complicated decade of academic and professional changes.
Thanks, Gery. These are very important comments from you.
I hope these highly unfortunate attacks on Jodi and Stephen — likely coming from the Republican campaign manager — will finally wake the DTC up so they acknowledge that these two unendorsed candidates exist.
This recognition should have happened long ago.
I am an enthusiastic supporter of Jodi and Stephen alongside my own candidacy, and I continue to be a strong supporter of Dorie — even though I’m disappointed by the nature of this attack on the two Democrats. I have the utmost respect for Dorie and have truly enjoyed working with her over the past four years. I sincerely hope she is re-elected.
Note to the Republicans.
Here’s a “hyper local” issue: The Republican-led ICE Gestapo shows up at various hyper local places of work in Fairfield County and abducts parents while their children are sitting in a hyper local classroom, left alone to fend for themselves hyper locally. THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSES!
Westport is not immune to the extended reach of this horrific partisan administration, who takes pleasure in targeting Blue states such as Connecticut. It is the Republican Party who has put party over democracy, party over decency. I know. I had never been partisan in my life- until 2016 when the Republican Party turned its back on America.
MAGA is here. MAGA is hyper local. Right here In Westport’s Republican Party. I know. I worked in the last election to keep MAGA off this school board.
You get four votes for BOE. Use them wisely. Vote for Democrats.
Toni, I am a lifelong registered Democrat and believe everything you say about the concerns that face our nation. But the most MAGA-playcard holding of people in this BOE race are, embarrassingly, Democrats. I was a seated member of the DTC, its nominating committee and a DWW Board member until the leadership began operating like a goon squad if you dared to step out of line with their thinking or question a choice. (Look no further than the candidacy of Don O’Day and his endorsement by Lee Caney for more on this.) They lost the power to participate in civil discourse, a trait very honorably held by Dorie, who always works with respect, even through disagreement. I worked endlessly on behalf of Lee Goldstein in her campaign 6 years ago – when she needed my voice and my constituency, which she lacked access to. And, of course, my donations and time working the phones. Over the years since being provided unwavering Democratic support to achieve her position, she and those in her and Ms Tolan’s camp, the “party insiders,” closed their minds and ears long ago. There is vitriol coming from official email accounts and zero instinct to partner with anyone who isn’t an evangelizer. I can’t think of anything more MAGA than a closed mind and a vitriolic tone towards those who question a stance, or want to understand more about a choice. The BOE should, in fact, function outside of partisan politics and the party most guilty of that in Westport on THIS board, today, is sadly the Democratic Party. We need fresh minds and ears to guide our children through a chaotic time. There are truly wonderful Dems elsewhere in office and on other boards, but 400 Democratic signatures speak very loudly as to how many of us would like to be represented – through open-minded collaboration. Which our current board lacks.
Well, I had a DTC vote on BOE candidates and I did NOT SUPPORT one of the two put forth (Karpf, who chickened out of a competitive race and is now running uncontested for rtm). But now that the slate is set, I am all in for every Democrat running, including Shackelford and Harris.
So I have to say the ability to challenge within the DTC is possible, though few have the fortitude to do it. The democratic process is hard work and, for those of us who do it on principle rather than popularity, you have to persist.
I understand it’s not always pretty, but it is up to us to make is work. Don’t walk away, Gerry, come back and step up.
Agreed! We need to keep MAGA off of our school board! The attacks on teachers, kindness, empathy, inclusion, real history, Special Education, Autism and what really is the cause.. all of it is terrifying! We do not teach kids Patriotism. We teach REAL FACTS ABOUT OUR REAL HISTORY AND DO NOT WHITEWASH IT.
People better learn that taking away science research by saying it is protecting against anti-semitism is conflation of the worst degree. I am a Jew against all the massive protests that attacked Jews on college campuses and somehow justified Oct 7, but this administration and Camilo Raino are 100% anti education and public education at that. He might as well work for Prager University and their cartoons saying slavery was not so bad… MURICA… the great and awesome!
I think it is important that I comment here. I love this town and will continue to despite what happened. Russell and I have moved on with our lives. I wish you all would stop using the specifics of the soccer coaches and our situations as a reason to extend the disappointing behavior that I witnessed during my public lynching. If everyone is so concerned about outside influences, then maybe they shouldn’t hire a superintendent who spends absolutely no time even trying to be a part of this community. Our situation would have never happened if he was. To be clear, I was not represented by any lawyer at my hearing. I represented myself. The “frivolous” lawsuit was brought by a lawyer which Russell found and procured, having nothing to do with anything else. And it certainly isn’t frivolous if you know even a small part of what happened here. The process is completely broken and everyone should be rooting for a fix. Calling for accountability is in everyone’s interest to improving our operations.
I hope you all find some real issues that you can properly debate which will help to make the town stronger! The soccer issue is a waste of time. It had nothing to do with me, but I was dragged into it because I decided to support Russell. It had nothing to do with Stephen Shackelford, but he was dragged into it because he decided to support his sons coaches, as did 90% of the parents involved.
It would be a shame if this stupid topic is what the election is reduced to. You should be voting for Stephen and Jodi because they are excellent candidates to help improve the community. I ask that you all leave the soccer coaches alone, we have had enough. I look forward to cheering Staples Soccer on tonight in the FCIAC Semifinals and then I look forward to coaching Warde in the States next week.
Thank you to the Republican candidates for so perfectly highlighting Stephen Shackelford’s outstanding qualifications and character.
They attack him for being a partner at a world-class law firm. I call that a résumé. Our community should want a board member with elite-level experience in complex problem-solving, negotiation, and ensuring due process.
They attack him for having colleagues and friends from across the country contribute to his campaign. I call that a powerful testament to his integrity.
Let’s be perfectly clear: as petitioning candidates, Stephen and Jodi received no financial support from the Democratic Town Committee. They had to be resourceful. The fact that esteemed colleagues — people who know Stephen’s character best — are willing to donate their own money to support his run for an unpaid, volunteer town board position says everything.
Stephen doesn’t have to do this. He’s running because he’s deeply committed to serving this community.
This entire line of attack is a desperate and shortsighted attempt to distract from the Republican slate’s own lack of substantive experience. Instead of offering a vision for the complex issues facing our district — from infrastructure to academic excellence to Special Education — they’re busy auditing fundraising reports.
This kind of petty politics is exactly why Westport needs serious, qualified, and independent leaders like Stephen Shackelford and Jodi Harris — not more finger-pointers grasping for relevance.
The fact that Camillo Raino endorses the Republican candidates on Westport Journal says it all. That man is the most extreme of extremes and anyone who endorses his thinking truly terrifies me as a parent and teacher.
Wow. I didn’t see this one coming this morning. I heard Harrington was well-behaved at the debate last night, but I guess he was saving it up for the Woog comment section.
I would normally stay out of the mix here, but having been called out personally—and so extensively!—I really have no choice but to respond.
I am just going to speak directly to the voters of Westport here.
For those who do not know me, my name is Rob. I am indeed Dorie’s husband. I have known her since we were four years old. I have had the honor of watching her grow up from a shy little elementary school kid to one of Westport’s strongest and most poised community leaders. I am very proud of her and happy to support her.
For the past few years, I have been a member of the RTC. I am the Treasurer of the committee that is behind the slate of Republican-endorsed candidates (go to votefor4.com to donate!). I am helping the campaign, as alleged, because I think we have four awesome candidates who will be great board members.
There is a whole lot to address here.
First, I’m actually flattered that Harrington thinks I have so much influence and control over, not just my wife, but three other grown adults running on this ticket, and the entire local Republican party! But like so many things Harrington writes and says, it’s ridiculous on its face.
Take my good friend, Andy. He just retired as a senior partner at one of the most elite law firms in the world. He is literally one of the most accomplished lawyers in the United States. Do you think he simply does whatever his running mate’s husband tells him to do?
The suggestion is an insult to my wife (who, in reality, rarely listens to me) and her running mates.
In terms of the article today, I wish I could take credit for it, but I cannot. It came from the candidates themselves. It may be a good distraction technique to bring me into this, but the facts are the facts.
Individuals are limited in how much they can contribute to political campaigns, so Stephen obviously leaned on all his colleagues at his law firm to donate to his campaign, and they ponied up A LOT of money. It’s all public record. Voters can react to that information as they see fit, as well as his firm’s extensive involvement in the soccer proceedings. It’s totally fair game.
As noted, I was one of seven members of the RTC nominating committee this summer and was totally upfront with Harrington when he came to us and pled his case for the Republican endorsement. I am actually glad he brought this up because Harrington has been spreading a false narrative about what happened.
He has claimed that the reason he was not renominated by the RTC is that he is too “outspoken.” This is a good case study in how Harrington twists people’s words and distorts the facts. What ACTUALLY happened is that one member of the committee inquired if he would be interested in a different board seat (Harrington immediately said yes). But this person then noted that that board worked with a lot of confidential/legally sensitive information, so he couldn’t just go running his mouth all the time.
As one of seven members of the committee, I can only speak for myself why I didn’t want to nominate Harrington for any position. I truly believe this man is UNFIT FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
I feel this way for many reasons. I believe he is extremely dishonest. I believe he is malicious. I believe he is pathologically attention-seeking. I believe he is mentally unstable.
Let me be blunt. Robert Harrington is a man of LOW CHARACTER who, among other things, just loves to smear people and try to take them down. I’ve witnessed this pattern over and over again over the past four years.
He likes to praise my wife now, but he smeared her on social media when she was his running mate four years ago. He smeared Jen and Andrea as well. He famously smeared the last Republican candidates for Board of Ed. More recently, he smeared (and in my view, along with Shackelford, defamed) the Staples Athletic Director, writing a full-length essay in this very blog on why he should be fired. He finally got to me.
I may have been somewhat “emotional” in that nominating committee meeting with him, but it wasn’t because I had “personal ties” to the soccer controversy. I know there has been a lot of absurd innuendo around that in this blog, and frankly I don’t even want to give it oxygen because it has been way too invasive of our family life (which I interpret as an intimidation tactic—a lot of bullies in this town).
If I showed some emotion in that meeting, it is because I believe Robert Harrington really is a bad guy and a MENACE TO WESTPORT. He is, in my view, motivated by a constant need for attention and a weird recurring need to portray himself to the public as this heroic figure, committed to truth and justice, slaying various dragons that he conjures up along the way in his deranged mind. Facts and reality are no match for his vivid imagination. Who knows, maybe YOU will be next??
I think everyone should vote for the Hordon, Hopson, Frankel and Zucaro slate. They are all good people. Sane, rational people. But whatever you do, please, do NOT give this guy a megaphone again and another four years of political power which he will use to spread lies, attack people individually, draw attention to himself, and ultimately bring harm to our community, our school system and our kids.
Rob — thanks for clarifying that the comments about Stephen and Jodi came from the Republican candidates themselves, and not from you.
I’d be happy to revisit the full discussion and questions from the Republican nominating committee — on topics like the soccer coaches, superintendent, community gardens, and book banning. I appreciated your frankness in that meeting.
Did you mean to say “mentally unstable” out loud in your reply above? About nine years ago, I was in a difficult place myself and had to rely on a close network of friends and family — and I was very fortunate to have that support.
I’m proud to have served on the Board of Education for the past four years. I’m proud to support Dorie again — and to vote for two engaged Democrats this time around.
I didn’t start this. You did. You just came out of left field and randomly started accusing me, a private citizen, of doing all these things and having all these elaborate powers over people (couched in the adverb “likely”).
I have no awareness of your mental health status or history. If you had an episode nine years ago and addressed it, that’s great. But what are you trying to do here? Bait me into some kind of trap where you can then blast me as someone who is insensitive to people with mental health challenges? And then twist my words, perhaps even write an op-ed, and demand that “town leaders” condemn me? The routine is getting old.
It has only been four years that I’ve been aware of your existence, starting with the last campaign. My comments pertain to your erratic behavior and poor judgment as a candidate and then a board member. In my opinion, you are not someone who should hold political office. I get that you’re mad at me for being a roadblock to your re-nomination, but you win some, you lose some.
To quote George Bernard Shaw, “Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.”
I really don’t want to keep doing this, but I’m from New Jersey, so I probably will if you keep talking smack
For what it is worth, I can understand why Robert thought the Republican’s blurb wasn’t written by all 4 candidates. Andy Frankel led a group at Simpson. I’m sure he knows that Stephen’s colleagues donated to his campaign because they like him – not because they have any nefarious plans for our town. They don’t have time for that. Any other conclusion is ridiculous. Because we need our elected officials to work together, ideally amicably, the donations seem like a mark in Stephen’s favor.
These types of attacks from both the local Republican and Democratic parties are silly. Most people in town are smart enough to see through them. It would have been nice to read instead about what the Republican candidates bring to the table.
Mr. Hordon, do you support what Camillo Raino says about Westport and do you support what Donald Trump does to Education as a whole?
This really has nothing to do with party politics— this is about bringing legal resources and funding from California and elsewhere to meddle in local elections. And also about a candidate using his powerful law firm to discredit the overwhelm the school’s administration. Outside sources need to stay out of our schools.
The Republicans’ blurb on “Where We Stand” is one of the most flabbergasting things I’ve read on this blog. I guess they stand for nonsensical mud-slinging? Having worked in a law firm myself, I can say that Stephen’s colleagues donated to his campaign because he is well-respected and a truly talented human – not because they have any nefarious interests in Westport. Having worked in a similar firm, I can vouch for the fact that they don’t have time for that extracurricular activity.
Coincidentally, I wrote an endorsement for Stephen Shackelford this morning that I’m sharing below:
I’m writing to implore Westport residents to vote for Stephen Shackelford for the Board of Education (“BOE”). I served with Stephen on the RTM and he is one of the smartest, talented, and truly decent individuals that I had the pleasure of working with both there and over the course of my life. And he’s humble so let me highlight some of his accolades. Stephen went to Harvard and then Harvard Law School, graduating first in his class. He then clerked for Justice Stephen Breyer of the Supreme Court of the United States. Subsequently, Stephen has made a name for himself as one of the most skilled trial attorneys in the area.
I would support Stephen’s candidacy for any office. He is one of the rare people in life that is both smart enough to figure out the solution to any issue and has the diplomatic skills needed to bring that solution to fruition. But Stephen is also uniquely qualified to serve as a BOE member given his prior RTM experience, his four children that have gone through the Westport Public School System, and his vast knowledge of its workings as spouse to a PTA co-president.
Our BOE will be facing numerous complicated challenges over the next four years, from redistricting to artificial intelligence and beyond. I trust Stephen Shackelford to make decisions on those issues on behalf of my children and hope he earns your vote as well.
Not sure which if any the candidates this applies to, but it should be a Westport Board of Education requirement that you either currently have, or recently have had, a child in the Westport Public Schools.
That is one of the more ridiculous suggestions I have read in a long time. Could you take any less respectful a view of your neighbors?
I’ll bite, though. I’ll agree to that, if people without children in schools don’t have to contribute to the education budget.
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.
For a while I refrained from commenting on Mr. Woog’s blog because of unstable, aggressive and insulting commentators using this blog to harass and attack other Westport residents.
However, seeing the very same aggressive individuals throwing dirt at the highly qualified candidates with excellent resumes and many years of experience both, professionally and while raising successful children, I cannot stand back.
As a parent who had three children in a district, I had overwhelmingly positive experience with Dorie Hordon who can listen to all and articulate in a respectful manner both, her agreement and disagreement.
Her comments are always insightful and well-thought. She stands out as the one who is really doing her homework while volunteering at BOE. Westport is privileged to have Dorie Hordon on its Board of Education!
Similarly, I have great things to say about Andy Frankel, a highly intelligent and caring Westporter who helped me with his advices on some personal matters.
I was surprised but also very excited to hear that such a qualified candidate as Andy is running for BOE. WPS would win big having his knowledge and expertise on its Board of Education!
At the same time, I would like to share that Robert Harrington never replied to my concerns which I expressed via emails to BOE.
He appears to me as a populist who says what majority likes to hear (or, at least he thinks this way) but doesn’t care about anything or anyone.
Also, his attack on Camilo Riano, a Westport resident, a wonderful husband and a father of four talented and well-taken-care-of Westport students, is absolutely despicable!
If demanding merit and age-appropriate materials at public schools is “extreme” then majority of us, parents, are “extremists” in the eyes of “woke” individuals!
The real issue before us is that public education has been watered down in the name of “equity” here in the US. This IS the reason why the scores in absolutely all subjects have been declining across the States.
I am writing this as a mother of three school-aged children who were “bored” and for whom the education was “too easy” at WPS elementary and middle schools. Yet, WPS declined my requests to place my children in a more advanced math classes and even stated that my children “could be damaged” with more knowledge.
As a result, my family made a decision to take our children out of WPS and place them in a private school where they are appropriately challenged. None of them is “damaged” as they continue being straight-A students and exceed expectations otherwise in a more competitive settings.
As an added plus, my children are not exposed to the inappropriate materials and their days at school do not start with uber-concentration on their emotional state. The latter I considered as a waste of time at the very least and even damaging while my children studied at WPS.
In real life, no future employer will be tippy-toeing around our children and asking them if they feel like working today.
What WPS should have taught our children is to collect themselves and to perform their best under any circumstances. They should have but they did not.
On a separate note I would like to mention that one of the most frequent and vocal attackers here is Stephanie (a.k.a. Pephi) Frankel.
I would encourage everyone not to pay attention to anything she writes as she is the one who harassed dozens of Westport residents with unprovoked verbal attacks written publicly and via private messages where she insulted and falsely accused unsuspecting Westporters of some ridiculous things.
I do not know her and never communicated with her, and yet, she wrote multiple insulting messages to me calling me a “fascist”, stating that my family is “not welcome in Westport” and demanding that I disclose my “agenda” here in Westport.
She also kept running behind my and other speakers’ backs during BOE meeting and could not stay still while speaking herself.
She acted scary enough for me and another Westport resident to contact Westport PD and report her behavior. Only then she stopped harassing us and I hope to never hearing from her again.
Lastly, while it shouldn’t matter in other circumstances but it does here, my family is a Slavic-Hispanic family of first generation immigrants. And it must be our refusal to play a victim role for hand me downs but demand a high quality MERITORIOUS education for our children which placed us in hot water with local “woke” and otherwise mentally-unstable populace. This and also refusal of our would be 13-year old daughters being presented with highly inappropriate materials at WPS such as unintelligent and pornographic comic books where children perform oral sex on one another, a grown man teaches a boy to please himself into a bottle, advising people (and in this case children as young as 13y.o.!) to register on websites where adults search for sex partners, etc. So, yeah, this made me a “fascist”. And it doesn’t matter that 27 million of my people were murdered by the actual fascists. And that my own grandfather fought actual fascists, was seriously wounded, yet miraculously survived and gave life to my father and thus me against all odds!
Here in Westport the very same lunatics who claim to be “welcoming and kind” to immigrants and minorities call us names and tell us to get out.
Bottom line, such behavior should not be allowed nor condoned by those who represent the district and BOE candidates should not engage in defamatory attacks on other Westport residents like Robert Harrington does.
Leave the politics at home and bring the civility back into WPS!
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