Last week, a school board member in Robbinsville, New Jersey, near Trenton, said at the monthly school board meeting:  “If my son wants to call somebody a faggot he should be allowed to.  It’s his First Amendment right.”   The remark by school board member Joe Armenti came in response to a suggestion by Robbinsville High School students to have a box at the school where they could report incidents of hate, LGBT-related and not.

No other school board members spoke up at the meeting to protest the remarks. 

This incident comes practically 10 years to the day of the murder of Matthew Shepard, a crime foreshadowed by homophobic taunts.  The anniversary of that tragedy is October 12.  

Let us be ever vigilant to make sure Matthew's passing was not in vain.  Please join Garden State Equality in writing to school district officials, asking them to attend a special day of education sponsored by the school's Gay-Straight Alliance on Saturday, October 18th, and asking Joe Armenti to attend the meeting and apologize to the students.  If he doesn't, he must resign.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am outraged by the remarks of Robbinsville Board of Education member Joe Armenti at last month's school board meeting. Mr. Armenti, as you know, said: "If my son wants to call somebody a faggot he should be allowed to. It's his First Amendment right."

The remark came in response to a suggestion by Robbinsville High School students to have a box at the school where they could report incidents of hate, LGBT-related and not.

Not only is your statement sickening, Mr. Armenti, it is also ignorant. There is no First Amendment right to express hatred in a school setting against students based on their being a minority.

Quite the opposite. The statement violates state law, including New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination and Bias Intimidation Act. Without redress by the school district, the district would be held liable.

Aside from my anger at you, Mr. Armenti, I am in disbelief that no no other school board members spoke up at the meeting to protest the remarks.

This incident comes practically 10 years to the day of the murder of Matthew Shepard, a crime foreshadowed by homophobic taunts. The anniversary of that tragedy is October 12.

I understand the Gay-Straight Alliance at Robbinsville High School has invited the entire school board and school district administration to attend a statewide Gay-Straight Alliance educational forum on Saturday, October 18th, on the premises of Robbinsville High School.

All of you now have the moral responsibility to attend that forum.

I also understand that the Robbinsville Gay-Straight Alliance has requested that you, Mr. Armenti, attend the meeting and apologize to the students.

Like thousands of other members of Garden State Equality, I am adamant that you do so, Mr. Armenti.

Otherwise, Garden State Equality will not blink: We would then mobilize our grassroots forces across the state until you resign.

Don't dig in, Mr. Armenti. Look into your heart and see the pain you've caused. Apologize publicly and stop the pain. Otherwise, you will be perpetuating even further damage to your legacy and to the students you've already hurt.

Is this how you wish to be remembered, Mr. Armenti?

And do you wish to be seen as complicit through inaction, dear school board members and school district administrators?

I urge each of you to take every action to allow these students to heal.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
October 02, 2008