Barnegat Clashes Over Mayor's Anti-LGBTQ Education Stance

BARNEGAT, NJ — A month after Barnegat's mayor vowed to fight a new state law that brings an LGBTQ history curriculum into schools, the Township remains divided.

Tuesday's Township Committee meeting featured about 100 residents and often erupted in shouting. The room stood starkly divided between people who thought Mayor Alfonso Cirulli's comments harmed the LGBTQ community and those who felt the new law would restrict religious freedom.

People angry over Cirulli's anti-LGBTQ remarks held a rally before Tuesday's meeting. The email inviting residents and parents to attend called Cirulli's comments "homophobic."

Cirulli, last month, called the LGBTQ political movement "an affront to almighty God." The mayor stood by his comments Tuesday, suggesting that students should have the choice of engaging in that curriculum. Read more: Barnegat Mayor Reportedly Rips Teaching LGBTQ History In Schools

The new legislation requires schools to adopt instructional materials, that accurately portray political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Governor Phil Murphy signed the bill into law in February. The law would first be implemented in the 2020-21 school year.

"Our youth deserve to see how diverse American history truly is — and how they can be a part of it one day, too," Murphy said.

Cirulli, a former assistant principal, said the law would interfere with parents' First-Amendment rights and how they "morally raise their children."

Bridget Nunn, a Barnegat resident who works in mental health, took issue with Cirulli's suggestion that teaching LGBTQ history relates to morals.

"(This curriculum) is not to teach your children sexuality," Nunn said. "It is not to make your children gay or transgender because lord knows that cannot be done."

Several people expressed that Cirulli's comments promote an atmosphere that doesn't sufficiently prevent LGBTQ students from getting bullied. Barnegat officials said local laws protect all students against bullying.

"(At the meeting) you witnessed the pleading from the youth of Barnegat who fear for their safety if they are admitted members of the LGBTQ community, who must leave their classrooms early to avoid confrontation in the hallways with non inclusive students," said Peg Houle, a Democrat running for Township Committee against Republican incumbent Albert Bille.

LGBTQ youth face an increased risk of being bullied, according to stopbullying.gov. American high school students who self-identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual report having been bullied on school property (33%) and cyberbullied (27.1%) in the past year, than their heterosexual peers (17.1% and 13.3%, respectively), according to the cited 2017 study.

"I wasn’t protected in high school," one concerned citizen said while Cirulli spoke. "I wasn’t protected at all."

"There are laws on the books that should’ve been enforced," Cirulli said. "In your case, I don’t know. But I protected, as assistant principal of my high school, everyone."

Members of various Christian and Orthodox Jewish groups defended the mayor's comments, suggesting the law amounted to indoctrinating children.

Barnegat resident Robert Martucci said that even Thomas Jefferson's original mention of "separation of church and state" defends public officials' rights to comments like Cirulli's.

"You have every right in the world to talk about your religion and espouse what your beliefs are," Martucci said to Cirulli. He also said that residents can keep that in mind and decide whether to reelect or replace officials who mention their religious beliefs.

Another Barnegat resident, however, accused Cirulli of hiding his personal agenda "behind the cross."

"I ask that you educate yourself on this matter and understand that the curriculum is about historical contributions," Patty Clark said.

Deputy Mayor John Novak agreed with Cirulli that the curriculum should feature an opt-out clause.

"I believe that if a law mandates that a curriculum be forced upon children which conflicts with the sexual morals and/or spiritual beliefs of that child's family then the parents of that child should have the right to opt their child out of that component of public education," Novak said in a prepared statement.

2019 has marked a milestone for the LGBTQ movement in the U.S. and Ocean County. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots. The Stonewall uprising took place after a police raid of Manhattan's Stonewall Inn, a popular bar among people in the gay community.

LGBT Pride Month is celebrated in June to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall riots. NYPD Commissioner James P. O'Neill issued an official apology for the Stonewall raids last June, according to the New York Times, calling the actions of the NYPD "wrong — plain and simple."

“The actions taken by the N.Y.P.D. were wrong — plain and simple,” O'Neill said.

In Ocean County, the Board of Freeholders passed a resolution in June to declare it as Pride Month in the county.

"The Ocean County Chosen Board of Freeholders agrees that when we are educated about our differences, we become more knowledgeable and accepting of our diversity as a community," said the resolution, which was approved by a unanimous vote.

The Toms River Township Council passed a resolution June 11 to support Pride Month. The mayor and council raised a Pride flag outside Town Hall. Read more: Toms River, Ocean Freeholders Declare Pride Month Support

But Barnegat's committee meeting showed disagreements on the intersection of LGBTQ tolerance and religious beliefs.

"I'm very embarrassed to be part of this town tonight," said Connie Jeremias, of Barnegat.

With reporting from Gary Beeg Jr./Patch

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